Encore Bridal

With Julie, I found some luck. All I could say was, «Wow!» And «Wow, I am a bride!» I called Encore Bridal on a complete whim and prayer, hoping that my mother and I would be able to share a wedding dress expedition together before I left the left-​coast for the right-​coast. And, well, Julie made it happen… due to her flexibility and sense of style.
Julie listened to me and gave me the experience I needed. Conveniently located near Union Square, Mom and I were able to pop in after a long day at a SFO conference. When I walked in with Mom, I had just finished saying all I wanted was to share the dress experience with her. This message was exactly what I told Julie when we talked on the phone to set up the appointment. Mom and I never intended to decide on a dress that day, but we went off to the races just the same.
So, on the TV shows, they give you 3 – 4 dress options… Julie gave me 8 – 9 try-​ons and offered me more. Each one Mom was able to see and comment on. But, it really was dress number 2, that stole my heart. My «wowing» started then.
Again, I didn’t expect to buy a dress. Luckily, Julie’s store was meant for me — a fairly practical bride. Encore stocks previously purchased, but never worn dresses. Hers is a very well kept and a lovely located consignment shop. Of the 8 – 9 dresses we reviewed, each was in GREAT condition. Julie made sure we washed our hands before, during and in-​between so the dresses wouldn’t become soiled. My dress ended up being a beautifully detailed designer wedding gown for a ¼ of the cost of the actual retail price. Due to the price and knowing I really had fallen in love with the bodice, I felt free to envision a different look to the skirt of the dress. Julie assisted this vision — it just could not remain the crazy trumpet (or should I say tuba like) skirt.
Julie taught me about Pinterest, which became a valuable tool for discussing ideas with my Left-​coast family throughout wedding planning. Turns out that Julie’s business has a great website and she uses Pinterest to track ideas about fashion and bridal fashion to match her work interests. Again, this was a wonderful tool for me to think about costs, design, and planning for my very intimate and personal wedding experience.
When I left Julie’s show room, I knew about my veil and shrug ideas, and where to save my ideas so I could continue sharing ideas with my bi-​coastal family. She even had ideas for a NYC tailor. See my other review for the tailor I chose.
Encore Bridal is a great choice, if you are the type of person that is open to ideas and not willing to buy into «wedding-​hype».
I felt like a million dollars on my wedding day. I really did.

I found my wedding gown at Encore and am still giddy about my dress, two months after the wedding. Julie is really nice to work with. She’s not there to be a salesperson, she is there to help you make a decision that you will be happy with on one of the most special days of your life. When you are planning a wedding, this is a really respectable attribute. She listens to what you want and has great feedback for how to care for and alter the dress. If you are looking for a designer, unique, and discounted gown, definitely check out Encore.

A small boutique. Friendly personal service. Stress free and no pressure shopping. Thanks

I am surprised by all the good reviews of this place as I had a very disappointing experience. I called on a Tuesday to get an appointment for Friday and was told that it was walk in only then. I arrive Friday or find that No, actually they do take appointments because there was another bride that had made one and the assistant was only paying attention to here.
There was no a single dress that interested me in my size and I received no help and no attention from the woman who was there, didn’t ask me anything or even help me figure out my side. I had heard all these raves but clearly those people are crazy. After this kind of service I am not shocked they are closing.
I was treated better at David’s Bridal.

Julie Jones is amazing! I utilized Encore Bridal to consign my wedding dress and Julie was able to sell my dress in just 2 weeks! I am so happy and grateful to Julie that she was able to sell my dress so quickly. I would have never been able to sell my dress on my own. I would definitely recommend Encore Bridal even if you live near or far. Thank you Encore Bridal.

Julie is awesome! She is truly gifted at figuring out very quickly what a bride is looking for in a wedding dress and helps them find the perfect dress with grace and thoughtfulness. The first time I went to visit Julie at Encore Bridal, I did not know what I was really looking for, but had a general idea. She was very patient as I tried on many different dresses. I found a few that I liked at her store, but I was still unsure about the style or they were outside my price range. Feeling a little discouraged, but knowing I had time, I decided to take a break from dress shopping. A few weeks after our first meeting, Julie emailed me to say that she found a dress she thought I would like. Unbeknownst to Julie, that dress just so happened to be a designer dress that I was secretly drooling over, but could not afford. Not only was the dress in flawless condition and fit perfectly, it was also the right price. It was a serendipitous moment for us both.
I feel fortunate to have discovered Encore Bridal because Julie was instrumental in finding my dream dress. She is professional, helpful, friendly, and genuinely a good-​natured person. Yes, your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. And yes, weddings are expensive. So at the end of day, do you want to feel like you spent the right amount of money on the best things from the greatest people in the industry? If you do, then Encore Bridal is one of those venders that will hold a special spot in your heart as they were, in their own way, an integral part of your beautiful wedding day.

Selling my wedding dress at Encore Bridal was a 100% positive experience. After I ordered my dress, it did not fit as I expected and could not be altered to fit, so I brought it to Julie. She was so sweet and made the process fun. She sold the dress within a month or two and the check arrived just when she said it would. She offers a wonderful opportunity for sellers as well as buyers, and it was SO much more pleasant than trying to sell my dress online by myself!

