Charlotte's Weddings & More

I was a bit anxious about shopping for my wedding gown. I'm not young, I'm not skinny, and I was operating on a limited budget - all things that create snooty disdain in bridal consultants. From the moment my friend and I arrived, it was a great experience. We were early for my appointment, but someone greeted us, gave us a tour of the shop, and made herself available for our questions while we browsed. The selection was incredible, and the sample sale was the best I have ever seen. A lot of bridal shops have a ""sample sale"" that consists of a couple dozen gowns at 10 or 20% off - not Charlotte's! Most of my favorites were 75% off. Once I started trying things on, I knew I was in good hands. Suzanne was fantastic! She was energetic, creative, and genuinely excited about my mission for the perfect gown. She told me about all of the ways that the gowns could be altered, and had great ideas for accessorizing. She didn't care in the least that I was mostly looking at the sale gowns, either. So I found the perfect gown, had a custom veil ordered, and the search was over. My impression of Charlotte's is that they are true professionals who really care about their brides. I highly recommend them! more

As the bride, I purchased my dress along with all of my bridesmaids and attendants dresses (11 total) and the pocket squares and ties for our groomsmen at Charlotte's. The consultant ordered my dress in the wrong size and when it arrived (a few weeks late), not only was it the wrong size (too small), the train was not removed (which I had paid for), the extra length was not added and the straps were missing. I purchased the dress during a trunk show and was not given the trunk show discount (until I brought it to their attention that I was overcharged). They were unable to get me a new dress, the correct dress, in time for the wedding (although I'm not sure that they even attempted to do so). After spending several thousand dollars at the store, I was not given any discount for any of the issues. (Nor did they pay for my months of alterations, which consisted of a complete ""restyling"" of the dress in order to make it fit.) The owner, Krysta, actually tried to overcharge me twice, which I had to bring to her attention and didn't offer to refund any money at any point. Mistakes happen, and this was a situation where multiple mistakes were made. Unfortunately, Charlotte's did not act with integrity and provide acceptable customer service. It was all about the bottom line for them. This was appalling and unacceptable. (My paperwork was also lost several times throughout the process, which made extra work for all of our attendants.) I would not recommend this vendor in any capacity. more

Went shopping to Dunedin to cute little shops like Darling Memories,Amanda Austin and Rose Garden. Everyone in these shope were nice and welcoming. I wanted to end my shopping experience with a nice cup of Java. more

My experience at Charlotte?s exceeded all expectations. Charlotte?s was the first place I went to start my dress shopping. I hadn?t had much time to look online, so I went into my first appointment with no particular style in mind. From the moment I nervously walked into Charlotte?s I was treated like I was the most important person. I was so happy that I was able to find my dress, bridesmaid dresses, sash, groomsmen ties and many other accessories. My bridal consultant was patient and encouraged me to shop around to make sure my dress was the one. Every other bridal store I went to, I compared it to my experience at Charlotte?s and none of them came close. Every visit, phone call or e-mail my questions were answered efficiently and I was treated with professionalism, which made me very happy. It was so helpful to find everything all in one place. The large private rooms were also an added bonus! more

Experience at Charlotte?s: Fantastic ? Calming ? Wonderful more

I started my wedding dress shopping at Charlottes. I went there first because a friend had mentioned her great experience with them. My appointment was with Suzanne who was fantastic! I felt like she adapted her consulting style to me and my group and my needs. I brought my mom, my mother in law and my sister to the appointment. We were put in a very nice private room together which was fun. I showed Suzanne a few pictures of dresses I liked and I told her my budget. She pulled several gowns and we were a well oiled machine. Suzanne was very quick which I appreciated. I was in and out of gowns very fast. If it wasn't perfect, she was pulling it off of me. This allowed me to try on tons of dresses and find exactly what I was looking for. I believe she was keeping a mental list of what I liked about each dress and what I didn't like. She was so focused. She clearly knows the dress stock and how to narrow the selection based on the feedback you give her when trying on dresses. Towards the end of the appointment I had found a gown I loved. An amazing ball-gown with pockets! Pros: Great people, large selection and personal attention more

