I literally can't say enough good things about weddings 826 - they saved my wedding. I came in crying on the Sunday before my wedding with a dress that had been altered terribly and still didn't fit. Rachel then did an amazing job explaining how/what she could fix while still managing my expectations. they scheduled me on Tuesday & Thursday for fittings. By Thursday I (and the staff) was amazed at how much better it fit. Rachel was so so wonderful to work with. The owner & manager were also extremely kind & they offered to waive a fee for me due to the stress of the situation. I felt like I paid a reasonable amount for what they did for me. I will be recommending this shop to everyone I know for the rest of time! read more

I found my amazing wedding dress here! I worked with Suzi, the owner, and she was so sweet and knowledgable. She choose several beautiful dresses for me to try on and poured my mom and I champagne. She was very attentive and spent almost two hours with me. I was very confident in saying yes to the dress! While the fittings/alterations went well, and the finished product was almost perfect, I may have done alterations differently. I know it's a costly service, but I definitely had sticker shock as the alterations were almost half the cost of my dress. They did great work, but maybe I should have shopped around for a more budget friendly price. I would recommend any bride to be to check out this great boutique! read more

Weddings 826 - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I bought my dress out of state and came to Weddings 826 for alterations. To say I was nervous was an understatement, I wanted to make sure my dress was in the right hands. After reading many reviews, I settled on Weddings 826. As soon as I walked in, all my nerves went away. The staff is incredible, everyone wants nothing but the best for you and will help you with anything. Brian did my alterations and he was great, I am so happy with how everything came out. It is a little pricey but so worth it in my opinion. The care and customer service is unmatched. I couldn't recommend them enough!! read more

My experience with coming here and having an appointment was 5 star all the way. I was the only one in the boutique and had a lot of personalized attention, procedures were explained in detail, suggestions to alter a dress were offered (like adding or removing decorative trim) and I even got a thank you card in the mail later in the week! Really, for customer service it doesnt get any better than this. And I am truly a pain in the ass when it comes to rating service. The reason I cant bestow a 5 star review is that all the sample dresses were very small, so even if one fit me, it was very snug and so it looked bad. I couldnt get a clear idea of what it would end up looking like, or even if the final product would be flattering. To spend $1000 and up on guessing was a little too much gambling in my book. But the dresses they had were beautiful, I cant say for the alterations or purchasing since I am ordering my dress through a different shop, but if you are under a size 10 this might be a great place for you. read more

Weddings 826 - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Weddings 826 not only had a great selection of absolutely beautiful dresses--everyone a poem--but they also helped every step of the way: suggesting accessories, providing referrals to a hair stylist and makeup artist, providing multiple fittings, even offering post-wedding (detailed, knowledgeable, and thrifty) advice on how to clean and store the dress. Five stars for aesthetics and service. Thank you! read more