I bought my vera wang dress her and it was in perfect condition. I never had to go into the store and it was exactly to the measurements as described, which was fitted to me exactly. Julie was great in her communication and answered every question, she even called to follow up to see if i still wanted the dress. With a 14 day return policy, you really can’t go wrong. I’m lucky, this is the only dress I tried and order, if only my venue went as smoothly…

One of my bridesmaids found this place and it was SUCH a find! They have lovely lovely dresses at such reasonable prices; but even more than that, I love the sustainability factor of not buying a brand new dress (full disclosure, I work in the environmental nonprofit sector so this is a huge factor in my decision-​making, probably more than for other people). I was surprised at how many different options there were; you’d think that since there’s one of each dress, there would be less of a selection, but somehow that is not the case (though I’m a size 4 – 6 so that may not apply to everyone). Julie really takes a lot of care in being selective about the dresses she accepts, and it shows — they all look totally brand new. My appointment was for an hour but we ended up staying close to two and we were not rushed at all. It felt like a high-​end boutique experience but without the price tag or (as much) guilt about feeding the machine that is the wedding industry. I ended up buying my dress from them the next day. Vanina was incredibly knowledgeable and great at pulling dresses for me to try. Another plus: super cute accessories! I bought a sparkly belt that first day, even before I had decided to purchase any of their dresses.
There was a teensy bit of confusion about our original appointment, but it’s so minor compared to the rest of my experience I’m not going to ding them for it.
Pros: price point, sustainability, immediate delivery, exceptional service
Cons: they don’t do alterations.
Tips: definitely budget extra time to get there early and find parking. bring your own strapless bra/​undergarments. if you live outside CA, order it online — shipping is as low as a flat $ 35 and you avoid the tax! (until Congress closes that loophole.)

I used Encore Bridal to sell my used wedding dress and it was a completely professional and hassle-​free experience. Highly recommend this company. I live in Los Angeles and they even sent someone by to pick up my dress in person to save me the cost of shipping to SF. My dress sold in less than three months.

Julie Jones is ah-​may-​zing! I didn’t end up getting my dress from here — but it was definitely in my top 3. My experience here was just amazing. Julie’s store is one those special consignment stores that just gets it. All of her inventory is flawless — it’s like everything is BRAND NEW! She ensures that each piece is of high-​quality and she will let you know if there is any issue with any dress, what the tailoring costs would look like, etc.
Her website is a great place to check out what she currently has in stock. I did that prior to making my appointment and let her know what style I was drawn to. She made sure to pull out all the relevant dresses that were similar to the style I wanted and I ended up loving this one high-​end Vera Wang Luxe dress (it’s still there and up for grabs I believe!!)
For any brides who are looking to have some high-​end champagne fashion but don’t want to pay the crazy prices — this is a place I recommend you visit on your quest to find the perfect dress.
Also, if you’re a bride looking to sell your dress for some extra cash, you can make an appointment with her to consign your dress for a great price.

I only wish I had found this place earlier in my wedding dress search. I didn’t actually buy my dress here but my experience with Julie was so amazing that I had to write a review.
I had found a gorgeous dress at a trunk show at Bridal Galleria on Saturday, but I was having a hard time committing, especially with my mom freaking out about the price. On Sunday, I called Julie to try to get a last-​minute appointment. Even though she didn’t have an appointment, I explained the situation over the phone, and Julie looked up my dress online and gave me helpful suggestions of similar dresses in my price range. Ultimately, Julie recommended that I just buy the dress I loved at Bridal Galleria and it gave me the confidence to seal the deal. I can’t believe how sweet and helpful Julie was, even though she would not stand to profit at all!
Since then, I have visited Encore Bridal to buy my veil and accessories which were so pretty and unbelievably affordable. Again, Julie’s advice was spot-​on!

I had a really fantastic experience at Encore Bridal. I walked in with half-​baked ideas about what I thought I might want, and proceeded to try on pretty much every type of dress that there was in my size to get a better idea. Julie was tremendously helpful, encouraging, and informative. She was able to find quite a number of dresses that would fit me (and I’m 5’11″, so that was a pleasant surprise), and they were all in great condition. And excellent quality! Good for someone with expensive taste but a smaller dress budget.
Her store is beautiful and relaxing and her stock is the best I saw at the bridal sample stores, but it was just as important to me that Julie is extremely nice. She allowed me to make two separate appointments on short notice at odd times to accommodate my schedule, and never rushed me as I stood and stared endlessly at the mirror.
I found and bought my dress on my second visit to the store, and I am *thrilled.* I also bought a veil that Julie suggested that I frankly never would have picked up on my own, but it is perfect for the dress.
I’m so glad that my sister found Encore Bridal, and that I found the dress I love here.

