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BB Bridal
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 6 pm
Sat 10 pm - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
From classic to contemporary, custom designs are limited only by your imagination. For a unique twist on custom-crafted jewelry, bring in your outdated… read more »
78 reviews for BB Bridal
Review Highlights
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"Thank you Soni, you made me a very happy bride." In 57 reviews -
"She just knows how and what fits your body type." In 6 reviews -
"This woman knows her stuff like nobody's business." In 7 reviews
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78 reviews in English
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Review from Kristin E.
Millbrae, CA
5/4/2012
Soni is so sweet!
I was stressed out because the wedding veil I bought on the Internet (not from BB Bridal) is not looking the way I want. The material looks hard and wrinkly. My wedding is less than a month away. I called BB Bridal and Soni talked to me on the phone. She told me I could order one and it will arrive within 3 weeks. I told her I had one already and I explained to her the problem. She told me I might just have to simply steam the veil and that I may not have to buy one from her. She told me to bring my veil in and steam my veil for free or for little cost. So sweet of her to do that! She just didn't want me to stress before my big day!
No wonder she has been in business for 20 years!
For any brides out there, definitely try this place out because Soni will take care of you! -
Review from Lynn C.
3/2/2012
I went with my friend Jennifer recently to BB Bridal. It was a tough two months, going to various bridal boutiques and meeting up with different personalities. Problem with Jennifer is that, she looks amazing in SO many things. As I prepared my butt pads for more sitting in bridal salons (not all bridal salon chairs are created equally), Jennifer informed me that she found THE DRESS.
We went to go see it at BB Bridal (after making an appointment, of course!) and it was perfect. Soni was really sweet and doting. Jennifer's mom was with us and the three of them went into Korean euphoria (lots of Korean conversation). Soni treated like Jen was her own daughter, making sure Jen was happy and completely satisfied with the dress. The attention shifted to her bridesmaids (le sigh) and Soni was very excited to assist with that as well. She also helps with mother of the bride dresses too!
There was a woman that wandered in looking for dresses. She was kind of flustered but Soni was patient and asked her to come back again by making an appointment. Still, it'd be nice to have one other helper to help with customer flow. Not sure if they'd have the same sklll and eye however.
The shop is small and a bit cramped. The couches are comfy (WIN!) and the dresses are many. I don't know how Jen found this place but it was great and homey. And yay, we found a dress! -
Review from Alice S.
2/14/2012
Went to this place because of Soni's good reviews. She really knows what she's doing. She's got a lot of experience but better yet she knows what styles will flatter each figure. I LOVE that Soni is straight forward, she's not rude at all, she's just very efficient in her work and her communications. I'm asian so it's not unsual for me and i felt right at home.
I went in stuck on the mermaid fit. I had tried this on at a few other places but it seemed to be just okay. I went into Soni and she had me try on a few dresses and showed me how a fit and flare look was a perfect compromise of fitting for that va-va-voom factor and then the bottom could flow out to make my waist look smaller vs the mermaid which just drew attention to my heavy bottom since it's wider than my top. In any case, the dress I tried on here was the most amazing color and fit me beautifully. I think its the best one I tried on but in the end I just couldn't afford it and the style wasn't exactly me.
I would heartily recommend including a trip to BB Bridal. A good consultant is hard to find and if you don't know what looks good on you a trip to her store will show you a dress that flatters your body and looks great.
I only wish she had more options to try on. -
Review from Claire H.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2012
Soni is the best... she knows exactly what she is doing, provides helpful advice and really knows body shapes and which dresses look best according to your body type. I bought my dress from BB Bridal and Soni went out of her to way to make sure that the dress fit exactly as it should and looked perfect on me, and stayed within my budget! I highly recommend BB Bridal!
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Review from Shera P.
San Jose, CA
5/18/2012 4 photos
one word describes my whole experience there @ Soni's(the owner) place- AMAZING! My sister and I had our weddings exactly one month apart..so im sure you can imagine how crazy things were...and having to worry about WHERE to get our wedding dresses from was getting us stressed ! Soni is like the perfect Maid-of-Honor/Mother/Wedding Dress & Health Consultant wrapped up in one! haha. You can trust her to help you achieve the look you want,as well as helping you feel comfortable all the while. She is experienced in her field, and very flexible! FYI-my sister and I both got our dresses within a 2-1 week span....Pricing is great...and one thing that we needed that she accommodated was MODEST DRESSES! Im talking a dress that actually has sleeves-I pointed out the one I wanted in this magazine she showed me,she ordered it,and 3 days later she had me come in to try it on! Got married the very week after that-and I LOOKED AWESOME! and the dress did too ..OF course;) lol. THANK YOU SONI FOR EVERYTHING if youre reading this!!
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Review from Michelle L.
San Jose, CA
1/5/2012
I almost didn't want to write a review because I don't want Soni to get slammed with business and then my dress would be delayed :) This lady has been in the business for 20 years and can manage high volume orders while providing outstanding customer service at the same time.
After having a bad experience at Trudy's, I took the style number, showed pictures, and ordered it from Soni because she is famililarized with Casablanca dresses. She is extremely precise with the measurements, so I trust her with alterations. Her prices for the dresses and alterations is cheaper; turnaround is also faster. You can't beat that!
Although I did not have a bridal appt with her, I observed how she treated the other brides during their appts. Soni is caring, patient, honest, and far from pushy.
I regret wasting my time the other stores and not coming here the first time. My advice? Don't underestimate small shops. -
Review from Austine C.
Willow Grove, PA
11/17/2011
Wife's wedding dress looked so stunning, I wanted to tear it off her.