This is going to be a long one. I had a great experience, generally, but I also feel the most expensive garment you ever buy should be perfect. I'd give 5 stars for the ladies in the sales section of Weddings 826, but 3 for alterations. Here's my story: My wedding venue accidentally double-booked our date. So, the big day was suddenly pushed almost 2 months earlier than we'd planned. This made ordering a custom dress impossible. Enter Weddings 826, and their off-the-rack selection. I called the shop, looking for a hi-low dress or something with art deco/Gatsby beading. The woman on the phone said they had neither style, but encouraged me to come in. I assumed I wouldn't find anything. I was wrong! Marnie, a wonderful woman, listened carefully to what I was interested in and put on no pressure. There was champagne for all of my guests, and we had a blast. I ended up finding THE ONE- the second dress I tried on. The price was even below my budget (less than $1,000). There was much rejoicing. I'd recommend buying an off-the-rack dress at Weddings 826 to ANYBODY. Sadly, "THE ONE" was a size 10 when I am a 2- a 4 on a fat day. This may or may not have been too much for the alterations department to handle. I figured I'd let them alter it; I'm willing to pay more for experts. Surprisingly, the final product had some flaws. The dress, which ended up being a Nova gown from Enzoani's Modeca line (the store won't tell you this up-front; I used my Google-fu), had a high collar and racer back. The collar was why I chose the dress. I loved it. I am a seamstress, so I know how difficult editing a collar can be. Unfortunately, by the first set of alterations, I could already tell too much fabric had been removed from the collar for it to ever look the way it did when I first tried it on. In fact, that particular alterations visit was rough all around. The woman helping me said, "This looks great to me, but do you see anything that you'd like changed?" I was pretty freaked out by this, given that there were a few inches of extra fabric in the torso. The length of the top fit WAY incorrectly. I suppose I know my body best, and maybe this wasn't obvious to the alterations woman, but again- they're wedding experts. I was hoping they could spot the errors without me. My final fitting saw a neckline and collar that were visibly, unacceptably asymmetrical. Thankfully, the staff agreed. The right shoulder was disassembled right before my eyes, and I was assured it would be fine for wedding day. Unfortunately, the final product was still quite iffy. Don't get me wrong- the hips, waist, and back fit like a DREAM. It's top-notch work. The collar, though, which is the reason I bought the gown, can be seen in the photos I've attached. One side sits beautifully- flat against my chest and crisp. That pesky right side is lumpy all the way down my chest, often exposing the bra cup within, and requiring my constant fiddling. Also, there's a small, grey spot or stain near my left collarbone. It isn't visible in pictures, but it was disappointing. Cleaning alone cost $150! Perhaps I am being too picky. I got nothing but compliments at my sci-fi wedding on my "space princess" gown. It was very me, and I still love the dress I chose. I would want the same dress if I had to do it over. However, seeing as alterations literally cost as much as the dress, I wanted to be just as pleased with the final product. I wasn't. TL;DR: Buy your dress at Weddings 826! Get it altered by someone else whom you trust. read more

Weddings 826 - Dress purchased and then altered at Weddings 826. The style is perfect for me, and the hips, waist, and hem fit like a dream. - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We have bought 2 wedding dresses from this salon and I have never been so happy! The staff is phenomenal from start to finish. It has been a difficult year for my daughter starting and stopping and altering wedding plans but dealing with the women that work here was always pleasant. They accommodated us and were so understanding. Alterations were done effectively and were not super expensive. The quality of the dress was beautiful and it was not ridiculously expensive. We received so many compliments on the dress and the veil! Both of my daughters looked absolutely stunning and I am so grateful we found a unique stylish affordable salon! I will definitely recommend this salon to future brides! read more

So I went to six different bridal shops in Chicago while looking for my dress, and Weddings 826 was fine, but it wasn't my favorite. I came in with my mom and grandma, and although the girl who worked with us was sweet, it didn't feel like we had her full attention. She would help me get into a dress, walk with me into the room where my mom and grandma were sitting so that I could show them, and then disappear for a few minutes. The shop itself is nice, and I like that it's in an old house. However, please keep in mind that anyone visiting needs to climb a small flight of stairs to get in (this would have been good to know for my grandma). read more

Weddings 826 has been there for me throughout the entire pandemic! From buying a dress in Feb 2020 to having to cancel and reschedule with tons of other covid brides. Alterations on alterations. Moving my dress to the UK and then back for a Chicago wedding. Losing 20 pounds and needing it to be taken in with only a few days to spare. The weddings 826 team has taken all my calls, emails, and concerns and held my hand every step of the way. So thankful to the entire team for all there help and moving things around to accommodate a crazy situation. Special shout out to Brian for his alterations wizardry to bring my dress from beautiful to perfectly made for my body. I will shout from the rooftops that weddings 826 is THE PLACE to get your dress and all alterations! Thank you guys! read more

As a bridesmaid who has been to many different wedding shops in Chicago, I can confidently say that weddings 826 was the best wedding dress shopping experience we had. It's a beautiful smaller boutique that has an absolutely enormous selection. Don't let the small shop fool you - they have a huge warehouse in the back. I was really impressed with the dresses they had off the rack that were discounted. Many of the brides I have been in weddings have a budget of $1000 or less and they were able to readily accommodate that. The shopping experience was so pleasant, they have a beautiful seating area for the brides' guests (like bridesmaids and mother of the bride), and they have a huge personal dressing room where you get your own attendant to help you try on different dresses. I thought the sales staff was very patient, and not pushy. Overall, a really wonderful experience and I would recommend any bride check out weddings 826. read more

