Emerald City Gowns, Inc. — Local services in Berkeley

This was the first place I went to try on wedding dresses. After going to several other places I now realize how poor of an experience I had. I'll start by saying the place is well lit, intimate, and clean. But ultimately, the experience was subpar.

Prior to the appointment, they have you fill out a form with information on the dress styles you like, price range, wedding date, etc. When we arrived, the stylist had no dress recommendations based on what I had listed and did not mention their budget options when I had clearly stated an interest in on the form. The stylist didn’t even know my wedding date. Why did you make me fill out a form if it's not being used?

During the try on, the stylist did not provide any relevant or thoughtful information about the dresses. She did not explain anything about sizing or the fit of the dresses unless I asked her. It was oddly silent and awkward in the place (no music) and I had to ask her all my questions to get any information at all.

The racks are very crowded, so it was difficult to really see what a dress looked like without taking them out. At one point I asked the stylist if they recommended any other “fit and flare” dresses and she shrugged and said “yea they’re somewhere on the rack.” She didn't seem eager to help out.

I’m so disappointed in this experience as I want to support a small local business... trying on wedding dresses should be an informative and exciting experience. Instead I left...

Absolutely lovely experience purchasing my wedding gown from Emerald City Gowns! I am getting remarried in the Church to my husband of 22 years after I’m getting baptized this Easter and I was looking for a modest gown with sleeves. Not an easy dress to find, with not much time to find one, however, I found Emerald’s Insta account and saw all the beautiful gowns they offered! I booked an appointment online, and had the pleasure of meeting the Owner, Emilie who helped me find THE one! First, the selection of gowns they had was astounding, even long sleeves, and in my size (12)! I was so eager to try them on. The store is so lovely decorated, beautiful ambiance, and you’ll get a nice spacious private room/area to try them on! This was important for me because I’m a shy introvert and I’m not a young spring chick anymore, (self conscious) so getting dressed in a spacious room with a private area to view the dress was special to me. Emilie is so lovely, very knowledgeable, authentic, honest and personable! It can be overwhelming trying on dresses and finding one you really like, but it was a breeze with Emilie at Emerald City Gowns! I can’t wait to share pictures of the gown and veil I purchased! Thank you Emilie and Emerald City gowns for a...

I couldn't have had a better experience at Emerald City Gowns this past weekend. From the second my two best friends and I stepped into the store, we had an amazing, as-seen-on-TV time. We instantly felt comfortable, and then, after stepping further into the store, totally giddy.

Emilie understood the vision right off the bat and I ended up purchasing the very first dress she put me in. The practical things - size, price, the COVID precautions - were taken in stride and never questioned. I felt safe the entire time, I liked and fit well into every dress she put me in, and she never presented me with anything out of my price range. She gave us the time and space to twirl, take several dozen (should I really say hundreds?? probably) pictures, and figure out the perfect veil to complete the look. The size 12 dress I ended up getting was $1,100 and will require only minimal alterations.

Wedding planning amidst a pandemic is stressful(!!) to say the least, but my time at ECG with my best friends was a much needed bright spot. I really can't recommend this...