Oh yeah, there were effusive compliments from the attendees as well.
What else is there to say?
Tux fit like a glove and the color palette schemes were more amenable than the offerings of Men's Wearhouse. Clothes came in without a hitch and Soni was incredibly helpful and (most importantly) genuinely elated for us.
Soni, 5 stars! Magnificent work on making our wedding both memorable and beautiful. -
Review from Jenn L.
San Jose, CA
2/20/2012
I really liked Soni. She was so sweet and although I did not end up buying my dress from her I highly recommend this bridal shop to any bride.
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Review from Nat L.
San Jose, CA
9/24/2011 6 photos
I had such a pleasant experience buying my dress from Soni. From the first phone call to make an appointment to the time I picked up my dress, Sony was always professional, on time, helpful, and most of all super friendly.
I also my dress altered through Soni. I got my dress hemmed, got a bustle on it, and had it steamed. I got quotes on how much that would cost from other places, and Soni gave me a good price. She is honest and will not try to overcharge you.
She has been doing this for a long time and is very knowledgeable on how to pick a dress style for a particular body type. I told Soni what I was looking for in a dress, she took my body type into account, and the very first dress she picked out for me was the one I ended up getting for my wedding! I did look at several other places, but the experiences were way less personal. If you care about your experience, go to BB Bridal. -
Review from Lyn Y.
1/25/2012
Soni is a very direct woman, and very helpful in guiding brides to the right dress. Although I did not purchase from her, I would highly recommend her to other brides. She is an authorized retailer for Casablanca Bridal, so she's able to customize Casablanca dresses very easily - parts of dresses can be interchanged as well as fabrics. If you're interested in a Casablanca dress, this is the place to go! Her pricing is very competitive. I would have bought my dress from her, but I ended up going with a different designer. That's the only limitation of her shop - not a wide selection of designers. Otherwise, it's hard to find someone more knowledgeable or personable, and I'm very glad I visited her store.
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Review from Jennifer Y.
San Jose, CA
1/28/2012
If you're a bride and are in need of finding THE dress go to BB Bridal and work with Soni. I've been to literally a dozen bridal stores and liked one or two dresses but never really loved them. The main difference between other shops and BB Bridal is that Soni knows what will look good on your body type. Every other bridal store I've been to I was asked what kind of dress do I want to try on - which was fine since I thought I wanted a sheath or trumpet style. I have never once tried on any other style. But after feeling hopeless I decided to trust the Yelp reviews and make an appointment with BB Bridal.
Soni asked to see pictures of me in other dresses and asked me what I liked about the dresses I've tried on. Then she told me to trust her and to put on a ball gown. First thought - umm really? I'm not sure...until I put it on! This is what I needed - I needed someone to tell me what would look good on me and not to just say everything looks good on me. The first dress was far better than all of the other dresses I had tried on. After that I tried on two other dresses and the third dress was the one!
Soni is amazing. I've already recommended all my friends to go to Soni and even girls who aren't engaged already know where they're going when they need to find their dress.
P.S. Don't let the small store front fool you. Soni offers fantastic customer service as she only deals with one client at a time. And because it's just her, you should know appointments are necessary. -
Review from Weena V.
Redwood City, CA
6/16/2011 3 photos
I had the pleasure of starting my wedding journey with BB bridal about a year before my wedding date. I called BB Bridal and Soni answered very pleasantly she stated that she did have the dress I was interested in so I made an appointment and went in. I really didn't know what to expect, I was so overwhelmed with all of the larger wedding shops women pushing dress after dress on me even though I already knew what I wanted. I came in with a mind set that this is going to be another crazy busy wedding dress shop and told myself to "Just remember to Breath" As I pulled up to BB Bridal I noticed it was a small shop, and no one was in the store which automatically put me at ease. As entered the store Soni greeted me immediately, she had my dress already aside for me to try on.
I was EXTREAMLY pleased with the time Soni spent with me. After spending an hour with Soni knew I was going to purchase the dress from her. She did ask me the weight question, She asked me since it was a year before my wedding was I going to maintain or loose weight. I said that I wanted to try and loose 5-10 lbs she said that then a size 10 would fit perfectly then. Soni knew I was really trying to save money and cost was a BIG thing for me. She also stated even without me asking Casablana offered a custom length for free so I would save on the cost of not having to hem the dress. Which would have been VERY expensive since I had an all lace dress. The other thing I liked was that Soni did in house alterations.
Going back to the larger dress shops for this exact dress everyone said I was a 12 they said Casablanca runs small so I shouldn't take the chance in ordering a 10 even though my measurements were borderline 10-12. First thing I though was OH GOD! What is the price range I'm looking at for alterations! Their answer when I asked the question was "not sure" Then second question for the larger wedding shops does Casablanca offer custom a length three shops said "NO"
So I was sold! I bought the dress from Soni, and three months later my dressed arrived. I was out of state for work, and even though I tried on the example dress at Soni's shop it was a different color than what I ordered. So Soni was not familiar with what I wanted because she hadn't seen the color. She left me a message on my voicemail maybe a little panicked stating "Weena I received your dress but it's a beige thread and ivory underlay, please call me back as soon as possible, I'm not sure if this is what you wanted but call me back as soon as you get this message If this is not right I'll call Cassablanca right away and exchange the dress!!!!!" I ended calling Soni 2 hours after the store closed and left a message within 15 min she called me back. I assured her that was the correct dress.