Nothing but love for Weddings 826! I SAID YES TO THE DRESS! Here are the reasons why I felt they really went above and beyond: - Appointment required. Might seem annoying to some but it really allows their staff to be attentive and get a feel of what you are looking for. - Champagne! Many boutiques have a no alcohol policy and I thought this was a nice touch. - I am NOT the girl who cried and shrieked when I found "the one." I left Weddings826 without the dress and continued to look at other salons. When I realized I was comparing EVERY dress to the dress at 826, I knew that was the dress for me. The woman helping me was not pushy AT ALL and actually encouraged me to think about it since I was so far out from my wedding date. - I felt they had a large selection of dresses, unlike Glamour Closet that seemed to have a very limited number of ballgowns. Because they had so many ballgown styles, it helped me narrow down the exact style I was looking for. - They are honest about alteration prices before you buy the dress which is nice. Had such a great experience, check them out! read more

I have to mention they do have pretty dresses and a friendly staff. My stylist was nice and personable. However, I had some concerns... First, not all of the dresses presented fit me. If your a size 6-8 with hips you may have hard time trying on dresses at all. The stylist brought out a lot of beautiful dresses that I couldn't even get passed my hips. Which sort of bummed me out and made me feel fat. Not sure if that was the stylist's fault or the boutique is limited on sizes. I had already visited two bridal salons prior and I had the opposite problem. They had to use clips to hold the dresses in place. Second, I had hoped whatever dress I couldn't try on due to it being too small would have been replaced with something else I could try. I only got to try on 5 dresses. I tried on up to 8-10 dresses at the other locations. Lastly, it was a little awkward having to be interrupted several times by other stylists who needed to collect dresses for their brides to try on. I guess some dresses were being stored in my suite's closet. Not the best setup. It made for an impersonal experience and added insult to injury. read more

The Best Wedding shop ever!!! I have seriously been to 15-20 wedding shops and by the time I came here I was so hopeless with finding the "one". They are the sweetest people and gave me the space to just really look and pick on things I might want to try on. They never pressure me and offer their option when I ask. They really do such a great job and what made it even better, I got to just buy the dress on the spot and take it home with me. They also didn't add 5 inches to my measurement and their alteration are affordable. What I love the most is that every there are all fashion designer or fashion designer students so they really know the material and the fit well. I couldn't imagine planning this wedding without them. read more

If possible I would give more then 5 stars! Weddings 826 was everything I wanted in a bridal shop. Small, not overwhelming, lots of options at GREAT prices, and phenomenal service. Suzi was incredible to work with - not to mention the free champagne as you shopped wasn't a bad touch. She was not trying to sell you anything and gave opinions sparingly but when needed. We ended up going on to our next apts but I kept dreaming about one dress I started the day trying on. We wanted to run back but realized it was 5pm - closing time. We called and Suzi told us she would stay late and open for us so we could come back. Some of the best customer service I've ever received. I am so glad I bought my dress here and will be recommending to all! read more

I want to give a huge thank you to Suzi and the entire staff at Weddings 826 I already had a ceremony dress, but wanted to find a "party" dress that would be better for dancing :) I had started my search at a few more traditional dress shops in the suburbs and was pretty underwhelmed with their selection and overall atmosphere. Shopping here felt easy and comfortable, which was a huge relief! Suzy's attention to detail impressed me at every appointment. I found a wonderful light pink ballgown and managed to save some money by buying the sample off the rack. I ended up getting my ceremony dress, (that I had purchased someplace else), altered here. It didn't matter that it wasn't purchased here, the customer service was still great with every visit. Thank you read more

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As soon as I walked into Weddings 826, I knew it would be a great place to shop. They have a great vibe, and a pup around, so it was all of my dreams come true. Suzi was amazing to work with! She listened as I picked out dresses, and as the appointment went on she brought more and more dresses that I loved! They have a ton of options here, unlike many of the other shops in Chicago. I believe she said they have over 300 dresses. It definitely helped having so many options! read more

