Clarissa Bridal Salon

I hate to give this one star, I had an excellent experience with them when I went and tried on dresses and I ordered my dress from them in early November. The problem? They went out of business! I had someone call me and tell me I would still be taken care of and they would let me know when my dress came in. I received an email letting me know that their seamstress has my dress and I can make an appointment with her to get it and have her do my alterations if I wish but the number I was given is wrong! and I have emailed them back but I have not heard from them yet :(I am getting very worried that my already paid for wedding dress will never be seen again. The only bright side is my wedding isn’t until August so I have a little time and if needed I can find another dress. I really love the dress I ordered from them tho!
Update: The salon got ahold of me and I spoke with the alterations lady who has my dress. Thankfully! Everything is good :)

I am sad to report that I drove to Clarrisa’s only to find that the storefront is empty. I tried calling the number listed and it has been disconnected very disappointed

This was the fourth bridal salon of five that I visited. The dress selection was small, and more on the pricey side. I was looking for a trumpet style dress, and although I had found favorites at all of the salons, I did not feel that there was many options at this location. I also tried on the lace fit and flare dresses, but I felt that their lace selection would look better on an older bride. My consultant was friendly, but I definitely felt the push to buy buy buy a dress that day more than I have at other salons.

Lita was such a great help. I did not find my dream wedding gown here but this bridal salon has many selections of bridal gowns to choose from. For any bride looking to try on dresses, this place should be one of your stops.

Kathy, one of the owners, was my bridal consultant and an absolute pleasure to work with. however, overall not super impressed with the selection… or prices. but Kathy was outstanding, she made sure i was comfortable the entire time and listened to what i did/n’t want in a dress. at the very end she pulled a dress that was about 80% what i wanted, so now she is keeping an eye out for me for the whole package. the prices were a little more then i wanted to pay so who knows. i definitely recommend getting an appt and checking it out.

To all the wonderful Ladies at Clarissa,
I went to Clarissa Bridal salon five years ago in search of the perfect prom dress for my daughter. I found it there. The ladies were so kind and helpful that when I was in search for the perfect dress for my sons wedding I returned. This time all the Ladies went above and beyond. It was so much more than a sale to these women. They wanted you to be thrilled with your purchase, the way you looked and the way you felt in the dress. I not only loved the dress, but the women that helped me feel so sensational that day. Thank you to all the lovely ladies at Clarissa. The next time one of my children get married… I’ll be back!
Rose Ann K

I love this shop! The prices are high but then they carry higher quality merchandise.
I have patronized it for years and they never disappoint!
There is always enough dresses to choose from and the service is great. They are all professional, patient, sweet and want to see you look your best.
This time they were a bit short on alterations staff but sent my daughter to alternative place that we were impressed by.
So fortunate to have this boutique in town,

After going to two bridal shops in San Francisco, I made an appointment at Clarissa’s since it was closer to home. I walked in, immediately felt welcomed, compared to sitting in a waiting room like I had in SF. I described what I did and didn’t like about the other dresses I had tried on and she met me in the changing room. Without me showing her what I liked, she had pulled 4 gowns that I loved, and 3 of the 4 were in my price range. They even helped with my veil selection. It was such a relief when I found THE dress.
Alterations were a breeze as well, I feel awful I don’t remember the woman’s name that did most of the work, but their entire team was so helpful and friendly — even offered me water since I was starting to get warm standing on the lifted floor and right under the lights in my heavy silk dress.
My dress fit like a dream after the first fitting so they pressed and packaged it and scheduled me to pick it up the week of the wedding — it was a great and painless experience!

I almost bought my dress from Clarissa. The owner was so sweet, but ultimately, I just did not feel like the dresses were a good value and then there was the alteration solution…
I stopped in with my sister in laws just for fun to try on dresses right after I got engaged. I liked that they have all the styles and some good Vera Wang knock offs. They let me try on what I liked in the magazines and also pushed me to try some things that I would never have picked. Ultimately it was their pick that was my second choice.
I agree with a few of the reviewers that the place needs a facelift and the dresses were really dirty. I had to remember that these were their samples and you ultimately order the closest size and then alter.
It was the alteration part that got me. I loved a Vera Wang-​ish dress, but I have a large bust and small waist. The solution was to buy a dress that fit my waist and then take off ¹⁄₃ of the buttons and the top of the zipper to sew in a «corset» extender for the bust. Basically, lace in my boobs becuase they were not willing to order the dress to fit my bust and then take it in on the side becuase they were going to ruin the structure of my dress. By the way, I am a size 10 pant/​skirt and a size ¹²⁄₁₄ in the bust — so I usually don’t wear regular dresses due to sizing issues.
I just felt like they were trying to pressure me to buy a dress that did not fit and then design an inelegent solution for $ 500 — $ 700 on a dress that was already $ 1800.
I did love the woman who owed the boutique and they were always attentive when I went in. It was a great first experience with trying on dresses.
In the end, I went with a more high end bridal solution in San Francisco and had my dress made 100%. There were no alterations as my own measurements were used to make my dress.
I do think Clarissa is a great place to start. Maybe if I did not get scared off from the alterations process I would have bought my dress there. Ultimately though, I think my personal style was not a good match.