Over the coarse of the year I visited Soni Several times purchasing my husbands Tuxedo, my moms dress, and my matron of honors dress. There were times she would just call and check in with me to see how all my wedding plans were going. Reminding me that I needed to get all the wedding essentials... Garter, ring pillow, bra, etc.
The nice thing about Soni is that she really takes pride in her work; she tried her hardest to make me feel at ease. I loved how if I did get off work a little late she would offer to stay a little later after she closed her shop to meet me. It's those little things that sold me. I wish that I could do business with her all the time but plan on hopefully getting married only once
I would absolutely recommend visiting this shop if your looking for this one-on-one service. Soni take much pride in what she does focusing on details you might not remember or even notice! Her shop is small so don't expect a HUGE selection like other bridal shops but if you want to support a privately owned business where you get to deal directly with the owner with excellent customer service it wouldn't hurt to visit this store. I'm so glad I did. Thank you Soni !!!! -
Review from Kristi S.
Sunnyvale, CA
8/30/2011
Soni is amazing! If you want a personalized and caring experience when you're shopping for THE dress, come to BB Bridal.
After all my super sad experiences at other wedding dress shops (Trudy's and David's Bridal stand out at the top of the "frustrating & impersonal" list), I wasn't expecting much from BB Bridal, especially because it honestly doesn't look like much from outside.
Once you get inside, Soni will actually have a whole conversation with you - just some good ol' fashioned one-on-one attention. She pointed me toward a dress that I never would have tried on - it wasn't at all what I had in mind from looking at blogs and magazines. However, once I tried it on, it looked amazing on me and I was shocked that I had found THE dress just like that! Some other review called Soni the Dress Whisperer and I totally agree!
She's been awesome through the fitting process and is great at being on time for appointments and working with my schedule. She does share a fair bit of her opinion but an honest and experienced opinion is really what I needed during this process. -
Review from Lori K.
11/15/2011 3 photos
I couldn't have been happier with my experience working with Soni here at BB Bridal. She found me the perfect dress for my wedding this past October, and she was an absolute joy to work with throughout the entire process.
I came to Soni about 11 months before my wedding after some disappointing appointments at other bridal shops in the area. Unlike these other shops, Soni offered extremely personable and professional service. I forgot the exact number of years she told me she's been in business, but it's a LONG time.... 20, maybe 30 years, or something like that. Either way, you can definitely tell she's been in the business forever with the amount of knowledge and expertise she brings. She knows the exact styles that will flatter your figure and make you look amazing! She even knows the ins and outs of alterations to help give the dress the perfect finish and look you're after. Oh, and she also has no problem being honest and telling you like it is, while still being respectful of your opinion. It's all with good intentions, as she truly cares about making you look beautiful on your wedding day. Soni's got an awesome personality that made the process fun and enjoyable. She is super personable and made me feel very comfortable.
After describing what I wanted and showing Soni a couple pictures, she grabbed a few dresses, all of which ended up being really great options to pick from. In fact they were such great options, I ended up coming in twice before saying "yes" to my dress. She was incredibly patient and helpful while I tried to make a decision. Once my dress was ordered, she helped me find a beautiful veil to compliment the details of my dress. She always called when I needed to come in, and made scheduling an appointment very easy.
It's pretty amazing what she can pack into that shop, as it is a pretty tiny store. Don't let the size of her shop scare you though. Yeah, it's certainly not a big fancy shop, but it doesn't need to be. It's big enough and she keeps it very clean and organized. She's got everything you'll need and plenty of gowns to choose from.
Soni carries brands that can fit nearly anyone's budget. When I first told her I was looking for something under $2k, she laughed and said that would be no problem. Compared to other shops I visited, BB Bridal has relatively reasonable pricing. My dress, petticoat, additional buttons, and veil all cost me well under my budget.
So, if you're a bride on the hunt for the perfect wedding dress, you MUST make an appointment with Soni. She is AMAZING and will help find you the dress of your dreams!Listed in: Wedding Planning!
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Review from Renee W.
Santa Clara, CA
10/7/2011 2 photos
I ended up at Soni's shop after going to all the big shops (Trudy's, Bay Area Bridal) as well as a few smaller ones. She truly took the time find the dress that was the best for me, as opposed to being willing to sell me anything I wanted. I decided on the second dress that she showed me. Of course, it helps when you've already tried on almost everything that is out there!
I know that some people are turned off by a strong minded sales person, but I liked the fact that she was vested in me and not just the sale. It helps that she is the owner. This is a one-woman shop. So, you can always trust that she is the one helping you. You won't get passed between a few folks who work part time, and lose your order because it wasn't entered properly.
Soni covers everything you need for your wedding party, including bridesmaids dresses and tuxes. I wish I had gotten the bridesmaids dresses from her. I ended up ordering them on-line since it was hard to get my bridesmaids together for fittings. We ended up with the wrong size for my sister and Soni was able to take out the dress so that it fit. We also rented the tuxes through her for everyone as well. Her prices for the tux rental were competitive compared to a few other places we looked, and it was just easier to get everything at the same place. When you're running around doing errands the few days before the wedding, you'll be very thankful the fewer places you have to go to.
Overall, I am very satisfied with my experience with Soni. One of my bridesmaids was so impressed, she plans to bring her daughter there when she gets married in 10 years! -
Review from Diana D.
San Jose, CA
9/2/2011
Soni just knows what's right! Her store is located in an odd shopping center and is very small. I have to admit, when I drove up I was thinking I wasn't going to find anything. I was wrong! I found my perfect dress.