I'm the first to admit that I am not a fan of dress shopping. There's not much fun in being squeezed into a dress, being strapped in, standing up in heels all day, and spinning around to the opinions of others--all to find a dress you'll wear one day. So on day three of wedding dress shopping, I was convinced I would just choose the first one I saw and be done. It wasn't the first dress I found, but of course it was the last. It wasn't a dress that I had expected, but the expertise of the stylists in the salon and the knowledge that Weddings 826 has their own alterations team helped convince me that everything I wanted was possible. And for cheap! I managed to fit in the sample size, saving me money, and the alterations I wanted still kept me under budget and gave me a dress that looked like the nicest (much more expensive) ones that I had seen elsewhere. Their team added a beautiful illusion neckline with lace straight from the designer, a sash, buttons, and a bow, all of which got high praise on wedding day! The team was also extremely flexible in setting up my alterations appointments, which I couldn't set up until only a few months before the wedding. They got me in and out with speed and grace, and the dress was ready to go just in time! They also gave me a lot of great advice on how to transport it safely through an airport and on the plane itself. Obviously I shouldn't be needing another wedding dress, but I will recommend it to all of you and to all of my friends getting married someday! read more

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I cannot thank you Suzi & her team at Weddings 826 enough for helping me feel my absolute best on my wedding day. I received countless compliments and more importantly, I just felt amazing in my dress. There are a wide variety of dresses available at very reasonable prices, I was so pleasantly surprised! I always had a great experience in-store, from shopping, to my fittings. I was always treated with kindness and offered a glass of champagne :) Everything ran smoothly with fittings and they always promptly answered any questions I had along the way. I would recommend Weddings 826 to anyone! read more

Weddings 826 - I cannot thank you Suzi & her team at Weddings 826 enough for helping me feel my absolute best on my wedding day. - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was hesitant to book an appointment with Wedding 826 as my budget was $1,000 and I assumed they wouldn't have many options for that price. I really feared having a Pretty Woman moment where they told me I couldn't afford anything in the store. But, I was completely wrong. The staff at Wedding 826 were welcoming and very kind. The store has a romantic feel with champagne and chocolates. The stylist really listened to my needs and pull several dresses that not only fit my style but were in budget. I never felt rushed or pushed to look at dresses outside of my price range. In the end, I found a beautiful dress that matched my outdoor wedding perfectly and was under budget. I highly recommend Wedding 826 if you want to find a unique dress and want that bridal boutique experience. (NOTE: I did not have my alterations done at the store.) read more

Weddings 826 - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I can't say enough amazing things about Weddings 826. While I did not buy my dress there, I did have 4 visits for alterations. Deb completely reworked the top of my dress, even completely replacing all of the lace details that made up the straps and neck line of the dress. Suzi, the owner, even took me to the fabric store to help me pick out the new lace. They make you feel so special and that you're the only bride they're working with- which couldn't be farther from the truth, they are so busy! I look forward to doing all of my future alterations with them :) read more

Weddings 826 - My amazing custom dress! - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Weddings 826 is the best! I had such a wonderful experience there purchasing my dress this summer. I was so excited to see a diverse selection of classic, elegant dresses with unique touches. It seemed like there was something for everyone! I liked being able to look through all the dresses so I didn't leave wondering if there was anything I missed. My consultant was great and didn't make me feel rushed or push me to make a decision. I can't wait to go back to try on all the beautiful accessories with my dress! read more

Weddings 826 - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

DO NOT get alterations here. I had a 5 star experience getting my wedding dress and alterations here. So great that I referred a friend who is also getting her dress and alterations here. They just started doing bridesmaid alterations so I thought I would get my alterations done here for my friend's wedding as well. After having the dress pinned, they quoted me $180 and said I would need to come back twice. It seems like they haven't figured out how to alter the price and approach for wedding dresses to bridesmaid dresses. I asked if they would offer any sort of discount given my own investment and referral, and they said no, but kindly reminded me that I had a lifetime discount off of accessories! What a deal in case I have a second wedding?? The owner suggested alterations at another place around the corner so even she recognizes how ridiculous her prices are. I ended up going somewhere else for $45, and now I'm wondering how much I overpaid for my wedding dress alterations. I would say it's convenient to have your wedding dress alterations done here if you buy the dress here, but it isn't really because they make you pick up the dress when it comes in and then bring it back when you start alterations so you're probably better off having them done somewhere else. This will be the last time I refer them to a friend given their disregard for customer loyalty, which is sad because I originally had such a good experience. read more

