Bijou Bridal & Special Occasion

I recently purchased my wedding dress from Bijou. My wedding is October 2016. I have only been there once so far but the stylist (Pat) was very helpful and managed to put me into my dream dress because she took the time to listen to me. I have been to 5 other boutiques in NYC & NJ, Bijou was the first to make me feel like a bride. The seamstress manager (Kathy) was so awesome. She just stood in the background making observations but every question and concern I brought up, she quickly found a solution or option or explanation. She was great. I feel confident knowing my alterations will be in her hands. I'm looking forward to my fittings and am very surprised by some of the negative reviews....I witnessed nothing but kindness and hospitable service.

I bought my dress here for my wedding in early September. Bijou should be your last resort. There are so many other bridal salons that deserve the business in the area. This place does not. Severely poor management and it's apparent from the moment you step in. Also, know that the second you turn around, they have something to say about you.... very professional :)

Bijou Bridal was recommended to me by one of my bridesmaids because I was having a hard time finding my perfect dress. Their selection impressive and of course, with them I found my dress!!! My dress eventually turned out to be beautiful. But I had a few stumbles with this vendor. First of all, there was a language barrier with my seamstress and an interpreter was not present at each fitting. Then, I was told when I chose my dress not to worry about the length because they can alter it to my height but needless to say that was not the case so I ended up having to change my shoes twice to accommodate my dress length when it should really have been the other way around. I was also told that close to my wedding date, I could have many fittings but only got three from the arrival of my wedding dress in July 2015 to my wedding 8/30/2015. Overall, they have great selection and ambience, but their service is a matter of opinion.

Ishanie and Douglas.
8/30/2015.

I feel like I had to write a review to slightly defend Bijoi Bridal! I live in Manhattan and my parents live in NY about 40 minutes from Bijou Bridal. I found my dream gown at a boutique bridal store on 5th avenue in the city, however, I am a bargain hunter, so I did not purchase right away. Instead, I did my homework and called all over NY and NJ and found Bijou Bridal carried my designer. They did not have the exact dress in their store, however they were able to order it for me. The dress at Bijou Bridal was $600 cheaper than on 5th avenue AND they gave me an additional discount for making the commute from NYC to NJ. Alterations were also $300 cheaper than the boutique in Manhattan and when you factor in no NJ sales tax- I saved over a thousand dollars on my dream dress (over a third of the NYC price!) by going to Bijou Bridal. I did not experience any rude staff, everyone was very sweet and helpful. I did try on some gowns while I was there just to make sure I was choosing the right one- and yes they have you pull your own gowns at first, but then they brought others in that they thought I might like, including a dress from the same designer in the same fabric to remind me of the dress I would be purchasing. I like this strategy- I want to see my options and I know what I like, so I feel like I can make the best informed decision. I don't see this being a problem unless you come with an outrageous number of people, in which case- that's your own fault, of course there will be chaos.

I had such a lovely experience at Bijou! My helper was so sweet and was so patient with me, although I was so indecisive. After finding "the dress", they allowed me to stay after closing hours to wait for my mother to see the dress before I made the decision to order it. After my moms approval(and tears), I decided to purchase the dress. The women measured me up and went through the whole process with me. They even were able to get the dress custom ordered to Ivory for me(it was originally only in blush). They really went above and beyond and stayed for us way beyond their closing time. We still have a long way to go with alterations and such, but my initial experience has been excellent.

My advice to shoppers will be, please bring a small number of people with you. They are a very busy store so you may have to share some mirror space and seating space for your guests. And as you all know, too many opinions can sometimes be very negative and influence you in the wrong direction. You have a big room to change and mirror to check yourself out even before going outside. Go in there with a budget and dont be afraid to try new things. I went in there knowing I wanted a ball gown, but ended up falling in love with a mermaid. Be sweet to the woman helping you, she really has to go through a lot with you. Be honest when they ask about weight. Dont just say your going to lose 10 pounds. Just say you may tone up a bit or will try to stay the same weight. Dont do anything too drastic(unless your VERY committed). Try to wear some shapewear with you similar to what you will wear on your wedding day. Do your hair and make up nicely, so the image will actually real. Also, do yourself a favor and try on veils with your dress, and bring heels similar to the height you'll wear on your wedding day. They really make a difference. Call in advance! Remember that depending on the dress sometimes it can take up to 6-8 months to finish making and depending on what alterations 1-3 months if your adding sleeves or anything like I am. So start shopping EARLY. And try going on a day during the week where it wont be too busy. And lastly, go in EARLY! You never know how long it will take. Be prepared, comfortable, and positive. Good luck, ladies!