She provides one on one service and to do this she tries to schedule specific times for her brides. I walked in not really knowing what I wanted. My description of what I liked went a little like this: "I want something that fits my body but not too tight. A little beading, lace but I still wanted it very simple." In other words, I didn't know what I wanted. I pretty much described every possible combination of any dress out there.
She listened to what I had to say. Then picked up a book out of the pile of catalogs she had, opened up to "THE" dress. It had a little bit of everything but was still very simple.
All in all, I loved my experience with BB Bridal and I highly recommend her shop. She is direct but in a loving non-pushy sales way. -
Review from Carrie L.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2011
I started looking for a wedding dress last fall for my July wedding and I did come across a dress at a shop in SF that I liked but I really didn't like the shop. I didn't like the environment or the sales person so I kept looking. I was still thinking about that Casablanca dress and my mom was coming up and staying in San Jose for a weekend so I looked online and found BB Bridal in San Jose online as a Casablanca authorized retailer. I called and Soni told me she did have the dress (but in another color) so I made an appointment to go in with my mom.
I tried the dress on at Soni's shop and I still wasn't quite sure about it. She asked me what I was hesitant about and I explained that I wasn't sold on the neckline and wished it was a lace up back instead of a zipper. She smiled and said that those were very easy to fix! I had no idea that the dress could be special ordered with the neckline I wanted and a lace up back. She sketched what the dress would look like when finished and while it was hard to envision the finished product, I went ahead and ordered it.
Fast forward 4-6 months and my custom dress arrived and was everything I had hoped it would be! I was so worried because I was not one of those brides who got butterflies and heard bells when I found "the one" so I didn't know how I'd feel when my dress came but I really did love it. The more times I tried it on, the more and more I loved it!
Soni did all the alterations and made sure I was happy with everything. I had to have my aunt pick up the dress and Soni made the arrangements with my aunt and called me afterwards to let me know that it was picked up. She followed up again a few days later to see how I was doing too. She was so sweet and is so invested in her clients.
Her store is not very big but she seems to really know what she is doing and her customer service is excellent. My only gripe was that her shop was so far away (from the city)! In the end, it was totally worth all those drives down for fittings. Soni really came through for me. -
Review from min z.
St. Cloud, MN
1/19/2012
I found this place on yelp when I was almost desperate for my wedding gown shopping. This place saved my big day! The lady was extremely helpful. Not only she understands what I needed exactly for the gown but also helped me to find a great hair stylist at the last week before my wedding. I felt at home when I was trying out gowns and had a lot of fun there. She has an amazing amount of gorgeous wedding dresses yet she made it super easy for me to find the perfect one! Loved her. BTW, great price too! She also made my husband happy. :D
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Review from Dawne M.
9/11/2011
Dealing with Soni made my dress-shopping experience SO much more pleasant than it would have been. I'm not much of a girlie-girl so I really had no idea what I wanted when I walked into her shop. I had been to a few others in the San Jose area and found them all regimented and cold. No personal interaction, no friendliness, no help!
I had flown to San Jose from Vancouver so time was limited and I knew I had to make progress that day. I was a bit worried by the time I went into Soni's shop, but after trying on the first dress that she selected for me I knew I was in good hands! The second dress I tried on turned out to be MY dress, and it had everything that I wanted (whether I knew what I wanted or not!).
I chatted with Soni on the phone and she always recognized me when I called. "Dawne! How is Canada?! How is your body coming along?!"(I was to lose some weight for my dress!). She was always helpful and always honest. I am a bit used to Korean Culture having lived there for a year, so her direct atitude didn't bother me at all.
I would highly recommend going to Soni if you're in the market for a dress, she is great at what she does and she has a real passion for her work. She makes everyone feel comfortable, happy, and she really wants you to look your best and have no regrets for that special day. -
Review from Karen L.
Fremont, CA
3/15/2011
I went with my sister in law to pick out wedding dresses 3 years ago when she got engaged - she ended up buying her dress from Soni. After going to numerous places with her and experiencing snootiness and bad attitude from sales lady, I'd knew that when I do get engaged; I would go to Soni and no one else.
Soni has an eye on what looks good on you, and will give wonderful suggestions to make you look your best. I tried on 3 dresses from Soni, and immediately found "The One". I felt like a million bucks that day, and the dress was so comfortable, just as I had wanted. I went thru Soni to get everything - the dress, the tiara, and my veil. My husband also rented his and his groomsmen's tuxes from there and they all looked amazing. Soni found an issues the day the tuxes were to be picked up, and honestly only her keen eye can spot it. She immediately got another tux for my husband so that he too, would look perfect. I looked beautiful that day... truly, like a princess.
I originally had a dress in mind for the bridesmaids; but upon hearing the physical attributes of my girls, she suggested a CHEAPER, and even cuter dress that my girls end up loving. These style dresses are ones that they can wear again and they look so gorgeous. I'm sure Soni would have made more money if I selected my original choice, but she wanted the best for me, and her suggestion was spot on.
Because Soni is the owner, she takes pride in her service.. she's super friendly, and funny, and all my girls LOVE her! Soni wasn't just another wedding vendor; she actually cares about you as a person, and not as a transaction.
Go with Soni - you won't regret it. She'll make the wedding dress buying experience stress FREEl! -
Review from Jessica M.
Campbell, CA
5/21/2011 1 photo
Soni of BB Bridal was excellent to work with!
I first went to BB Jan 2010 to find a dress for my wedding that June. Soni was prompt, friendly, honest, helpful and very easy to work with. I ended up purchasing a dress from someone locally and although I didn't make my purchase at BB I knew I wanted to go back for alterations. Soni said she loved my dress and was happy to do the alterations. She even remembeedr when I can in the first time and was very pleased to see me come back. My dress was very intricate with a full lace overlay and I knew the alteration wasn't going to be inexpensive. I ended up getting both my veil and alterations done there and it was just over $220, very reasonable, and really helped me stay in budget.
