My wedding dress shopping experience at Vow’d Milwaukee and Miss Ruby Bridal Boutique.
This one’s for all my local Wisconsin brides! If you’re going wedding dress shopping in the Milwaukee area, this post will give you a break down of what to expect at your appointment, the styles of dresses available, price ranges, the overall environment & atmosphere and a closer look into my shopping experience at Vow’d Milwaukee and Miss Ruby!
I recently published a blog post sharing what to wear wedding dress shopping and 15+ must-know tip for all my bride-to-be’s. If this will be your first time wedding dress shopping as a bride (mother of the bride, maid of honor, sister, etc.) this post details EVERYTHING you’ll want to know before you go.
I shared a little bit about my shopping experience in that post, along with some photos of dresses I tried on (but didn’t say yes to) and some info on the Milwaukee bridal shops. But, I also want to dedicate an entire post to sharing my full experience at Vow’d Milwaukee and Miss Ruby because there’s so much more I want to share!
My Wedding Dress Shopping Experience!
There’s a number of great bridal boutiques in the area, so it was hard to choose which ones I wanted to go to. But, ultimately I decided I wanted to book appointments at Vow’d at The Corners of Brookfield, Miss Ruby and White Dress Bridal Boutique.
Vow’d is a new store at The Corners! It’s been there for about a year now and I’ve heard really great things about it, so I wanted to check it out! Miss Ruby’s – I had been there before for bridesmaid dresses, and I loved the atmosphere! And, White Dress – I loved the large selection of dresses that they had on their website!
Strike Bridal Bar and Bliss Bridal are also popular bridal boutiques in the area, but we didn’t end up checking them out. If I had to choose one more boutique to go to, it would’ve been Strike! I’ve heard they have a ton of fun and unique wedding dresses that can transform into reception outfits!
Vow’d Milwaukee
Let’s get into my dress shopping experience now! Vow’d was the first bridal appointment that I scheduled. We originally booked a Saturday appointment, but ended up changing it to Friday afternoon and it was the best decision we made! We had the entire store to ourselves for the full 90 minutes and it was such a fun, aesthetic and calming atmosphere.
My bridal stylist said that Saturdays are overwhelmingly their busiest day of the week. All 7 styling areas are full with brides and their families the entire day. It’s very busy and chaotic, but also a lot of fun. However, I’m happy we had more of a private experience!
Going into this appointment, I was honestly a little nervous. I really had no idea what to expect and I felt like I didn’t fully know my vision for our wedding day. I had no idea what color scheme we wanted, what we wanted the decor to look like or what I was thinking for a dress style.
However, as soon as we walked into the store, my anxiety was replaced with pure excitement and joy. The store was SO pretty and all the white sparkly dresses were GORGEOUS! I couldn’t wait to try them all of them on!
Atmosphere:
I loved the open, airy concept of the store. It was well-lit, with tall ceiling and gave off a boho-chic vibe! All the dresses lined the outer walls organized by category, with the styling areas and large velvet couches circling the middle. It was so dreamy and the dressing room area was MASSIVE!
Some stores can feel so small, stuffy, and crowded, but this wasn’t the case at all!
Also, looking back at pictures, I didn’t realize how GOOD the lighting was here! It was white and cool (vs. warm and yellow), and all the photos we took were so crisp and clear. You could really see the true color of the dresses in the photos we took.
Bridal Stylist:
My bridal stylist, Vanessa, was so sweet and easy to talk to, and made the entire experience really enjoyable! She offered us champagne or water right away (which some bridal boutiques make you pay extra for) and then we talked about my wedding day and my ideal wedding dress.
She offered her support and suggestions throughout the appointment and was so helpful when it came to narrowing down the dresses!
Appointment Overview:
After taking off our coats and settling in, Vanessa asked me a few questions about our wedding day, the venue, the vibes, and the styles of dresses that I liked. She was able to get a good idea of my style, just based off of what I described to her.
