Berkachi Bridal

I have called three times, left messages, sent an email, and placed an appointment request on their website — and I have yet to receive a single response. I’ve been trying to book an appointment for a simple bridesmaids dress alteration. Is this how they treat all their potential customers? What does it take to get a simple response? Even if just to say that they don’t have any available appointments. That is not how you run a business.

I really cannot say enough about the experience I had here. The customer service was absolutely amazing!
After visiting several other shops (including Davids Bridal, Alfred Angelo, etc) searching for a MOH dress for my sisters wedding, this shop was a total breath of fresh air!
I walked in at 4:45 on a Saturday (not realizing that they closed at 5). I was completely stressed out because I had to order a dress that weekend to make sure I have it in time for the wedding. The other bridesmaids had already found their dresses, and I was the only one who didn’t have one.
When I realized they closed at 5, I apologized for coming in so close to closing and Donna (the owner) kept assuring me it was no problem at all. She was extremely helpful, looking through the rack of dresses trying to find something that would be flattering on my body type, helping me get zipped in and out of the dresses, and also making sure that the dresses I tried came in the royal blue color that I needed.
After trying on about 5 dresses, I finally found one that was perfect! They have a nice variety of dresses, the only comment I could make is that they seemed to have more prom dresses than bridesmaids dresses. But this might just be because it’s prom season.
Another thing I loved about this place — they actually had mirrors in the dressing rooms! So many bridal shops do not have mirrors in there, so you don’t know how foolish you look until everyone else can see how foolish you look. Double thumbs up for this.
Also — when taking my measurements, she did not say them out loud like many other places do! For someone who is self conscience about their size (like I am) this was very much appreciated. Even though there was no one else in the store at that time except for my mother, I really did notice and appreciate that.
The prices here are very reasonable — my Bari Jay dress was only $ 150! All the other bridesmaids paid $ 190 for their dresses at Alfred Angelo. From now on, I will always check this place first whenever I need a dress!

I had an overall very good experience with Donna and Violette at Berkachi. She was able to hold my dress for me in the store for months, and alterations were taken care of promptly. They even made some last-​minute adjustments to my dress that really knocked the ball out of the park in terms of fit. Shopping for a wedding dress here was really easy and Donna is really down to earth.
The only hitch was with the bridesmaid dresses. I ordered all four bridesmaid dresses from her as well, well in advance — May for a September wedding. We specifically asked how long it would take to get them in — we could have ordered them sooner, but this was the date she said would work fine. I was very clear that one of the dresses needed to be shipped internationally so we would need PLENTY of time to ship so the bridesmaid could get it altered. The dresses didn’t arrive at Berkachi until almost mid-​August, which was way, way, way too little time — the dress ultimately didn’t arrive in the bridesmaid’s home country until 7 days before she left the country to head to the US, which left JUST enough time to get it altered. We were panicking almost the entire month trying to figure out a contingency plan. To her credit, Donna did offer to do the alterations in town the day before the wedding, but there was just too much chance in that and without a car it would have been extremely difficult to pull off — I couldn’t shuttle the bridesmaid around with so much other stuff that I needed to get done. In hindsight, I should have confirmed the date by which the dresses would be ready before ordering but I thought that I had been clear about the need for plenty of lead time. Just be sure to confirm the dates before you order.

Update: I recently saw a sign in the window that said the store is moving out of Cambridge (relocation to Waltham maybe?). I had a positive experience purchasing my dress from Berkachi, but do agree that the alterations were a bit fishy. I had a fitting scheduled in the bridal shop and 15 minutes before the appointment, Donna called and instructed me to go to Violette’s house in Arlington for the appointment. I was happy to have a friend with me, as I was really uncomfortable going into a stranger’s basement for a dress fitting.