Overall I was very happy with the service and quality of work and recommend Soni for all dress purchasing and alterations.
Soni - thanks for helping make my wedding dress perfect! -
Review from tram d.
San Jose, CA
4/17/2011
soni's shop is small and cozy. translation, it doesn't have much selection. BUT, the stuff that she has, is quite beautiful! :)
soni is brutally honest, but she means well. i'm sure it comes across a bit...offensive. but really, she wants her brides to look their very best. she's old school asian so she's a bit too honest so yes, she might you some things you don't want to hear. hey, i'm a size 0 in regular size but a size 6 for bridal dresses. soni told me to lose weight so i can be a size 4 for my wedding day!!! LOL - that would mean i'm a size -2 in street size!!!! i mean i wear jeans size 25. how much lower do i need to go? :) when i told my fiance this, he freaked out. he loves my curves, precisely, the same curves soni wants me to lose. too funny!
soni made some solid suggestions regarding what looked good on my body (mermaid style, sweetheart neckline), what type of shoes i should wear (heels with platform in the front for extra support because they help your posture and they don't hurt as much as straight heels). she then put me in a STUNNING casablanca 1959 dress. i really LOVED it. the more i looked at it in the mirror, it was the 1st dress in which i thought it could be the one. soni was so sweet, she helped me pose and took pics of me posing from all different angles. i really appreciated this as i could share the pics with my friends/family in helping me make my decision. anyway, i told soni i wasn't ready to purchase the dress, even though it was a STEAL - at $750!!!!!! i was THISCLOSE to buying it but i wanted my dad's approval, because he's the man with amazing fashion eyes, so i trust his judgment more than others' :)
in the end, i didn't end up purchasing that dress because i found another style that i had to have. but i really appreciate all of soni's advice, so thank you!!! i probably won't lose any weight, but i did buy a mermaid style dress with a beautiful sweetheart neckline. now, i just have to buy the platforms soni told me to :) -
Review from Amy C.
5/12/2011
THE BUYING (mid-October 2010): I went here with the bride and the bridal party after having gone to Nouvelle Bridal in Palo Alto (another small boutique) and the Valley Fair Nordstrom. I was surprised that the Nordstrom was such a fail. Even though it seemed like there were more dresses to select from, they didn't seem to have anything that we even vaguely wanted. Both the smaller boutiques had fewer dresses to select from, but we were able to find a lot more dresses that we actually liked. This was my first experience shopping for a bridesmaid's dress so that was news to me. We also went in the middle of October and were told that the dresses would arrive around March! Who knew?
Soni was great - she was blunt, honest, funny and very helpful. For example, she steered us away from a sexy, strapless dress by saying, "No, no, no, that dress is too sexy. No asian mom will like that." and from a dress with a deep v-neck saying, "That dress is too low there (pointing to v-neck). None of you can fill that out, it will look bad." Which is harsh, but definitely true.
She helped us find the dress we ultimately ended up purchasing, which was priced at $140. Shipping cost an extra $15 or so. She was upset that we wouldn't be picking up the dresses in person since she likes to see how they look on the actual person, but understood that we were all somewhat far away.
THE RECEIVING (late March 2011): Soni had promised that she would cut off the flower on the dress before sending them to us and include straps that could be attached if we wanted them to be. She did as promised.
THE BIG DAY (early May 2011): The dresses looked great on everyone and in photos. Success! -
Review from Kayla N.
San Jose, CA
4/15/2012
Soni is truly an amazing lady. Before coming to BB Bridal, I have visited several other bridal stores in the bay area to search for THE dress. I tried on about 30 dresses overall before coming to Soni. I came to Soni with a photo of the one dress I liked most out of all the dresses I have tried on. It was an A-line sweetheart neckline from Essence of Australia. Looking at the dress, Soni told me she had one dress she wanted me to try on. When she first showed me the dress, I was a bit hesitant to try it on since it was a bit poofy at the bottom (something I had never imagined liking.) I decided to try it on anyways to see how it looked and surprisingly I fell in love with it. Soni was able to take the style I like and combine it with a style that is flattering for my body shape to suggest that dress for me. I ended up ordering the dress from Soni with a few customizations such as changing the button up back to a lace up back and the length of the dress. Soni measured me and ordered a size 2 for me. I was afraid it would be too small for me, but it turned out to fit me perfectly! I just picked up my dress from Soni yesterday and it is exactly the way I had imagined it to be. I also ended up buying a flower belt/sash, tiara, and veil from Soni. She was always so helpful and attentive whenever I called her and visited her. My fiance is also renting his tux and all of the groomsmen's tuxedos from Soni. Soni's experience would definitely be helpful to every future bride in the search for the right dress. Even if you don't find the dress at her store, I'm sure she would be very helpful in pointing you to the right direction. Her sweet and friendly personality helps make every meeting, call, and visit so much more pleasant. Thank you Soni for all of your help!
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Review from Andrea A.
San Jose, CA
8/10/2011
Soni is great! Very experienced and she knows her stuff!
I just got married last month and everyone loved my dress, LOVED IT! Thanks to Soni. She asked me what i was looking for, what I liked, etc. I tried on 3 dresses and the one that she suggested was it!
She's sweet and direct with good intentions. Also, her prices are good. I went to several bridal shops before and their dresses were so over-priced compared to BB Bridal.