I first chose this place for the selection. I arrived and the consultant I had that day, Kristina, was extremely helpful. She actually found THE dress for me! Weddings 826 has been very thorough will all aspects of my wedding (including the dress) but also with hints and tips for day-of dress care, wearing my shoes around the house a bit to break them in, teaching my family/friends how to bustle for me, and so much more. I had help with trying on and picking out jewelry, and the alterations that are done in the store were absolutely perfect. This is a very organized and professional business with a personal touch and the most beautiful selection of dresses. Highly recommend! read more

LOVE this place and highly recommend it! The experience is so much fun and makes you feel like you're on Say Yes to the Dress. From the champagne to having your family/friends in an adorable room for you to make a grand entrance, this place gives brides the five star treatment. They have a large selection and encourage you to look through their dresses on the main floor. Their prices are surprisingly reasonable given the location. I ended up getting my dress there (a sample - woot!) and it was very well cared for. I was fortunate enough to work with Suzi, the owner, and she was incredibly professional. Dates, times and prices are clearly laid out so there are no surprises. Thank you weddings 826! read more

I saw Weddings 826 mentioned a number of times for affordable wedding dresses and great shopping experience. After reviewing the inventory on Pinterest, I emailed for an appointment. I ended up making my appointment by phone (very accommodating to my schedule; I was able to get in exactly the evening I wanted) and responded to a few pre-appointment questions via email. The boutique itself is really cute! There's one larger mirror and pedestal space, but large fitting rooms with mirrors too in case you don't want to go to the front space. I worked directly with the owner/manager Suzi who was great! This was my first bridal appointment, and she really took the time to listen to what I (thought I) wanted for a wedding dress, asked the right questions, pulled the right samples, took my measurements, explained the process, etc. Towards the end of my appointment, I mentioned my mom was flying in the following weekend. She offered me the option of bringing my mom by (quickly) to see my favorite dress, on a Saturday, without an appointment! Suzi mentioned a number of times the idea of Weddings 826 was a champagne dress on a beer budget, which was right on! I ended up purchasing a dress elsewhere, but my experience, especially my first try-on stop, was definitely "champagne," and I would certainly recommend reaching out to Weddings 826 for your dress shopping. CONS: *No online appointment scheduling *Limited street parking *Inventory via Pinterest versus website PROS: *Very friendly staff *Affordable elegance in dresses *Large, comfortable fitting rooms with mirrors read more

So far, great experience there. Found the dress I love and Michelle was very helpful and even helped me get a discount! They give you full attention for your appointment and don't over book. I still have to get my alterations there but my buying experience was great! Update on my review. I am reducing to 4 stars because I now know how insane the alteration prices are there. Might as well buy 2 dresses. $700 for a dress that doesn't even have any boning or tulle or extra fabric. Pretty ridiculous. read more

Best experience dress shopping ever!! Highly recommend Kris as a stylist! she was the absolute best.

I have tried on wedding dresses at a couple different places and was really impressed with the gowns at Weddings 826. They have some of the most beautiful and well made dresses I've seen and the prices are very reasonable. I lucked into an appointment with the owner, who was extremely knowledgeable and easy to work with. I picked a couple dresses then she picked a couple based on my feedback. The entire experience was a fantastic! read more

My mom and I went about two weeks ago and it was my first time going to try on dresses. We had a great experience! Alexis was my stylist and she was super nice and pulled dresses that matched up to exactly what I was thinking along with some others to be able to try on different styles. She was very conscious of the price point from the beginning which was great. When I found a dress that I really liked she stepped away so we could get some pictures without a mask. Overall, we had a great experience and would recommended checking it out! read more

