Wedding Dress Shopping Reviews: Lovely Bride

The third and final wedding dress shop I went to was Lovely Bride in Tribeca. I should have gone there to get the wedding dress shopping experience to begin with and skipped Bridal Garden. They specialize in independent designers, including some favorite designers whose dresses I had been wanting to try... Elizabeth Dye, who has a shop in Portland. Carol Hannah and Leanne Marshall of Project Runway fame. Rebecca Shoneveld, who makes her gowns in her NYC studio in Gowanus. They also have Nicole Miller, which are on the slinky side, and Sarah Seven's adorable strapless dresses.

If you want to go to Lovely Bride, book your appointment ASAP. It took me two months to get there. They are very busy, so evening and weekend times are harder to come by...and my first appointment was canceled by one of the many snowstorms this winter. Plus, the dresses are made to order, so if you decide to buy a dress there, you need to do it at least three to four months before your wedding. I presume that because they take your measurements to make your dress, fewer alterations would be needed, if any, although I didn't really ask about that.

A pretty Leanne Marshall lace dress

The dresses are not cheap. Most of the ones I tried on were 1,200-2,000. But I wasn't there to buy anything anyway, just to have fun. Surprisingly, while I liked some of the dresses, I didn't love any of them, like that Saja one, enough to consider buying one. I learned that I can rock a lace-covered mermaid-shaped number, like this one from Elizabeth Dye, which I wouldn't have expected, but the style felt too traditional for me.

Elizabeth Dye

I know an acquaintance who wore a custom Rebecca Shoneveld dress at her wedding that gorgeously suited to her, which got me interested in her dresses. Rebecca lines her gowns with the softest, most luxurious fabrics that feel amazing to wear, as I learned at Lovely Bride. This one below was similar to the Grecian style of Saja, but didn't drape as flatteringly as Saja's dresses. If I had really wanted to wear a Rebecca Shovenveld dress, I would have gone to her studio in Gowanus to check out a wider selection than what they had at Lovely Bride. Especially since Rebecca will mix and match tops and bottoms and make her designs in different colored silks.

Rebecca Shoneveld

The only thing I found odd about Lovely Bride is that the attendant came in the changing room with me. I ended up wearing my regular bra under all the dresses, even strapless, because I didn't feel comfortable going topless with her right next to me.

Elizabeth Dye, For Emily

I perhaps liked this Elizabeth Dye dress, called For Emily, the best, although the skirt felt heavier than it looks. And none of it matters, because as I shall reveal, I had plenty of family vintage dresses to choose from anyway!