While shopping for your wedding dress DON'T miss out on the experience and gorgeous inventory you'll find at Charlotte's Weddings and More! I went to seemingly every bridal shop in Portland, Salem, and Keizer. Charlotte's was the only place that treated me like a bride. My family and I had a private room with personal one-on-one service. My consultant matched my price point and she was so wonderful to work with. I walked out of Charlotte's with the dress of my dreams and it didn't stop there. The customer service is exceptional beyond ordering your dress. You don't have to worry about mix ups or mistakes because their staff takes great care of each bridal party. I recieved phone calls verifying changes and status updates on everything that was happening. They took initiative so it was one less phone call I had to make. Please don't miss out by going to large distributors that you think will give you a better price. I did that first but thank goodness I went to Charlotte's and got a quality dress with impressive service for the same price as the other places. So call for an appointment- you won't be disappointed! more

My friend and I went into Charlotte's for an appointment during the sample sale. Our girl Rene took us to our private suite, asked me all kinds of questions about my preferences and brought me a gorgeous array of dresses. She even brought me a dress in a fabric I didn't think I liked to make sure we could really cross it off my list. We had a lot of fun together, she helped me feel like a princess, and I walked out the door with a dress... on my first day of looking as well! I hope to take my bridesmaids back for their dresses as well. I have every belief that they will take as good of care as my bridesmaids as they took of me. (unlike experiences I've had at the big box bridal store). Pros: Individual appointments Cons: shoes off! more

There are a few things you should know about Charlotte's before you go... Bring pictures of gowns you're interested in and keep an open mind about what style will suit you. Make an appointment about two days ahead and ask for Suzanne. She made everyone feel very comfortable and seemed to be as excited about my wedding as I was! Bring your own slip and strapless bra. One of the drawbacks was the icky thing with belly button sweat on it that they asked me to wear. You may politely say ""No thank you"" to that and wear your own. Remain calm. Although the staff is there to help you get the dress of your dreams, they are not your maids, therapists, or magicians. Treat them as you would like to be treated. Be nice. I did go to a few other shops in the area with a general idea of what I wanted and what I was willing to spend. Reading all of the reviews on here made me a little nervous about going to this shop, but upon our scheduled arrival, we were greeted by two members of the staff very warmly and were politely asked to remove our shoes. The carpet is soft, so don't worry. We were brought back to the big dressing room in the back where there are several chairs, an enormous mirror, and a pedestal to twirl around on. After studying the clippings I brought in with me, Suzanne produced three gowns that seemed to be gorgeous hybrids of all of the ones I was looking for. I ended up getting the second one I tried on! The only negatives I had with this experience were these... The try-on undergarments are pretty gross, I think they should have a screen in the rooms where you can change into them (unless you 're really comfortable with your friends and family), and I would have liked it if they gave me a courtesy call about the status of the dress every once in a while while I was waiting for it to arrive. Overall I had a good experience and I would recommend this shop to my friends. Pros: selection, most of staff Cons: hours of operation more

I unfortunately was the victim of another bridal shop that went out of business without taking care of their customers. The people at Charlotte's worked with me to contact the manufacturer and try to get my the dress - even though they don't carry that brand! After that fell through because of the other store and the manufacturer, I decided to get a new dress and start fresh. Charlotte's went out of their way to help me find a dress that I loved and could get in time for the wedding. The new dress was even better than the first! I felt like a princess the day that it arrived and everyone came in to see me in my gown. I would highly recommend Charlotte's to anyone! more

I took my good friend to Charlotte's to try on wedding dresses for many reasons. The shop is conveniently located, been in business for many years and for the positive referrals I received. What I found was more than convenience and location makes this a fabulous place to find a wedding dress. All my referrals were right on. After setting up an appointment the day before, we walked in and were immediately greeted by two staff people. The front area was clean, uncluttered and pleasing to the eye. We were escorted to a private spacious room with nice natural lighting. Our consultant, Tanida asked the bride to be several questions and proceeded to get an idea of something she might like. She left the room for a couple of minutes and came back with four or five dresses. All were beautiful on my friend but she still wanted to try on more. No problem for Tanida who gave us her complete and undivided attention. She came back with more (several times over) dresses until my friend found one she fell in love with. We were shocked by the price not because it was high but because we thought it would cost so much more.Tanida was very patient and helpful. I appreciated her skill and knowledge of gowns and their designers. Since then, I made several calls to Charlotte's and received excellent service from everyone I spoke with. Not only does Charlotte's carry gowns, they carry a huge selection of bridesmaid dresses and accessories. They also assist with tuxedo rentals. I would definitely recommend Charlotte's Weddings and More for wedding gowns and other special event dresses. more