We then, walked around the store and I pulled 5-7 dresses that I wanted to try on. She let me independently pick out the dresses and then she’d take them back to the fitting room.
The first hour or so was dedicated to trying on dresses and showing my family, talking about what I liked and disliked about each dress, and then narrowing down my top 2-3 favorites. Then, the last 30 minutes was for bridal accessories! I tried on veils and added straps or sleeves to a few dresses to see what it would look like!
Price Range:
Vow’d believes that every girl deserves a beautifully crafted dress at an honest price. So, the entire store is under $2,500! The dresses were absolutely gorgeous, but they were also affordable.
It was really fun to have free range of the whole store and to try on any dress I wanted. You 100% do not have to break the bank to find the perfect dress for your wedding day here!
Try-On Experience:
What I really loved about Vow’d Milwaukee was that my stylist would either hang the dress up for me in the fitting room or set it down on the floor for me to step into, and then she’d step out of the dressing room for me to change privately. I’d let her know when I had the dress on and then she’d step back in to add the clips.
It was nice being able to change into the dresses by myself and have a first look at each dress alone! After Vanessa put the clips on the dress, she’d ask me how I felt in it, and then we’d go show my family.
Dress Selection:
I loved the selection of dresses and styles at Vow’d! Everything was BEAUTIFUL and every dress I put on, I could picture myself wearing on our wedding day. They were all very neatly organized around the store from clean and minimal, boho, detail and lace, etc.
But, I will say, if you’re looking for something super unique, colorful, or a dress that could transform from ceremony to reception, there weren’t as many options as I would’ve liked.
ALSO READ: Best Gift Ideas for Any Bride to Be
It’s so funny looking back, because my experience with the dresses at Vow’d Milwaukee and Miss Ruby were so different. All the dresses I tried on at Vow’d, I could potentially see myself wearing and it was really hard to narrow down the style I wanted. Whereas, when I tried on dresses at Miss Ruby’s, the dresses were either a hard no, or an absolute YES.
I don’t know if that’s because Vow’d was the first bridal boutique that we went to, so I was still trying to figure out my style, or what. But, my experience narrowing down dresses, was so different!
Return Policy, Shipping, Online Ordering, etc.
There are so many things that set Vow’d a part from other bridal boutiques in the area, but one of the biggest is that their dresses ship within 5-7 days.. directly to your house! How INSANE.
Most dresses at other boutiques take 5-7 MONTHS to ship. At Vow’d you receive it so much sooner because they stock inventory in sizes 0-24! So, if you have a shorter engagement period, and need your wedding dress sooner, this is a huge perk.
All dresses can also be ordered online. If you don’t want to go dress shopping in-stores, you can totally order online and returns are acceptable for a full refund! Most bridal boutiques also do not offer returns. Once you place your order, you’re usually stuck with it, so it’s nice if you happen to have second thoughts, you can get your money back!
Walk-ins are also welcome at any of their stores!
What I Loved the Most about Vow’d Milwaukee:
There are so many things that I loved about Vow’d and I’m really happy my first wedding dress appointment was here. It was such a welcoming and inviting atmosphere, my bridal stylist was so supportive and encouraging, and the whole experience was just a ton of fun!
Here are the top things I loved about Vow’d:
- All Dresses are under $2,500
- Most dresses ship within 5-7 days to your house (still can’t get over this!)
- Super inviting and aesthetic atmosphere!
- Returns are acceptable!
- Walk-in’s welcome
- Parking is easy
Miss Ruby Bridal Boutique
Our appointment at Miss Ruby’s was Sunday morning at 11am. Going into this appointment, I wasn’t nervous at all. I was just super excited to try on more dresses! All of us had previously been to Miss Ruby’s for a bridesmaid appointment to try on our dresses for my sister-in-law’s wedding. So, we were already pretty familiar with the store!
