An Elegant Affair — Local services in Cedar Falls

With a name like An Elegant Affair, we were expecting a bit more of an upscale experience. Having an in store shopping experience with a small shop seems like a rarity these days, and I can understand many of the challenges having a shop could present. Our visit was during winter and some of our shoes did have debris so we were asked to take our shoes off, which is ok. Not having a place for us to sit to & take our shoes off is an issue. The one seating place to remove your shoes was placed on top of a lighter colored rug, and it was clear we were not to dirty it. We had 2 more mature ladies in our group that struggled to get their shoes off, and one of them had a major back surgery within the last 2 months. Some of our shoes were wet, and had debris, so again, this is reasonable to not drag expensive, white dresses through that muck, but maybe offering some shoe covers, better seating, cubbies for our shoes, and changing out the rug to one that is washable or darker in color might make the experience better as soon as you walk in the door. Next, our bride arranged for a few family and 2 bridesmaids to come with her, all of us coming from at least 2 hours to 6.5 hours away for this experience. Most of us booked lodging, ate out and spent money in the small local shops. As no refreshments were offered, we were grateful we could bring our own in, but I had to leave and pick up the order (missing 15 minutes). Both times I came in to the store, I was approached in a cold, forced, panic-like way by the store clerks and asked if I had made an appointment. I am sure this is a constant battle for the shop. But a simple, “Hi! Welcome! What brings you in today?” Would suffice and be a better approach than, “Do you have an appointment?” And goodness, I was just in the shop 5 minutes ago…maybe have 1 person at the desk solely dealing with the incoming traffic and flow; it would add a more personal touch. Also, know that you had one more person joining the group and greet them with, “Are you here with the ‘such and such group?’ I would add, if you’re not going to offer any refreshments, maybe have a runner who can pick up refreshments, we were happy to pay for them. Again, this review score is tied to the expectation of the experience we should have had. We all came from a long distance, and we thought it would take 2-3 hours, and there was a good chance she would find a dress to order. Turns out we all drove that far to only have 1.5 hours, and we were pushed out the door 1 hour and 10 minutes in. It was not subtle. Like any good wedding vendor, if the staff were sensing our bride needed more time, (and I asked, they were aware how far we traveled and the bride’s address, and they admitted to not communicating or having it posted on their website that appts. are only 1.5 hours), they should have been doing what it took behind the scenes to make the dress experience happen that day. They could have politely asked us to scoot over to one seating area that had enough seating for our group, and let us know that another bride would be also working next to us in the other available space (and I would have a cushion of time for your brides who are coming from more than 45-60 miles). This might be your only chance to get the sale, and with the great selection you have, and with our bride just figuring out her style 1 hour and 10 minutes in, the shop was so close to getting a sale. We were not there asking for a clearance rack, we were there to get the bride a dress and have an upscale experience while doing so. Our bride only tried on 5 dresses. Needless to say our bride didn’t get a dress and she cried as she was pushed out the door by the staff. If our bride knew, she wouldn’t have followed staff advice to retry on 2 dresses. As we went to leave, no one had cleaned up the mess at the front and we had to walk through it to put our shoes back on. In the wedding business, you only get 1 shot to get these things right. My feedback is well-intended, and I hope to see more 5 star reviews for your business. It’s a cute shop,...

What an incredible experience! The staff at this bridal boutique went above and beyond to make my appointment perfect.

The thing that impressed me most was how accommodating they were with my very large family. When I mentioned bringing nearly a dozen family members, including children, they didn't hesitate - they arranged their largest fitting area and provided extra seating so everyone could be comfortable and part of this special moment. The staff was so welcoming to the kids too, making them feel included and special throughout the appointment.

My husband's grandmother asked to do the alterations, which was so meaningful to us. However, she accidentally got some marks on the train of the dress. I didn't even know about the marks until the store called me to let me know they had discovered them and were already on top of getting them out! They worked incredibly hard and got every single mark out before my wedding day. They went above and beyond to fix the issue without any judgment - just pure dedication to making sure everything was perfect.

What I loved most was that they never made us feel rushed despite our large group. They understood this was about creating memories with the people I love.

If you want a bridal shop that will go the extra mile when it matters most, this is absolutely the place! I'm so grateful they were part of making my wedding...

My husband and I decided to elope, so I wasn’t sure if I wanted a traditional wedding dress or something more simple. I decided to just take a look at An Elegant Affair and I’m so glad I did. I ended up falling in love with the most perfect dress during my first appointment and knew I didn’t need to look anywhere else.

The entire experience was so special. The staff was warm, welcoming, and incredibly helpful every step of the way. The shop itself is classy and inviting, and they truly make you feel taken care of. Since I was traveling, they helped me fold, pack my dress for my suitcase and offered to steam it at no cost when I got back. Just one of the many thoughtful touches that meant so much.

I had my alterations done in store and they did a phenomenal job. I felt absolutely amazing on my wedding day-My husband also got his tux from An Elegant Affair, and everything looked perfect.

I’ve already told my newly engaged little sister she had to go there! She also found her dream dress at her first appointment. I can’t recommend An Elegant Affair enough. Their selection is amazing, and their team goes above and beyond to make the entire experience...