Ok. So I take these reviews quite seriously, and I must say, ouch. Would you say these things directly to the owner of a small business? I used to own a small business, and it is a grueling, life-consuming thing. Trying to please every last person that walks in your door... that's a challenge to say the least. The people at Charlotte's give their everything to make your wedding day special. Don't want to remove your shoes? Then don't. You can still shop there, and they won't even turn you away. But consider something: Would you like your brand new wedding gown to already get dirt on it the day you try it on for the first time? These things are not willy-nilly decisions. This place has been in business for a very long time, and they really know bridal. They know how to offer you a great selection at a reasonable price-point. They know how to get all your bridesmaids dresses in the same dye-lot. They know how to get your dress in on-time, even if you're wedding is coming up quick. They know how to make you look beautiful, even if you only have a little money. If you give them a chance, they can amaze you. I wish I would have purchased my wedding gown here. (Maybe next time ;) Pros: Will go to the ends of the earth Cons: Can't have it all more

I went to this horrible bridal shop because co-workers and friends recommended it but it was a bad decision! This place is horrible. When I first walked in with my bridesmaids, the staff didn't even greet us with a ""hello"" but rather an order to take off our shoes. They said it was because they didn't want to stain their carpet (which is an ugly hunter green color from the 80s!) and because brides walk out to the lobby in the wedding gowns. Well, while we were there, we saw NO brides walking in the lobby in their weddings gowns and we saw this lady (who must of been the owner because she looked so stressed out and kept telling people what to do) walking around in her heels! What nerve...to expect customers to not wear their shoes but yet their own staff do??! I also had an appointment but they where 10 minutes late in starting it , which is fine, but that left me with LESS time to try on gowns and I arrived early! My bridesmaids also tried on some dresses (which we saw at other shops for cheaper!). We asked the staff person to get some shoes for us to wear with the dresses and it seemed as though she brought in the most expensive shoes she could find. These shoes were over $160 per pair! Plus the bridesmaids would have to pay extra to have them dyed! In this economy, I don't think shops should mark up their merchandise so much. Plus, some of the gowns I tried on were marked up more than others I saw at different stores. The staff that helped us was completly ignorant on the dresses, products and options. She constantly left the room to ask someone else the questions we were asking her. After this visit, I told my friends and co-workers of my bad experience and they regretted that they suggested Charlotte's. Don't go here unless you want to be ignored, waste your time, and spend more money for the same dresses/gowns at other places. I won't go back or recommend them to anyone! Cons: Rude and unprofessional staff, overpriced dresses and gowns more

Charlotte's is a great place to go if you are looking for a beautiful gown that doesn't cost thousands of dollars! I had a wonderful experience with Melissa. The first time I went in, she asked me about what I was looking for, what I WASN'T looking for, my price range, etc. Then, she went off to pick out some dresses for me according to my specifications. I was a little nervous, but she came back with a handful of dresses that were JUST what I was looking for! She talked me through everything until I found ""the one."" Everyone there was always cheerful and attentive. There was never any pressure or snobbiness! :) Pros: friendly, low pressure, great prices Cons: bridal consultant browses gowns for you more