I visited Weddings 826 this winter to look for my wedding dress and had a wonderful experience! The store is totally adorable, and everyone couldn't have been friendlier (even when a delay on the L meant I was late for my scheduled appointment). They helped me try on a ton of dresses during my appointment, which is exactly what I wanted to do! The selection of dresses was gorgeous. They're also one of the only stores in the area that carries Madi Lane dresses! I tried on so many beautiful gowns, and they even helped me style them with veils and off the shoulder lace sleeves. Even further, they contacted a designer to ask about modifying one of their dresses and called me right away the next day with the pricing info. The store also couldn't be in a better location right on Armitage and close to the L! Any bride in the area should definitely check out Weddings 826! read more

I purchased my dress from a different store but Weddings 826 completed the alterations. I could not be happier with their work! First off, the store is gorgeous and the staff is extremely professional. I felt the the pricing and timing for the alterations were a great value and I did not feel rushed. They definitely ensure you are happy with the final result. When you pick up your dress the day before (or of) the wedding, they clean and prep your dress beautifully and even give you a checklist to keep it pristine. I definitely recommend Weddings 826 for any bride looking for a dress or alterations. (Married Oct 2016) read more

Weddings 826 - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What started as a potential 5-star review was quickly knocked down to 3. My wedding dress appointment went smoothly, my consultant was wonderful, and the complimentary champagne was such a nice touch. While I didn't purchase a dress at the time, I was stuck between 2 dresses that I loved. My consultant (I'm blanking on her name) drew cute sketches of the 2 dresses with the brand and style number on a business card so I wouldn't forget-- I loved that. Since then, I shopped at a different bridal store while visiting family and tried on the same dress that I tried on at Weddings 826. At that point, my mind was made up. The dress at this other store, however, was $300 cheaper. But, because I live in Chicago and because I really thought they deserved the commission, I called Weddings 826 to inquire about a price matching policy to see if they would sell me the dress at the lower price I found at a different store. I left a voicemail, and promptly received a call-back to let me know that they received my message, they would look into a potential price match, and would call me back. 3 weeks went by-- I didn't hear anything. Slightly disappointed, I called them again this week to inquire about the same dress, and let them know that I never received a call back last time. They apologized and put me on hold while they tried to contact the designer. Unable to do so, they offered to call me back the next day around noon with an answer. Because I had a meeting until 1:00, they agreed to call me back after 1:00 so that I would be available. It's been 3 days now, and I haven't received any phone call. Not even a phone call to tell me that they haven't been able to contact the designer, need to check with so-and-so, etc. If you can't price match, then just say so. At this point, I'm willing to just buy it from the other store in Texas. Communication is a two-way street and is vital in successful customer service. Weddings 826 fell short there. read more

I love their service. Although my wedding dress was not cheap, it made me felt like a princess. The only alterations I basically did was making the dress smaller because I'm a really petite person, and I think the alteration price was also reasonable. There's nothing more I would change about the wedding dress because I loved the way it is. read more

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Personal service beyond compare. Beautiful quality wedding dresses at remarkably good prices. Veils and accessories also available. On site alterations that are reasonably priced. A small boutique like setting not a "big box" wedding dress store. Welcoming knowledgeable staff. Personal attention. Great location right in Lincoln Park. read more

I'll cut to the chase. This is where I found my perfect wedding dress. I'm sure every bride says their dress is perfect, but I truly mean it. I was particularly interested in Weddings 826 because it isn't a big box wedding dress store (think David's Bridal) and you buy the dresses off the rack. This typically means the dress will be less expense than going to a fancy boutique shop. I called to make an appointment. The nice lady on the phone asked my price range and if I was looking for a particular style of dress. When we arrived for our hour long appointment, there in my dressing room, was a dress they pulled from their inventory, hanging in the corner. I immediately knew it was the dress I wanted without trying it on. But, alas, we picked through rack upon rack of dresses to find other options, just in case. While sipping on champagne, I tried several dresses on for my mom and bridesmaids. Most of them would have done the trick. Then, I tried on THE dress; and it fit like a glove. It was the perfect style, the perfect length; just perfect all around. Without much discussion, the decision was made and the dress was purchased. I made follow up appointments for alterations leading up to the week of our wedding. The appointments for alterations were short and sweet. The ladies there are very helpful and are a joy to be around. The dress from Weddings 826 really helped make my wedding day the perfect day that it was. read more