I went to Clarissa a few months back, and I keep thinking about my experience. I had really high expectations for the shop, and it was one of the first places I went to try on wedding dresses. They did not have that many styles, and when I tried to explain to them what I wanted the saleswoman would nod like she understood and then brought me something entirely different from what I requested.
The dresses I tried on could have used a good cleaning, and looked as if they had been handled by a lot of people – I understand that these are floor samples, but I felt like I needed a good shower after I left.
Overall, the experience left me feeling overwhelmed and wondering whether or not I would ever find the right dress (I did, at Gesinee’s in Concord actually).
My suggestions for improvement would be for Clarissa to get more modern styles, to keep their dresses in clear garment bags so people can’t damage or stain the dresses while they are sifting through the racks, and maybe for a bit of redecorating.
Sorry Clarissa, I wanted it to work! :(

Clarissa’s is so awesome! This was my last stop and my sister booked a last minute appointment b/​c this place was definitely not in our plans. So grateful that she did, b/​c I ultimately said «YES» to the dress.
This place is smaller, family owned, has less dresses than most salons, but all of them were very unique and beautiful. When I put on my dress, I knew it was the one and then I cried and so it was a given that this was the one. I also bought my veil here and the final sail ended up being a good $ 800 over my budget, but I know it will all be worth it the day of.
Evelyn was my consultant and let me just tell you she is the sweetest lady I have ever met. You forget that she is a salesperson and instead she just becomes a wonderful support system for your big day. She taught me how to «wiggle» to get into most of the floor samples, we had a great time.
Can’t wait to for my first fitting in July! This place is a must!

Clarissa Bridal was our last stop after a long day of store hopping and trying on numerous wedding dresses. I was almost ready to go home, but thankfully I had a bit more energy to go on. I was soooo happy I walked into Clarissa Bridal because not only did i receive excellent service, but I also found THE wedding dress!
The store is cute & cozy w/​a smaller dress selection, but it was less overwhelming and easier to shop. The women who work here are so sweet, kind hearted and motherly. They were so CUTE! They’ve definitely inspired me to open up my own bridal boutique… maybe in my mid 30s or 40s =)
I came in with a specific style, silhouette & fabrications I was looking for. Despina was my consultant and the sweetest woman ever! She pulled a couple dresses for me to try and once I tried on the 2^nd dress I knew I there was no point to try on the rest. I immediately knew it was the dress when I started to get teary eyed (FYI – this DOES happen!) However, to my dismay, when I asked how much it was it ended up being twice my budget =(Knowing that it was over my budget, Despina offered to sell me the sample dress for 10% off. Wanting more time to think it over, Despina said she would take it off the floor and hold it for me. I was so obsessed I went back to the store the next day and purchased the dress.
I’m going to go back in a couple months to buy a veil, get my dress altered and change my sash color. This store is a definite MUST when going dress shopping. Their service is just phenomenal!

Made an appointment well in advance for my first dress shopping trip and even called ahead to warn them that I had a big group coming in with me. I requested Lita as my consultant, but completely forgot that I did the day I came in.
When my group of 7 adults (yup), a toddler, and a baby arrived, I was worried about seating. Evelyn ended up being my consultant, and she was very sweet! I am very open-​minded, so I allowed her to pick out what she thought would work well for me.
The selection wasn’t as large as I thought (I think I watch too much «Say Yes to the Dress»), but they did have a couple dresses that I really liked. It wasn’t a bad experience, but it wasn’t an amazing experience either.
The reasons why I docked 2 stars:
— Even though I called in and requested for Lita, I didn’t get her as my consultant. A little disappointed.
— Even though I called in and said that I had a large group coming with me, there were no chairs set-​up and Evelyn had told my party that they could, «Drag chairs over from the other side» if they wanted to sit. Really?! I was kinda peeved about that.
— She didn’t ask my straight out how much my budget was. It totally went over my head once I started looking at dresses, and it was only after I tried on the first dress that she told me how much the dress was.
So, that was my experience there. So-​so. I did like a dress, but I’m going to keep looking since it was at the top of my price range and I wanted to alter the train already. I feel like I can find a dress in my price range.

Shopping at Clarissa’s Bridal Salon, with my best friend for her wedding dress, was a wonderful experience! When we arrived, Adrienne described the wedding dress of her dreams… Although we saw nothing like it on the shelves, sure enough one of the delightful sisters who owns the place found the PERFECT dress. It was a good price. And the expert assistance and advice she provided was invaluable! We especially appreciated it after we visited another shop, where absolutely nothing about the experience was pleasing.
Thank you, ladies! Our experience was truly «Woohoo! As good as it gets!»
~Liz