I am in my best friend's wedding and the bridal party ordered our brides maid dresses from this shop, and we were treated horrible! First of all the the dresses were way over priced, and they DO NOT know how to measure people. My dress along with the entire bridal party's dresses were WAY to big, my dress was ordered at least two sizes too big, it was falling off of me. They measured me and told me what size to order. they also had said that the dresses were very easy to alter if it needed it anywhere (which in the end were a pain in the butt to alter because of all of the wiring) . Once the dresses got here they didn't not fit anyone, and when we called and complained about the dresses the manger told us that ""it was our problem"" and that for more money we could use their seamstress. We took the dresses to other professionals and they had to work very hard to get the dresses to look good and the other seamstress told us ""these dresses should just have been a couple of sizes smaller in the first place"". If you choose to use this shop make sure that you ask questions and clarify everything with them first. Horrible horrible customer service and the dresses went that great either, we could have got the same thing at a different store for half of the price. Cons: horrible customer service!!!!!!!!! more

I found my dress here with the assistance of Rene, who is a wonderful bridal consultant who was very happy to help us. She was very friendly from the start, and seemed genuinely interested in helping me find my gown by asking a lot of questions about what things I liked and didn't like. She brought in a variety of dresses, both dresses that she knew I'd like, and things that she thought would look good on me but slightly different from my preferences, which was great because I ended up trying on a lot of different things and found what I really did like! Another awesome thing is they provide bustiers for you to try on under the dress that help slim down the tummy (sure helped me look better in my dress!). They offer private rooms for your party (we had 4 girls) to get more comfy. This is nice since it means you wouldn't have to waddle out of the fitting rooms in a dress to be seen by strangers you're not comfortable with. However, there's no curtains or anything in the rooms, so if you're not comfortable changing in front of your girls, that may be a problem. The pricing was definitely unbeatable. there happened to be a sample sale and I was able to buy my dress for 50% off!!! A friend who went with me fell in love with the store, and 2 weeks later, we went back to look for her wedding dress. She was also helped by the same friendly consultant who also helped her find her dream dress. I'm not sure why there were so many negative reviews about this place. I absolutely loved my experience with Charlotte's and would recommend this boutique to any bride to be. Pros: great selection, friendly staff, large private rooms Cons: area with bridesmaid dresses is very small/tight more

I visited Charlotte's 3 times when looking for my wedding gown. I had a great experience every time. I bought my wedding dress in California, as I had to move there for work for 4 months in the middle of wedding planning, but would have bought from Charlotte's if I could have. We did get the bridesmaid dresses and the men's suits at Charlotte's and had great results. They even ordered me a swatch so I could match other wedding stuff to the girl's dresses. Pros: great selection, prices, location, private dressing areas more

Every consultant is there to make sure the bride finds ""the gown"" They kept in touch with me a number of times while I was waiting for my gown to ship just to let me know it's approximate arrival date. I even made a change on my gown but after ordering wanted to change it back and it was no problem. They were happy to do it. And their prices are great! I would highly recommend shopping for your wedding gown here. Pros: Great customer service more

I visited 3 shops on this particular day, as I am from out of town and knew I would be ordering my dress in pdx. Charlottes was my last stop and I was pretty frustrated by the time I got there. It was so nice to have a private room where I was able to show pictures of what I was looking for to the associate who immediatly started bringing dresses that fit my tastes along with a few she thought I might like - she had one in mind that was being used in another room and if it had been avalible she would have probably nailed it the first dress but we tried on a bunch while we were waiting. Once we found the dress she was well versed in what the designer could/could not do and got the order all written up. Since my wedding has a short lead time we added a rush and I have complete faith that Charlottes will follow through. Thanks for easing this brides mind and helping here find the perfect dress.... Pros: staff knowledge, rooms, follow up more

I have experienced Charlotte's Weddings and More from every perspective. I have been a Bride, a Maid of Honor, a bridesmaid, a supportive friend, and a knowlegable helper. I have referred many of my family members, friends, and acquaintances to seek out Charlotte?s. Their customer service is always stellar. Their selection is always superb, and the prices are always just right!! Don't waste your time thinking you're getting a good deal at David's Bridal. You will get the gown of your dreams and the experience of a lifetime going to Charlotte's. *just a side note: they ask you to take off your shoes in an effort to keep the gowns as clean as possible. I think it makes sense. **Also, call for an appointment - they have private rooms that you will love, but that means you should call ahead. Pros: Example: best croissants in town Cons: What are the drawbacks? more