Atmosphere:
I loved the aesthetic of Miss Ruby! It had a charming, modern-glam, industrial feel with exposed wood beams, crystal chandeliers, gorgeous gold floor-length mirrors and velvet couches. Definitely loved the vibes, but the floor space felt a little tight.
There’s enough room for everything, but I wish the dress racks and styling areas could’ve been spaced out a little more. I’m happy there wasn’t another bride using the styling area right next to me, so we had the whole area to ourselves!
Otherwise, with another bride and her family talking, trying on dresses, and moving around, I think it would’ve felt a little too cramped.
Bridal Stylist:
My stylist, Abby, was AMAZING!! She was seriously so helpful and made the entire experience so much fun for our group! I also had another stylist-in-training helping pull dresses and offer advice during the appointment. I can’t remember her name, but she was so sweet!
Both girls made me feel so comfortable and they totally understood the style and aesthetic that I wanted for my wedding day. As I walked around the store pulling dresses to try on, they also looked for dresses that fit my criteria.
They pulled a few for me to try on and I picked out a few! At Vow’d Milwaukee, I independently picked out all of the dresses I tried on. I really liked that the Miss Ruby girls assisted in choosing dresses, because there’s so many dresses to pick from. They know the dresses better than anyone, and I might’ve overlooked some if they didn’t point them out!
Appointment Overview:
My appointment at Miss Ruby’s was pretty similar to Vow’d. We walked in, hung up our coats, and then met my stylist. I described our wedding and my ideal wedding dress and showed her a few inspiration photos! Then, we walked around pulling dresses.
Since I was pretty confident in the style of dress I wanted, the process of pulling dresses was pretty easy and took us about 10 minutes or so. I tried on three dresses and the third one was THE one. We were only 20 minutes into the appointment and I had found my dress!
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I still wanted to try on a few of the other dresses, so I tried on two more, but they weren’t exactly what I was looking for. It made me even more confident in the dress I chose! So, the stylists had me put on THE dress again and we celebrated!
They brought out champagne, we took pictures (which I totally wish I could show you, but you’ll just have to wait), and I danced and twirled in the dress.
Since, I had found the dress so early in the appointment we had a lot of time, so we asked if my sister could try on bridesmaids dresses. She tried on a few, we took more photos, the stylists went over everything price-wise and some fun additions that I could add to the dress (which are going to make it EVEN better), and we paid!
I’m just realizing now that I never tried on any veils or accessories. You definitely can – they have tons of accessories at Miss Ruby’s, but, we just forgot!
Price Range:
All dresses are under $3,500 at Miss Ruby’s! Just a little higher than Vow’d Milwaukee, but still very affordable! I thought everything in the store was very reasonably priced. Another thing to mention – if you say yes to the dress here, be ready to pay 50% of the dress now to get your order started. You’ll pay the second 50% when you come to pick it up, but be ready to put money down!
If you’re looking for bridesmaids dresses, Miss Ruby’s has an awesome selection and those range from $140-$325. Your bridesmaids will all get 10% off if you said yes to your wedding dress here!
Try-On Experience:
So, I originally bought nipple covers for my dress appointments, but since I didn’t need them at Vow’d, I didn’t bring them here. I just wore my strapless bra that I had on with my one-shoulder dress.
I definitely should have worn them because the two stylists stayed in the fitting room with me the entire time. Since my stylist at Vow’d Milwaukee had stepped out of the room while I changed, I was expecting the girls at Miss Ruby to do the same. It was totally fine, I didn’t care, but I should’ve worn pasties or something!
I also never got any time alone to look at the dresses by myself. In the fitting room, I was with my two stylists and then when I stepped out, I was showing the dresses to my mom, grandma and sister. I kind of wish there was some time in between where I could’ve admired or critiqued the dresses in private.
I feel like sometimes you have to independently look at yourself in an outfit, without anyone else giving their opinion, to really get an idea of how you feel in it. If that makes sense!?
