Sposabella Couture

I am thoroughly surprised to read the poor review. My experience was absolutely divine. I came upon Sposabella's sale advertisement on a Sunday afternoon, in a bridal magazine and called to see if I could come in on short notice. They were happy to have me. Upon arrival I explained that I was in search of bridal accessories since I had already purchased my dress. The shop had numerous gowns lining the walls and I hadn't had the salon experience so I asked if she minded if I tried on a few pieces. She didn't so I picked out several gowns and proceeded to the fitting room. The shop owner suggested I try on a Chantilly lace Pronovias gown. I was hesitant since it was lace and had straps; 2 things I did not care for but I was polite and added it to my other samples. After several pieces I began to grow anxious that I had bought the wrong dress. I tried on the Pronovias and thought, wow this is nice. The shop owner thought I looked beautiful in it but I was careful not to place too much emphasis on a sales person's opinion given the obvious incentive. She directed me to the large mirror and the elevated platform and I was shocked at her stunning her choice for me. I didn't want to make a rash decision on a second dress so I called my sister (MoH) and a bridesmaid to come over as quickly as possible to help me make my choice. They arrived within 20 minutes and immediately stated that they had to see all the options before they could render opinions. All the while, Alice (owner) was patient and gracious, obliging questions from my party and assisting me in getting into and out of the garments. Finally the unanimous decision came down to reiterate what i thought to myself: the Pronovias gown was perfect. At 7 pm, Alice accepted my deposit as I notice that it had gotten dark since I initially entered the shop. I asked her what time she closed on Sundays and she responded ""4 o'clock"". I couldn't believe she kept the shop open just for me and never conveyed annoyance or impatience. Each successive appointment with her was so pleasant I typically ended up staying a bit longer than necessary. I think that her many years of experience allowed her to pick the perfect dress for me on sight and further allowed her to make the ideal selections of jewelry and veil. It's also worth noting that there was no animosity when it came time for me to tell her that I would not purchase certain things form her either.\r \r I am sorry to hear that a bride had such a horrible experience, as this should be a joyous time. I can only concede that there was an associate working for Alice that I found to be curt and impersonal so I was sure to avoid her and schedule my appointments with Alice, specifically. I believe that the associate is no longer at the shop. \r \r I was married last Sunday and, I don't mean to sound arrogant, but the gown was gorgeous...as per my husband, the guests, and several random pedestrians. I strongly suggest that future brides give this shop a chance. It's a real gem. more

To Dearest Alice and Her Amazing Staff at Sposabella Couture: My First Wedding Anniversary was this week on June 25, 2012. I wore a simply elegant dress to my ceremony and reception held last year on Saturday, June 25, 2011 (2012 is a Leap Year!). My Wedding Dress was a work of art because of Alice and the Sposabella Staff. I want thank you, Alice, and your Staff for turning me into an unbelievably beautiful, glowing, and radiant Middle-Age Bride! My dress, created by you, was indescribably gorgeous! It took my breath away and brought me to tears -- through all of its incarnations, the trials and tribulations. To Anyone who might be reading this, please take note and take this post to heart. You may not think that my writing about my Wedding Gown purchase from Sposabella is something important for me to write about and/or post; but, you could not be more wrong! The original Sposabella Bridal Couture Shop in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, was destroyed by an electrical fire back at the End of Summer/Beginning of Fall 2010! It was a nightmare scene and scenario for Alice, her Staff, and the loss of a significant portion of the inventory and merchandise in the store. From that moment forward and until June 2011, enterprising Alice and her equally brave and stoic staff endeavoured to beg, borrow and bounce from one space to another in order to continue to purchase/replace/alter/store gowns for her brides/mothers of the brides/bridal parties, her prom attendees, her Sweet Sixteen/Quinciniera debutantes, and her Bat Mitzvah/First Communion/ Confirmation Celebrants -- and anyone else who needed a gorgeous couture gown for her special occasion. Those were trying times: Alice had to accommodate the needs of her staff, as well as those of her then current and new clients; move around to work in some of the most unconventional and ""interesting"" spaces to meet/greet/fit her clients and her suppliers; argue/fight/plead/ with the FDNY, the insurance companies, current and future landlords; search for a new location and negotiate with realtors, landlords, and various contractors; retrieve and receive her inventory from various storage locations; and deal with some understanding clients and some truly mean ones (I am being kind to those of you who fall into the latter category!) -- all to keep her business going, her clientele satisfied and her staff employed. Alice did it all. I was one of her clients (and a return client many times over) during this period of loss and insanity. Yet, Alice and her staff managed to work through all this -- they cried on the inside, but remained professional and personable on the outside. Through all the insanity that they faced, my wedding gown was altered, cleaned, pressed and delivered to my hands on Friday, June 24, 2011 -- one day before my wedding and at her store's new location on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn; it officially opened to great fanfare and welcome on Sunday, June 26, 2011...one year ago today! You may not believe this story...but it is 100% true! Thank you, Alice and the Staff of Sposabella Couture, for providing me with a fairy-tale couture wedding gown; for helping to make my wedding a dream come true; and, mostly, for never giving up when you could have just walked away. If you want a collection of first-rate, beautiful gowns, courteous and attentive service, and a tastefully appointed showroom, shop at Sposabella Couture! To Alice and the Staff: HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY!!! Love Always, Shawn Simpson-Smith (Ficarra) more

I purchased a dress from here which was priced at $ 1,200 ..and later found it for $600 online and in 2 other stores for $289 ...the store owner would not even work with the alteration prices and became very mean after I asked for a more reasonable price. Many of the dresses at this store are the same exact dresses in Manhattan for half the price. more