Bella Rosa

Bella Rosa is a gorgeous little bridal boutique, located on the West End of Richmond. They have a wide selection of designers, styles, and prices to suit every bride. The atmosphere is warm and the service is top notch. I have never been to Kleinfeld's in NY, but in terms of the look of the place, I always refer to Bella Rosa as looking like a mini-Kleinfelds. When you get there, and start trying on gowns, they definitely make it all about you. You will definitely get service that is second to none. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, yet still professional. Bella Rosa creates a dress shopping experience that is all about you. This is an actual photo of the bridal area of their boutique. Doesn't it look like every bride's dream?

They definitely have excellent quality gowns because they carry only designer originals. Some places will try and sell you designer replicas. They increase their profit by getting a cheaper, lower quality dress, but mark it up to the same price a reputable boutique would charge for a designer original. You can usually identify a boutique as selling designer replicas, because if you touch a few dresses, regardless of the name of the "designer" on the label, the dresses will all feel the same, like they're made out of a sateen-ish sort of tablecloth or drapery fabric. To digress just a bit, there is a competitor boutique in Richmond on Springfield Road between Nuckols Road and West Broad Street. I actually made a stop here before going to Bella Rosa. They had lesser quality dresses. The lady working there didn't say hello or anything when I and a friend arrived and were looking around. We were the only other people in the store. When she did finally end up speaking with us, she tried to sell me on using her husband as a DJ! So not cool. . .

Anyway, I've visited a couple different boutiques, but Bella Rosa is the one and only place where I've tried gowns on, and I ended up purchasing one of the gowns I fitted in that first visit. Don't think that you have to forgo good service or having a designer gown, just because you've got a budget. When you go to Bella Rosa, they'll ask what style of dress you'd like and what type of wedding you're having (beach, church, etc.). Then, they'll ask how much you want to spend. Designers make dresses in every price range. I told them my target price, and when I started fitting, they not only brought dresses near the top of my budget, but also at some lower price points. The dresses that made it as my top two were both by 2Be bridal, a great designer if you're athletically proportioned like me. The samples I tried on fit me perfectly, and when I checked the price (after I was already in love with them), it turned they were well below my target price. I don't know if this is a sales strategy that Bella Rosa uses, but it worked. I'm happy. They're paid. Bella Rosa also carries mothers, flower girls, and bridesmaids gowns, special occasion dresses, and a full assortment of accessories.

They also have wedding gown samples available for sale. The sample of my gown was on their website and has since been sold for less than 1/2 of what I paid for it.

At Bella Rosa, they can keep your gown in their climate controlled store for as long as you wish. They do alterations on site, and they will steam your dress twice for you at no charge, once usually for bridal portraits and once for your wedding. They also have trunk shows quite regularly. My salesperson, Susan, is no longer there, but everyone else at Bella Rosa is just as wonderful.