It's a small shop, but has a variety of wedding dresses. Her dresses are set inside a glass wall closet!
My photos turned out amazing. You can check out my dress at:
http://lovenotes.tammy... -
Review from Kristi D.
San Jose, CA
1/11/2011
This is a nice little shop. I made a last minute appointment to come here after a not-so-amazing experience at Trudys and was pleasantly impressed.
PROS:
+ Soni was soo helpful and patient and really tried to match me up with a nice dress. She obviously enjoys what she does.
+ Because the store is small it is a very personable experience and there were no other customers crowding us on a Friday evening.
+ Lots of magazines to browse.
+ Allows photos.
+ Some very beautiful dresses in stock.
CONS:
- Selection is small. While there are some very pretty gowns to choose from, it is relatively limited because of the store size.
- She is quite honest. Some of this is cultural so don't mistake it for being rude. She is very sweet but did end up offending my mom oops!
- She was a tad pushy about giving me some photographer's card even when I explained I wasn't really interested.
- Mother of the bride gowns were priced a lot higher than we saw at other locations, but you can probably bargain down.
I ultimately did not find what I was looking for and moved on to some other stores. I would recommend giving this little shop a chance because she may just have "the one" and it is a much more warm and personable experience than Trudy's or Bay Area Bridal. I would imagine that she would be flexible on pricing if you came to her for price matching to order a gown you are looking for, as well.
Good luck! -
Review from Alice C.
9/30/2010
Must had a off experience. I am not the bride, but I am the one who picked the place for my friend to find her a dress.
The owner Soni pretty much man handle my friend, and she didn't let us use her bathroom with a pretty strange excuse.
The selection is just okay, the store is small, and she didn't really gave my friend a lot of choices. We came prepare know what will look best for her, but everything she tried on was just blah......
The strangest thing, where as most other places use clips to tied down the dress, so that you have a better idea of what it looks like. Soni just used her hand to hold the dress, so since my friend is quite small, the dress kept on falling off her. Like why can't you buy some clips and make the whole experience one star better!
Most of the dress will run you between $100 to $1500. Yes, those puffy sleeve old fashion wedding dress straight out of Twin Peaks is on sale at her place for $99.
I can't recommend this place to anyone. -
Review from Sain-Zee U.
San Jose, CA
3/24/2011
I had to find a wedding dress in November last year for my wedding reception in January 2011. The first store I went to is BB Bridal and I bought the third dress I tried on in the store. It was very hard to find a dress in such a short time period especially since my size is petite. Soni made sure that everything was delivered on time and she also did a great job for the fitting process. She also handled a fitting emergency on the day of the reception. During my wedding reception, a lot of people asked me where I got the dress and complimented on how well it fits me.
We also got the dress for our maid of honor from Soni and it was beautiful. Soni has been very patient, informative and professional. We greatly appreciate Soni's help and we recommend checking out her place if you are looking for a beautiful dress on your important day! -
Review from Ashley R.
Fredonia, NY
12/13/2010
This was were I bought my dress!
I went to a total of 7 bridal shops, and this was easily the smallest. I honestly didn't think there would be anything for me since I was being quite particular. I did not want a strapless dress, and didn't want to add straps either. She showed me two dresses that were okay, but she could see that they weren't meeting what I was looking for. She asked me to give here a couple of words to describe how I wanted to work. I told her, classy and regal. It was almost as if she had a light-bulb go off above her head. She brought out my dress. It was perfect. It has an off-the shoulder portrait collar, a dropped-waist, a-line, satin, and her sample was my size, so it fit beautifully. The best part, the dress was $749! My dress should be here in just a couple of weeks, and I will update my review after alterations. See you in June! -
Review from Danielle M.
Redwood City, CA
8/17/2011
It was an absolute pleasure working with Soni Yi! She is extremely professional, warm, and knowledgeable.
I visited her shop in July with my wedding planned for September. Although I had been to more than a dozen stores, I was unable to find the perfect dress. When I came to BB Bridal, Soni Yi sat me down and asked me a series of questions about the type of dress I wanted. After looking through her books and trying on the dress, I found "the dress". However, it was several sizes too big. With two months before the wedding, I normally would not have been able to order the dress in time.
Soni Yi has a high sense of integrity. Because I was so in love with the dress, she could have easily promised to tailor the dress she had in the store that was too big. This would have meant charging me a lot more money. Instead, she got on the phone to see if there was any way to get the dress I loved in time for my wedding. After several phone calls, speaking with several representatives, calling stores throughout the Bay Area, and working her magic, Soni Yi was able to find the dress I wanted in my size. The dress came in earlier than we expected. I tried the dress on yesterday and it fit me perfectly! The only thing that really needed to be done is the bustle.
The other thing that I appreciate about Soni Yi is that she worked within my budget. I told her that I was only able to spend a certain dollar amount and she promised me that everything, including any alterations and the bustle, would stay within that amount. She has fully honored her promise.
I would highly recommend BB Bridal to anyone looking for a wedding dress or bridesmaid dresses. She is the type of person who really seeks to have a relationship with clients and works very hard to meet their needs. She's also very compassionate and warm. Every time that I have visited her shop, she has greeted me with a hug and a smile. Finally, she knows A LOT! She makes wonderful recommendations about dresses that best fit your body type.
I couldn't be more happier with the service that I received from her. -
Review from C W.
