Michelle Manelli — Local services in Cherry Hill Township

I recently had alterations done for my son’s wedding. When my dress arrived at the Bridal Garden it was way too big. With great difficulty the re-orderd a new dress. The Bridal Garden recommended Michelle Minelli to do the alterations. I went to have the alteration done for the wedding. What an absolute nightmare. They make you pay for the alterations in full up front $350.00, for a hem and taken in at the bust area. You also have to pay $25.00 to hold you appointment slot. Patricia doesn’t want to listen to what you have to say about how the dress feels on you. This dress should have only taken 1 fitting and been done . By the end of the 2nd fitting the dress was way too small in the bust area and the hem was too long and unfinished. I picked it up the week before my son’s wedding , leaving me no time to get a new dress. I proceeded to take it to experienced seamstress who informed me that this dress was definitely way too long and definitely not altered in the bust area correctly. Due to time constraints, it left me with very little options. The 2nd seamstress was going to correct the hem and try to let out the bust , if possible! If not if would be too tight. There wasn’t much she could do. Patricia apparently took too much material off which left little to no options. When you zip up the dress it doesn’t go up straight it has a zig zag look to it which means it to tight. Patricia should have caught that when I put the dress on for the final fitting. When I went to pick up the dress it was falling off my left shoulder. I talked to Patricia about the problem and she told me to wear a bra, the dress has cups built in, plus she already altered it without a bra earlier. She said she would bring up the should a bit. When she did this the dress became way to tight. I’m not sure how much she cut off but it is completely uncomfortable and very noticeable. When I got home my husband commented about how tight it looked.

When I called Michelle Manelli to express my disappointment the young lady at the front desk just laughed at me as if she found my upset amusing. I glad that the fact they ruined my dress and possibly my son’s wedding day for me was a source of pleasure.

When I went back to pick up the dress I tried it on and noticed how tight it felt, the women who had to help me in the dress said it was fine. Patricia came in she looked at me in the dress and rush out of the room knowing this dress wasn’t altered properly. She then proceeded to be with another client, who I heard her giving her a difficult time about a hem. Her hem was way too long. Patricia wasn’t going to adjust the hem, she felt it was just perfect. I guess everything Patricia is just perfect. The bride kept telling her how uncomfortable she was with the length, but Patricia is ALWAYS right!!!! The new seamstress was surprised this was done by someone who calls themselves a professional. I have had many many dresses altered in my life never have I experienced anything or anyone this incompetent. But, I trusted the dress shop, that was my first mistake. However, I have been able to tell as many friends, family members who kids and grandchildren are getting married to please stay clear. I will continue to share my experience with everyone I meet. Servers in restaurants, the nail salon. Now who is laughing!

My recommendation to any Bride, MOB, MOG is please go anywhere else. She is not professional and definitely not able to do this job adequately. There are many talented seamstresses out there, she is not one of them. Stay away!! She has way too much ego. She also did my dress for my nieces wedding and messed that up as well. That should have been a red flag. Lesson learned. Please don’t believe the...

Update: One star. You don't call someone in an attempt to damage control and then tell them how to feel and that their review was unfair. No thanks. Big pass on this vendor.

The only reason I'll give two stars is that I eventually walked out with my dress complete - but consumer beware.

Patricia was booked for me by where I got my wedding dress. We were told we needed two alteration appts, and that they totally work with "Working brides". Spoiler alert: Not the case.

My first appointment, Patricia was a little brash, but nothing too bad. I felt VERY pressured to go with her suggestions for my sleeves, so I did. My second appointment, I thought I was picking up my dress so you can imagine my surprise to see the sleeves laying on the counter when I walked in to her shop and my dress full of pins. As you would imagine, my family and I were panicked, and Patricia proceeded to get nasty with us, and continued to be rude throughout the appointment, rushing through. She also insisted we pay the balance at the second appointment before her work was done. I told her multiple times the sleeves were too tight. I then had to take off of work to work within HER schedule to get my dress done in time before my wedding (Literally did not get my dress until a week before my wedding). But yet again, during the third appt my dress was still. not. done. And the sleeves? Too tight, but she insisted they weren't - my opinion didn't matter to her. Not to mention I had to sit at a diner for 2 hours while she "fixed" my dress. She also never made the "video" of how to bustle my dress, leaving us to absolutely scramble the day of the wedding (the bustle, by the way, I didn't want. She told me she bustles all of her dresses and that was that).

The sleeve literally ripped during my wedding in the exact spot that I told her it was tight. You can see the hole in every single photo that my arm is up.

Save you time, energy, and money and go somewhere with quality work where you can feel...

My sister was referred here for her wedding gown alterations. She was told she was able to try on the dress twice and any alterations would be made both times, all under the original payment. She tried the dress on once, then her husband was deployed. Right when her husband came back, their wedding was cancelled due to covid. It was postponed 4 times. They finally have their official date and will be married in January 2022. When my sister called about her second fitting, she was told this would now be an entirely new alteration fee. She already paid $500 for the alterations to begin with and now they want another $500. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that this is the response my sister was given! It was already hard enough for them being an active military family, but then to add covid on top of it, was so hard for my sister and her fiance. Everyone else has been so accommodating and helpful, but not Michelle Manelli! It's a real shame that this place doesn't support active duty military, especially on Veterans Day! I would not recommend this place to anyone with their terrible service. Not to mention, the woman who answers the phone is a real treat! She is always so short and thoughtless. We will now be referring the bridesmaids to get their alterations elsewhere! Save your money and get a local seamstress to do your...