Renee Austin Wedding

Reviews 3

AL

Alyson Wiley

Lovely store, great aesthetic & walked in to find a welcome sign with my name on it. I really appreciated the warm welcome until I was told we would have to wait for the current bride trying on dresses to finish even though we arrived right on time for our scheduled appointment. While I thought this was totally fine.. later on when I was trying on dresses I was shafted by another bride and pretty much was put on the back burner. I brought three friends with me because my grandma couldnt attend, my future mother in law couldnt attend due to the weather and my mother passed away three years ago. I think the brides who had "adults" with them were treated with more respect and were heavily attended to. But because I was just with my bridesmaids I was disregarded as business. Example: The bride before me was trying on dresses and was between two dresses and they put veils on her, compared with various belts, asked to have her stand on the pedestal etc. I never had a veil placed on my head, belts were only placed on me because the consultant seemed to not have clamps and I never once stepped on the pedestal and at the end of the appointment it was already being used by the next bride. While trying on dresses the consultant didnt help me into the dress. She handed me the dress to put on by myself. When a dress didnt fit she just told me to put it over my head and when it wouldnt go past my hips she just belted it as a quick friends and told my friends and I to "imagine" it. Luckily I spotted another dress that another consultant was suggested from across the room ( that my consultant totally said wasnt for me) ....I know it is my dress. I then requested for it to be brought over to me and my consultant reminded me that is wasnt my size...while I was still wearing the other dress that was bunched around my waist...and then held it against my body and again told us to "imagine it." My consultant was completely disinterested in helping me solve this issue. I was looking at my wedding gown while trapped in a gown that was bunched around my waist..but dont worry...well just put a belt on it. I sincerely apologized for having wide hips and not being able to fit into the dresses I told the consultant that I needed to try this dress on and would try it on in my home state, because I knew it was the perfect one for me. She shouldve known it was the perfect one for me because a previous dress I tried on at another shop that I showed her was made by the same brand and was a similar style and I loved it. Regardless....my consultant told me she understood but dutifully reminded me that I should purchase from them. I will not be purchasing from there purely based on the poor service and disinterested behavior my friends and I received. When I ran out of dresses that I picked she sent me on my way with no recommendations and did not write down any information for me, didnt give a card or anything. I will not be returning to purchase my dress but Im so thankful I saw my dress from across the room....as an update I just received a lovely voicemail from my consultant apologizing for my experience. That was a very sweet gesture and I of course accept their apology and think it should be noted that reached out to me.

ME

Melissa Schwandt

Brides should NOT go here for your wedding dresses! I was extremely disappointed.... first things first the lady helping us was not friendly at all. I had made an appointment but felt as if they didnt even notice I was in their salon. My maid of honor was helping me get the dresses on because they lady that was supposedly helping us was no where to be found. I found a dress that I really liked but did not want to order it from them because I did not want to give them the business. I ended up going back to the store to order my dress in hopes of having a better experience (and to get the dress i loved!) but my second visit was no better. I ordered my wedding gown in December, and was told it would take 3 months to get here, so with a June wedding I figured this was plently of time. Then, I get a postcard from them in the mail saying my expected ship date was April 30th. I called on the 30th and multiple days following but my dress was still not in. They said my dress got held up in customs, and promised me it would be in by the end of the week. The dress was not there by the end of the week, and they called me to apologize and told me the manufacturer had shipped the dress late (which was confusing since they previously told me they dress was on its way and was held up in customs) but they gave me a tracking number so I could see when the dress arrived. The dress arrived 3 weeks before my wedding, and my appointment to pick up the dress was HORRIBLE. There was no room, the same lady was helping us and had a really bad attitude. I was asked to step off the pedestal to give other brides who were looking to purchase a gown time to look in the mirror. On top of everything else the dress had a completely different shape than I was expecting, and the lady told me I just didnt remember what it looked like. EVERY dress I tried on was the "mermaid" style because that was the kind of dress I wanted, thought I was getting, but ended up getting a standard a-line full skirted dress. I was so upset but we had no other option but to leave with the dress (no discount, or even an apology the dress was so late bc "it was not their fault"). I really think it was a lack of knowledge on the dresses they carry-- when I was clamped into the sample gowns they places the clamps lower so it would give me the look of the mermaid style even though the gown truly wasnt made to fit like that.... Im not happy with my dress or with the experience and will never recommend anyone go here. Save yourself the hassle and go to a salon that actually cares about customer service, and you wont have to be a stressed out bride 3 weeks before your wedding with a dress needing major alterations!

DE

Deena Blanchard

When we first went there to try on bridesmaid dresses the woman helping was very nice and they had a decent selection. What I liked most about it is that the designers they carried had a large range of colors that matched our unique need. One of my bridesmaids is from the Chicago area and had called in to give the store her measurements so they could select the appropriate size for her and order the dress. She had to pay extra as she was considered plus size for that designer. This was all well and good until my bridesmaid tried on the dress. We couldnt get the zipper up barely half way. I looked up the sizing chart for the designer (and the woman from Renee confirmed this later) and they ordered a size 24 - which are for the measurements 50 bust, 41 waist, and 53 hips. My bridesmaids measurements were 51 bust, 43 waist and 53 waist which matches the size 26 on the size chart. The size 26 may have been slightly too big in the bust, but isnt it easier to take in a dress than to try and make it bigger? Why order the smaller size? The seams leave no room for letting the dress out and now her only option is to make the back a lace-up style. We understand that mistakes happen and that rarely will a dress fit perfectly, but given her measurements it is obvious that the wrong size was ordered and that a mistake was made on Renees behalf. We contacted the store regarding this issue and they were very short and did not offer any solution. We asked if they could rush order a new dress in the CORRECT size or do the alterations on their dime. They responded saying that they cannot do exchanges, a rush order would cost extra and still wouldnt be here in time, and that alterations are an extra cost. After going back and forth via email they finally offered to send my bridesmaid a check for $30 as they claim that is how much it will cost to fix (which I find hard to believe). My bridesmaid (from Chicago) does not know any reputable seamstresses in her area, so Renee recommended her a person that quoted my bridesmaid anywhere from $60-$120. So my bridesmaid said she would make the trip up from Chicago and use Renees person for the $30. Come to find out they out source this service and the woman they use will be out of the country until September. Long story short, Renee made a mistake and they made very little effort to make it right. I have many friends that are getting married and I will not be recommending this store to anyone in the future. Be wary when shopping here.