Dress Selection:
Miss Ruby’s has a ton of wedding dresses to choose from and they’re all organized by category as well! I’d definitely say they have a larger selection of modern, simple and glam dresses than Vow’d. Vow’d has more boho, fairytale dress options!
Since Miss Ruby’s was my second dress appointment, I felt like I had a clearer vision for the dress I wanted! It was easier for me to sort through the racks to find dresses that I really loved.
Actually, the dress I said yes to was hanging separately, kind of in the front of two racks on display. I was admiring it, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to try it on. One of my stylists asked if I wanted her to pull it for me. I thought about it for a few seconds, and said sure, I’ll try it!
I am SO happy I decided to try it on, because as soon as I pulled it over my chest and looked in the mirror, my entire face lit up! It was such a ME dress. I haven’t seen anyone else wear something like this and it makes me even more excited to wear it for our wedding! I’m smiling just thinking about it right now.
Return Policy, Shipping, Online Ordering, etc.
The biggest difference between Miss Ruby and Vow’d Milwaukee is the shipping, return, policies and online ordering. If you order a dress from Miss Ruby, it cannot be returned once you order it. The shipping time is also roughly 5-7 months. I just got a notification that my dress will come in mid-September, which is about five and a half months.
You also aren’t able to go online and order your dress from their website, like you could at Vow’d. There’s nothing wrong with these things, I’m just stating the differences between stores!! That way you’re informed on their policies!
What I Loved the Most:
The bridal consultants at Miss Ruby are AMAZING. I couldn’t say enough good things about Abby – she made our experience so enjoyable! Honestly, everyone that worked here was so friendly and helpful! We had such a great experience, I wish I could try on wedding dresses every weekend!
We will definitely be back for accessories and possibly bridesmaid dresses! We found some that we really love.
Here are the top things I loved about Miss Ruby:
- Bridal stylists are so sweet and helpful!
- Inclusive environment
- Boutique is charming and glam!
- All dresses under $3,500
- Tons of bridesmaids dresses to choose from
- Discount on bridesmaids dresses if you say yes to your dress
Other Things to Note about Miss Ruby
- Parking – Give yourself enough time to find street parking! Milwaukee parking always stresses me out LOL. Be prepared to walk a little too!
- Finding the store – Not going to lie, Miss Ruby’s is a little hard to find! Once you’re inside the building, take the elevator up and follow the signs! We’ve been here a few times and never remember how to find the store.
- Champagne celebration – Miss Ruby’s gives you champagne to celebrate with after you’ve chosen your dress. If you want any champagne or sweets during your appointment, there’s an additional fee.
Other Thoughts
Going into wedding dress shopping, I had no idea what my vision for our wedding was. I really didn’t know what style of dress I wanted or the colors I wanted for the bridesmaids dresses, or anything. However, throughout the process of wedding dress shopping, I found so much inspiration for our wedding day!
I’m such a visual, hands-on person, so it’s sometimes hard for me to see pictures or videos and envision what it might look like in real life. I have to see something in person, to fully picture it. Getting to touch the dresses, try them on and practice twirling in some, gave me the inspiration I needed.
So not only did I walk out with my wedding dress ordered, but I also fully understand the aesthetic I want for our wedding!
Also, before dress shopping, I didn’t realize how much you could customize on all the dresses. Obviously, it’ll cost more, but you can have straps added and/or bedazzled, sleeves added, layers of the dress added or removed, etc. You really can do whatever you want to make the dress truly YOU.
Overall, I had such incredible experiences at Vow’d Milwaukee and Miss Ruby! I 100% recommend booking appointments at both! It was so fun and an experience I’ll remember forever. If you have any questions about either boutique that I didn’t answer, you can leave a comment below or message me directly on Instagram!
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This post shared my experience wedding dress shopping at Vow’d Milwaukee and Miss Ruby Bridal Boutique.