My best friend and I called to see if we could stop by Clarissa’s after a disappointing (dirty!) stop at that big shop in Concord. The woman who answered the phone said that they were closing in an hour but we were welcome to come and look. What a wonderful experience! The women we met with all made us feel like they were our long lost Aunties and they had me trying on $ 3,000 dresses (though my budget was $ 1200) and said they could make it work with my price range. The main consultant who was helping us was Kathy. She was patient, fun and most importantly, knew what to have me try on that would best compliment my figure.
I left that day not finding exactly what I wanted (lace top, satin bottom with a sash) and Kathy later followed up with me both by having me come in to look at something she thought I might like and when that wasn’t the right thing, later emailing me another choice that showed she’d really listened to what I wanted and found it for me! Never did I feel any pressure to buy there, nor did I feel like a pauper for not being able to spend the big bucks that some of their dresses are priced at.
I haven’t decided if I may just have something custom made or maybe even try a designer ‘once — used’ option purchased online, but I had to Unilocal because I just really appreciated the whole experience working with Kathy and the other ladies at Clarissa. Kathy was honest, followed through when she said she would, and simply provided me with excellent customer service which really seems to be missing in a lot of places these days.

This place is AMAZING!!! It was the first shop i walked into and I totally didn’t expect to purchase a dress that day. From the time I walked in Lita the sales woman treated me like a princess helped me pull dresses that I didn’t even think would look good on me. The first dress I tried on I loved but of course my mom was not a fan after trying on two more the fourth dress was a charm and one of Lita’s pulls.
I am so glad I walked in and purchased my dress that day cause I totally didn’t know it would take about 8 to 9 months to get my lace dress. And while I sit here a wait patiently and have bride freak out moments about the dress Clarissa’s allows me to come visit my dress and once again treats me like a princess. I can’t wait to start my fittings and any bride who reads this should visit Clarissa’s.

Did you know that when you try on wedding dresses the consultant will ultimately see you in your undies? For some reason that little piece of knowledge escaped me when I went to Clarissa’s to try on dresses for the first time. Once I got into the dressing room and Despina, the lovely consultant who was helping me, didn’t leave and asked me to remove my bra because it wasn’t the right kind for the dresses, I wanted to cancel the appointment.
No one sees my bubbies but me!
After a beat, she saw the fear in my eyes and asked my mom to come in and help me instead. Thank God for mommies, right?
The rest of the appointment went well. They don’t have a lot of selection but for me that’s okay because I’m extremely indecisive. Despina was great and was super entertaining and encouraging.
It’s a small family owned place so the prices are a bit better than if you were going to get it in the city.
The only gripe I have about this place is that they don’t really ask you about budget. I guess it helps you find the type of dress that’s perfect for you, without being constricted by price. It just kinda sucks when you tend to lean towards the more expensive side of dresses… which, unfortunately, is where I tend to lean.
Despite that, I ended up getting my dress here. I got it at a good price, and Despina gave me a good discount. Maybe it was because I told her I was going to Greece, and as a Greek woman she was excited for me. :)

I’ve shopped and shopped around for bridal stores but I had the best experience at Clarissal Bridal Salon. I actually walked-​in without an appointment and they had a consultant ready to help me within 5 – 10 minutes.
They had a fair amount of dresses to try. I believe the prices begin around $ 700 and up depending on the designer. I’ll admit some dresses were not as white as they should be –but what can you expect if they’re just samples and women are constantly trying them on and off all the time. I tried on a lot of dresses but there was always at least one little thing I didn’t like and my consultant listened very closely. She then would pull another dress for me with my comments in mind and then I’d find myself torn between two or three beautiful dresses. I did not feel pressured at all by my consultant. She was very friendly and helpful.
I originally went in with somewhat of an idea of what I was looking for, but actually ended up with something I didn’t expect and absolutely loved. I purchased a gorgeous Palomo Blanca dress which made both me and my mom tear up with joy. The process can be so overwhelming for a bride-​to-​be but the staff at Clarissa Bridal definitely helps make it easier.
I would definitely recommend Clarissa Bridal but would advise any bride-​to-​be to go into any bridal store with an open mind and not so high expectations. It makes the process so much more easier and fun

I loved this salon! Out of the three I went to, this one had the most dresses that I liked– great selection.
My consultant was Lita and she was fabulous! I told her my price range was $ 2k and she had no problem pulling quite a few dresses that were well in the range (no pushing the budget with, say $ 2,200 gowns like some salons).
This was the first salon I went to but Lita had no problem making me feel comfortable being half naked in front of her for an hour (changing in and out of gowns).
I did not end up buying her, but the customer service here was far better than at the other two salons I went to (Priscilla of Boston and Bridal Galleria).
Future east bay brides this is definitely one of the salons you should try!

Lita was an incredible salesperson who gently suggested dresses for my body type that I told her I didn’t want to try (aka — Lace). The last dress of the day, she urged me to try a Jenny Lee lace gown and I knew when I walked out of the dressing room it was the one. I hate lace, I am not a lace person, and this gown was PERFECT for me and enhanced all the good features of my body!
Eugenia, the seamstress, is a master at her craft. As I was trying the gown on, she came over, tugged and pinned and showed me what the bustle would look like. This sold me on the dress, I knew she’d create the perfect fit, which she did in the end.
Friendly service, attentive follow up. Clarissa, thank you for your expertise and amazing staff!