OK, so if the polyester wasn't bad enough, here's the lowdown on my HORRIFIC experience with alterations. DO NOT GET YOUR DRESS ALTERED HERE. At my first fitting, I was told that my next fitting would be the last one. It was not - because at my second fitting (with my mom and best friend) none of the alterations had been completed. I assumed that perhaps I had misunderstood. At that second fitting, Maggie told me that my third fitting would be the final one. I arranged to have my mother, sister, best friend, and future mother-in-law and sister-in-law come with for it. The evening before, Maggie called to say she hadn't finished the alterations and wanted to reschedule. I was pleasant about it, hoping only to have my dress altered properly, even though this meant only my friend would be able to come with me to my final fitting. At the third fitting, again, many of the alterations had yet to be accomplished. The hem hadn't been finished, the bra cups had not been sewn (or even tacked) in, and the under wire was still in the bodice, giving me conical Madonna-style boobs. Mind you, we had talked about taking out the under wire at my initial consultation. Most troubling was that the dress was still too tight in the hips, causing the layer underneath to rumple up underneath. Maggie said that instead of letting out the hips, she would instead tack the underneath layer to the top layer so that it would lay flat. I was shocked when she wanted to schedule a pick-up time without having me back in to try on the dress once more, to ensure that all the remaining alterations had been done properly. They agreed to let me come in one more time to try on the dress - we are now on the fourth fitting. I came again with just one friend, and while she had taken out the under wire, I swear that none of the remaining alterations - the hips/tacking, the cups, the hem - had been completed. At this point, I was only a handful of days away from leaving for Hawaii for my wedding, and so I agreed to pick up my dress without having a fifth fitting. When I got to Hawaii and put on my dress, on my wedding day, I was dismayed to discover that the cups were sewn in such a way that you could see it sticking out the side. This was frustrating but easily remedied on the spot with scissors and double-sided tape. Unfortunately, the hips were still tight and the underneath layer had not been tacked in to the gown as promised. With every step I took, the layers underneath rumpled and showed through. It looked absolutely awful, to the point where my guests were asking me what happened. Click on the links below to see pictures. Any reasonable person -- let alone dress shop owner and qualified "seamstress" -- would tell you that this is UNACCEPTABLE. http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandanewman/2630452354/in/set-72157606090010878/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandanewman/2615952819/in/set-72157606090010878/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandanewman/2624486677/in/set-72157606090010878/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandanewman/2611645173/in/set-72157606089972700/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandanewman/2615956093/in/set-72157606089972700/ So I spent my wedding day sweltering in a polyester dress I overpaid for thinking it was silk, and having it stick and bunch unflatteringly to my hips as I walked down the aisle ... and all day. After posting my concerns on Yelp, I have received an alarming number of emails from other girls who have concerns about their own polyester dress experiences, and I wonder how many girls are going to tell me they had crappy alterations, too. With alterations, I spent $1,700 for a polyester dress that did not fit me properly. I am incredibly disappointed and expected more from a gown boutique on Armitage. I am still going back and forth on whether or not I want to pursue this with the shop owner, Suzi. I am trying to forget about it, because I know if I let myself get into an argument with her over it, I will get all hot and bothered and it will cast a pall over my otherwise pleasant wedding memories. I guess we'll see how many other girls approach me. Maybe we can have a class-action suit, or picket her shop or something. I'm only partly kidding. read more