Oakland, CA
10/27/2008
Wow, the bride who left the last 3 reviews was angry! I feel bad for her, but I have to be honest about my experience with Soni. I originally came to this store with the intension of seeing another dress but in person it was not the color I wanted. Instead, Soni showed me another dress that was also really nice and told me how I could have it altered to make it more the way I wanted. I trusted her not knowing fully how the dress would come out, and after 3 months when it finally arrived I was soooo AMAZED at how beautiful it came out! I almost could not believe it was the same dress but slightly altered.
I just got married 2 weeks ago and received endless compliments on my dress and how well the fit turned out and where did I get it from. Btw, I did not need any alterations after the dress arrived to Soni, because she helped me custom order it to my exact measurements! (will post pics of the dress soon!)
It is true that Soni does not carry a wide range of designers, but if she carries the one that you like, then I highly recommend her. In addition to new styles, she also carries a large stock of older style dresses, if you are feeling nostalgic and wanted an 80s/90s style wedding dress haha!
Believe me, I drove all the way from Oakland to San Jose 3x to meet with Soni and it was definitely not a waste of my husband's gas!Listed in: Wedding Vendors
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Review from Wendy K.
5/18/2010
My review here has been a long time coming, as I wanted to wait and review until after my full experience here.
The short version:
Soni is very personable, but I think she and I would have been a better match if I didn't know anything about what I was looking for. Her opinions are very strong, and I had trouble working with her to get exactly what I wanted. Soni ended up coming through in the end, and I got lots of compliments on my dress, but the process was exhausting.
The looooooong version:
I met Soni when I looked for wedding dresses at the beginning of October 2009. BB Bridal was the second store I visited. I went there initially because of the favorable Yelp reviews and because I seemed to be drawn to Casablanca dresses, and Casablanca is one of the designers she carries. I went with my mom, now mother-in-law, and sister. The store was smaller than I thought it would be, and it seemed like the dresses were crammed into too small a space to accommodate them all. I didn't let that stop me from keeping an open mind about the selection, as I wasn't looking for any sort of "Kleinfeld's" experience.
Soni showed me some of the dresses from the pictures that I brought, as well as had me try on a couple extras. Everyone really loved a certain Casablanca dress that I ended up buying. (It's a lace V-neck one from a picture I brought in.) She came in under budget and included free pressing and a free bustle (we decided on an "over" bustle, not a French bustle). We decided or order a custom-length dress to accommodate 2.5-3" heels. We also ordered three beautiful chocolate brown Bari Jay bridesmaids' dresses (these turned out great!!).
The next day, I woke up with major wedding dress-buying remorse. She handled my frantic "I don't know if I picked the right dress!" phone call really professionally, and I ended up sticking with my choice.
Fast forward about 4 or 5 months, and I called to check in. Sure enough, the dress was going to be in soon! So we set up another appointment for me to come in for a first fitting.
Long story made a little shorter: Between January and the end of April, I was met with Soni's strong opinion of how my veil should look, how the bustle should be done, how tall my shoes should be (I ended having to wear 4" platforms to accommodate the measured-too-long custom length dress when I had wanted 2.5"-3" heels! Yikes!). Her recommendation for undergarments made the dress be too tight. (Her recommendation? LOSE WEIGHT. Not cool.) Her version of a bustle (French) made the train drag on the floor even when bustled.
On my third attempt to get the bustle to be the way I wanted it, I had to strongly state my preference and show her pictures of another bride wearing the same dress with the bustle done the way I wanted it. Only then did Soni reluctantly go with what I wanted. During the bustle-creation process, she kept reminding me that she had told me the bustle was free, but now that she had to do it three times, she suggested I pay her more money. I didn't think I needed to because it wasn't done the way I wanted it to be done those first 2 times. I didn't pay more money.
My dad picked up my dress for me the Fri. before the wedding, and I'm so glad he did that for me, as I realized that going to the shop that close to the wedding would have increased my stress.
I think that Soni may be at the point where her business is so booming that she needs some assistance. The owner/salesperson/seamstress-in-one system doesn't seem to be working all that well anymore. This way, she would better remember details about her orders like what kind of bustle was requested, when the bride will pick up the dress, etc.
SO, for brides wanting to buy a wedding dress, consider BB Bridal if you like Casablanca and would like to have a strongly opinionated mother figure as your salesperson and seamstress. Bring some wonderful friends to advocate for you -- thank goodness for mine. Otherwise, it may be less stressful to shop elsewhere.Listed in: Married Librarian Picks
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Review from laurie l.
Fremont, CA
9/23/2011
Sonny is a pretty cool chick. It's an affordable bridal location with no frills however she gets down and dirty and to the point, which I love. The shop is small, but she has some good stuff. I didn't buy from her bc I had something particular in mind with another designer, however if I could I would bc she knows her stuff. She will give you great advice from hair to shoes and so on. She is blunt and will not sugar coat which I am totally cool with while some may not. If you find a dress that you like and she carries that line, I would check with her to see if she can get it bc I think her prices are great... aka affordable! Make an appt. if you can!
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Review from Nisee D.
Millbrae, CA
Updated - 11/10/2008
Soni delivered as promised!
She was such a sweet yet honest mother figure; great at keeping in touch with updates; went out of her way to remind me of everything I needed so that when the big day came, I didn't have a thing to worry about (eg, practice walking, dancing in your dress).
Side note:
I'd be wary of some negative reviews that are oddly similar and whose reviewers have only written one yelp review.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/15/2008
Soni is a dream to work with!
Her selection consists of more lace and beads, but you'd be surprised… Read more »
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Review from Ruthie G.
Fremont, CA
7/20/2008
This is a tiny store located in a strip mall. I almost missed it entirely.