Julie, the store owner was amazing and really asked the right questions to help my daughter decide which style dress was «her». The shop is very tasteful and has a lovely small Parisian boutique feel. I would strongly suggest anyone looking for a gorgeous couture gown that is reasonably priced to look here. I can’t say enough nice things about Julie or her beautiful gowns!

LOVED this store! Things I loved:
1. Julie! Julie is the owner, and she’s amazing! She helped me identify a style that I loved and pulled beautiful dresses for me to try on. She’s also fun to talk to and makes the experience very special — adding veils and letting you choose your own music!
2. The prices — couture is affordable — and the dresses are in wonderful quality. Check the website for prices and selection. As another reviewer mentioned, if you ask if there are flaws, Julie is very honest about them but most dresses have none and the ones that do are so incredibly tiny and not noticable at all.
3. The store space — it’s beautiful! I loved the décor and the dressing room. It was the perfect atmosphere to try on beautiful dresses.
Altogether — wonderful! I don’t know why there aren’t more reviews on this amazing place!

Encore bridal was great to work with. Simple, convenient, and professional! The ladies were sweet and efficient with all communication and made it easy for me to do business with them. :)

I had so much fun at this store! But first, the cons. (I promise there are way more pros, but we have to get this negative stuff out of the way first.)
Encore Bridal is only open for people to browse their selections on Sundays from 11−4p (if I remember correctly). No appointments, just walk-​in only. At first I was relieved because I was having a hard time finding boutiques open on Sundays – and then I got there, and had to find a parking spot.
30 minutes later… no, seriously. THIRTY MINUTES of driving up and down and around Highland Ave. and the super hilly neighborhood. My friends went in a separate car so they were stuck foraging for a spot too! So be prepared to spend some time hunting for parking. But we eventually made it… after almost giving up a few times.
Additionally, they don’t have any corsets or bras for you to borrow while trying on dresses, so if you have undergarments you’d like to wear under the dress, you must bring them on your own. Not so much of a con as it is a tip.
Also, these dresses are either used, samples, or new – a lot of times they are ‘second dresses’ that were fitted for a bride, but the bride opted to wear another dress instead. Wouldn’t it be nice to have enough money to buy TWO dresses for your wedding? Hm. But I digress.
This store is awesome. They have 2 racks – one which is $ 1500 and under, the other which includes the more expensive dresses. GREAT place for brides on a budget! Secondly, they have a lot of accessories (veils, tiaras, feather clips, etc.) that you can try on with your dresses to get a «feel» for what you like. Many of the dresses are in wonderful condition, and they will be honest with you when they are not. Which brings me to the best part about this store… the staff!
These ladies are fun to talk to, easy to get along with, and made my shopping experience that much more pleasant. My girlfriends and I had a wonderful time. They really went the extra mile to make me feel special, even as the time got closer to the end of their day. I never felt rushed, pressured, or manhandled. And the best part was – when I didn’t like a dress, they never tried to convince me otherwise. They even agreed that «it’s not your style, we can tell» when I tried on certain dresses. I loved the honesty.
I picked out 3 dresses I liked above the rest, and less than 2 hours after I left the store they emailed me thanking me for visiting and attached links to the dresses I preferred. Although I’m still making up my mind (I have a year to go, so I have time!) I would recommend this store and the ladies who run it to anyone looking for a dress on a budget, for a great selection of couture designers, and for a very relaxed and fun Sunday afternoon. :)

Everything on this site is honest and true! I am still amazed on such good quality and customer service comes from buying a wedding gown on a online boutique. Julie is so professional and warm it makes buying online from a customer who happens to be thousands of miles away from her business, welcoming and rewarding. I could of never gotten such a beautiful gown if it wasn’t for her! Thank you Encore Bridal!

I LOVED how fast Julie was able to narrow down the styles of gowns to fit me perfectly. She is excellent at determining which gown flatters the lady, rather than flattering itself. In three dresses, we had found the perfect one. I felt like Grace Kelly when looking in her mirror. (A girl at David’s Bridal tried on no less than 30 gowns and narrowed it down to 13 — I would have preferred to die than be her… or her sales lady!)
Julie had it priced so that I could bring home a couture dress that I know I would have never been able to afford anywhere else. The quality was unrivaled by anything I found in any high-​end store in Pasadena. Both the seamstress and the photographer were taken aback by the richness of the fabric. Everyone at my wedding remarked how «perfect» the gown was on me. I truly did feel like Princess Grace.
I admit, I dreaded going dress shopping, but Julie at Encore Bridal made it easy, organized and manageable. She opened the shop on a weekend especially for me, and connected me with an amazing seamstress that was able to let the small bodice out to fit me. Julie and I also had a lot of fun! She has an excellent eye for selecting styles and quality. You may just find your perfect dress hiding in her store!

I visited Encore Bridal while searching for a wedding gown. They have once worn and sample couture bridal gowns. They had a fantastic selection at great prices. I ended up purchasing a new gown from another store but I have referred 2 friends to this shop and they both purchased fantastic gowns and accessories.
Great customer service and return policy. Really friendly staff who are not pushy at all. They do mostly on-​line sales but you can make an appointment to visit the store. Well worth the trip.