Let me first start by saying the women that work in this store are lovely. They are very nice, and do their best to make your dress shopping experience special. Therefore, for customer service for dress searching, I give them a 5 star rating. Also, for dress selection, I give them a 5 star rating. This 2 star rating is for their dress alterations!!!!!! DO NOT get your dress altered from here!!!!! I came in to get a bridesmaid dress altered (that I am wearing for another wedding) because while I ended up not getting my wedding dress from the store, I was planning on having them create an accessory to my wedding dress. Therefore, I wanted to try out the store's skills on a bridesmaid dress before I had them create this accessory. It came out EMBARASSINGLY awful. I had to get it fixed at another store - a dry cleaners. The woman at the dry cleaning store was absolutely shocked by the poor quality of the alterations! Summary of what was wrong with the dress: blatantly obvious uneven hemming at the bottom of the dress; still loose torso (had it not been for the unsightly bulge they created under my armpit I would have had no idea it had even been taken in). Back to that unsightly bulge - For some reason, there was thick rubber at the side of the bust that had not been there before. Fortunately, my far more talented dry cleaning lady was able to fix that. I may have shrugged this off (albeit still thought twice about having them create something for my own wedding dress) had it not been for the amount of money I had to pay for this shoddy job. It was ridiculously expensive for this monstrosity!!! $125!!! Which I could have been ok with had the quality lived up to this price like I had thought it would. Then I had to pay another $40 just to fix half of it (I never fixed the hem because I did not want to put in even more money for the alterations). Anyway, had this been my wedding dress, I would have been so mortified. But I am sad that I will not be using the store to create my other accessory as previously planned. Back to the drawing board....Bottom line, still shop here for wedding dress, it is a beautiful store - but GO ELSEWHERE FOR ALTERATIONS - THIS STORE IS INCAPABLE OF ALTERING A DRESS, and I would NOT trust them to alter a dress as special as a wedding gown!!!!!!! read more

I came to Weddings 826 having tried and failed to find a dress at a wide range of stores, from the lower-cost and trendy (think BHLDN, J Crew) to the over-the-top (think Say Yes to the Dress, and some serious exaggerations of my spending power). How difficult can it be to find a simple dress with straps, minimal "bling", and a total cost of less than my monthly rent? After multiple misses, I figured I might as well be searching for a wedding dress unicorn. Enter Weddings 826. I got set up in a private room and told I could feel free to search the closets for any dresses that caught my eye while the associate brought a number of options back to try on. We snapped photos, wrote down style numbers and never once went over the budget I had given (they allow you to order a dress or buy the sample gown, great for brides on a budget or with a tight timeline). Everyone was a dream to work with, the associate helped me FaceTime my sister, brought champagne, and I walked out carrying my dress! Fast-forward a year and I was back in the newly renovated space (looks great!) with my dress in tow, ready to start the alterations process. I will admit the alterations were expensive (and I had to pay to have the dress cleaned as it was a sample), but WORTH IT - they turned an oversized sample into a dress that fit me like a glove. The entire staff was wonderful throughout the process: friendly, flexible with scheduling and never pushy. As someone whose entire bridal party and family lives out of state, I attended all of my appointments solo and not once did I feel less important than the brides with a large entourage in tow. Thank you, Weddings 826, for helping me find and create the dress of my dreams! read more

I used to live in Lincoln Park, and walked past this place a million times before getting engaged. When it came to trying on wedding gowns, I stopped by a few other traditional retail shops first. While I found several gowns that would do the trick, nothing "wowed" me. I was a little burnt out from trying on so many dresses, but good old mom encouraged me to go to this boutique. Yes, you have the fitting area all to yourself, and yes, they offer you champagne. What I appreciated most was the honesty and no-push approach of the girl who helped me. She listened to exactly what I was looking for, and helped me pull several dresses. I found one gown I loved, but wanted to carefully consider all the dresses I'd looked at before spending the big bucks. The sales lady wrote down the details, drew a picture of the dress, and included her contact information. No pressure to purchase on the spot! I went back that day to purchase the dress and take it home. The dress came with a shawl that had been misplaced among the other dresses in the store. I really didn't need it since I was not going to wear the shawl for my August wedding, but when the sales lady found it, she called me and said it might be handy if I needed extra fabric. I really appreciated that extra level of attention and care for their customer. read more

I did not end up buying my dress here but I did use them for my alterations! They did such an amazing job at making sure my dress fit comfortably and was manageable on my wedding day. I am not as they would say blessed in the chest and my dress had quite a bit of embellishing so I'm sure it was extremely challenging to bring in. You couldn't tell they made any changes at all. My bustle held up though all the dancing on my big day and I was able to move freely and happily! read more