I walked in and the lady at the counter said hello but did not ask me any questions or offer me any help.
Even when I started digging through the messy racks of dresses she still did not approach me or offer me any help. I walked up to the counter and she didn't even look up... so I left.
Tiny selection with bad customer service... I would skip this one! -
Review from DEZ S.
San Jose, CA
1/4/2011
My review is way past due but never too late.
I'm a wedding coordinator and have recommended several of my clients to Soni aka Bb Bridal. Being in the industry you see everything from fancy elegant to simple low key dresses. I've dealt with bridezillas and I've had the most amazing brides but I tell you this, finding Soni has been a blessing and made my job easier.
Every bride and bridal party has come back to me with rave reviews; I've even gone with my clients to see Soni and assist with them with picking wedding gowns, bride's maid dresses and even tux's. I'm all about customer service and Soni gives you the best. I've seen every bridal shop you can imagine but Bb Bridal is the Mom & Pop shop of the industry and the best in town.
If you know what you want, Soni can get it for you. If you're a bit frazzled, Soni will be 'real' with you and really guide you to the perfect dress that suits your body type. I will be honest, this woman doesn't hold back with her opinion but she does it out of love. She wants all of her brides to look fabulous on their big wedding day. She isn't just trying to sale you any dress, she wants you to feel like the princess you are. Soni place isn't like the fancy shops in town but remember it's the diamond in the rough you're looking for when it comes to that perfect dress.
When my fiancée and I started talking marriage, it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Bb Bridal would be the place to get my dress. Before I was even engaged I showed her a picture of what I envisioned but out of love she gave me million reasons why that particular dress wouldn't fit my shape. But she had the vision, opened up a few bridal books and she pointed out the dress for me. I fell in love with the design; it had 'me' written all over it.
If you want to deal with the hustle and bustle of the fancy high end stores, you won't get the personal attention, dedication and love that Soni can give you.
Soni is a hard working women and it's a one man show when it comes to her store. I highly recommend making an appointment with her so that she can give you 101% of her time and attention. Of course, walk inns are always welcome too =)
I wish you ladies the best in your search and blessings with your new marriages. -
Review from Jessica A.
Palo Alto, CA
1/11/2008
As a poor college kid, I came to Soni with an idea of what I want and a budget of what I could spend. I ended up with a beautiful dress for not a lot of money.
She also has a decent selection of bridesmaids dresses. Her prices are about what they list for the dresses online. She wasn't trying to rip me off.
All in all, she's super helpful , worked around my crazy schedule for dress fittings, and found me a dress that needed very little alterations (I have a very weird body type). I'm sad that I really have no reason to get married again because I'd go to Soni again. -
Review from Jenny G.
San Jose, CA
4/9/2010
WOW! I am completely blown away by the helpful, insightful and happy visit my bridesmaid and I had with Soni (pronounced like the electronics brand Sony) at BB Bridal!
Soni is professional yet personable, almost brutally honest yet quick to point out what will work best for each of your bridesmaids body types and most importantly she helped me to make a decision about the color of my bridesmaids' dresses without having to "settle" for what's available.
All of my beautiful bridesmaids are petite, so I thought putting them in a floor length dress would make them look like hobbits, but Soni was honest by saying how the shorter dress you go, the higher the heel you will need to make the bridesmaids look taller. She also mentioned with floor length dresses, it will give the illusion of looking taller and the importance of possibly putting the bridesmaids in a sweetheart neckline because straight across neckline with make them look bulky.
As soon as I saw my bridesmaid in a beautiful floor length, sweetheart neck Alyce Bridesmaid dress, I knew Soni was totally right. My bridesmaid looked so pretty to the point where she would totally compliment but not overpower my dress.
I closed my eyes and this time, I could easily imagine all 3 of my bridesmaids walking down the aisle with their sunflower bouquets at the church, talking pictures together outside afterwards and dancing the night away at the reception; all in their golden floor length gowns.
Truly this was the most well-balanced bridesmaids dress shopping experience I've had and totally recommend other bride struggling with color decisions/ what to put their bridesmaids in to come to this shop. Soni gave great advice, color swatches, customer service to my bridesmaid by helping her get in and out of dresses and most importantly didn't try to sway me away from my sunflower and gold vision. -
Review from Noelle M.
Manteca, CA
9/28/2011
Sony is amazing! My friends and I had been all over san Jose and had found a lot of elements of dresses we liked but not the right one. We showed her a couple of pics of dresses I had tried, told her what we were looking for and she pulled out the right dress, the one I ended up getting on the very first try! It was incredible.
Beware though, Sony tells it like it is, so if you offend easily be prepared...personally I loved her bluntness, it was refreshing after all the BS the other stores feed you. She really cares not only about what you want but how it flatters you, and that is what is probably most important on your wedding day, really. My dress was so amazing, and made me look so thin, it was magical. I also loved that we ordered it in golden ivory to keep me from looking too pale, I'm really fair and regular ivory looked stark white, but the golden ivory was stunning! Thanks Sony! All credit goes to her! Plus it's nice to support a small business.
Anyways, we all plan to visit again when it's time for another wedding in our group of friends! -
Review from Kayte B.
San Mateo, CA
9/11/2008
This store is great. Soni was so funny and helpful, and really made us all feel at ease. The store is very small, and I had rather offbeat tastes, so unfortunately I wasn't able to find a dress to my liking. Soni helped me look through her books to get ideas, and help me narrow in on what I want.
I'm planning on going to larger stores to find 'the dress,' but I'm hoping once I find it, I can call Soni and have her order it for me and do any alterations.