I really can’t say enough about Berkachi Bridal and Donna. I love that she works by appointment only so that she is focused on you and you alone. She also doesn’t answer phone calls during an appointment so if you try calling and she doesn’t answer, don’t get discouraged. Leave a message and she’ll get back to you quickly.
Berkachi had a good selection considering their size (which I hear has greatly increased since their move so they’ll have even more great dresses!) and you’ll find a variety of styles. If you’re on a tight budget and don’t care about high-​end designers and expensive silks, this is the place for you! I was really happy to find that her collection focused on dresses under a thousand. She was very friendly and really put me and my girlfriends at ease. None of that super pressure sales tactic that you sometimes get. I ended up with a sample dress that was in excellent condition.
When the time came for alternations, I was a little bummed at the price quote which was a lot higher than I had anticipated. But in the end, I definitely got my money’s worth in regards to the quality of the work. I loved Berkachi’s on-​site seamstress, Violette. She was so incredibly sweet and really wants to do all that she can to ensure that a bride looks perfect in her dress. No detail was too small and her patience and wonderful attitude ensured me that my dress was in good hands. I believe in their new location, Violette will have space for her equipment so it should eliminate a lot of the back and forth associated with dress alterations.
It’s easy to see that Donna and Violette are both very passionate about what they do. It was a pleasure working with people who not only are knowledgeable but also kind. This is the kind of experience that you can only get at a great small, local business. My dress turned out lovely but what made it even better was the positive experience I had with Berkachi Bridal. I highly recommend them!

I bought a very simple silk dress elsewhere and emailed Berkachi Bridal about an appointment for alterations. Donna offered to give me an estimate over email based on a photo of the dress, which was nice, but I was shocked when she asked for $ 275 for a simple straight hem and taking in at the chest. I figured that any neighborhood tailor could do the hem for ¹⁄₁₀^th that price, but that the taking in might be a little more complicated (and more importantly, I was a little uneasy about being fitted for chest measurements in the back of the busy Porter Square Dry Cleaners) so I asked for an estimate for just the top, but she did not reply.
I suppose just about everyone charges triple the real cost of everything when it’s your wedding because they know most people will pay it. I thought this place might be different since they specialize in inexpensive synthetic dresses, but this was not the case. The place I ended up going to charged $ 70, and my friend who has the same dress in blue had hers hemmed for $ 37!

I’m baffled by the negative reviews that Donna has received. Seriously baffled. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I bought my dress in January 2010. Donna was by far THE most helpful salesperson I came across in my journey to purchase a wedding dress. I found the whole experience of shopping for a dress quite stressful, but not with Donna. She put me at ease, helped me to find a dress that suited my shape, and answered any and all questions I had. The alterations done by her mom, Violet, were spot on too. I got so many compliments on my dress. I couldn’t have been happier.

I went to Berkachi because I read the great reviews and two of my friends had gotten dresses there. The prices were definitely within my budget and they had what I was looking for (halter top which is not easy to find). Donna was nice enough to work with and she was not pushy at all.
The disappointment came with the alterations. For a $ 750 dress I was surprised the alterations would cost $ 350! I didn’t think the work that needed to be done was that much, but they insisted it was… what was I going to do? not get it altered? After the first alteration, the work was not great… I could see the stitching. So we decided to cover it up with some beading, which helped.
Overall, I think I should have considered other places (chose my dress on the 2^nd day of looking), but still happy with how everything came out.

This place is great! This was about the 3 – 4 shop I went to and they had some of the best customer service. Donna was very helpful and kept picking out dresses for me. I really don’t like pickup skirts but she had me try one on anyway and then was showing me how it would look with another skirt. They are very accommodating and will help you make changes to dresses you might not love 100%.
I had some bridesmaids and my mom there and she let them try on dresses too. The fact that you have the whole shop to yourself is great because you get undivided attention. I wish I had gotten my dress here just for their customer service. For anyone who is going dress shopping I highly recommend you going here.

This was the first place I went to for my first dress shopping experience. Donna is nothing but kind and helpful. While I don’t think I’ll buy my wedding dress here — I’m dead set on a certain designer and not to bring out the bridezilla but it’s the one thing I’m wanting– I’m DEFINITELY buying the bridesmaid dresses from here and probably some of my accessories. There is definitely a good amount of choices to give you a good idea of what’s good on you and what’s not.
She LET’S you take pictures! That is huge because the dresses really do look different from what you see in the mirror. My best friend MAY have watched a bit too much of Say yes to the dress — really we know we all watch that show once we know we’re engaged– and kept quoting lines from it. The camera definitely helps. Especially when your MOH wants the WOW factor.
It was an amazing first experience. I would definitely go there again or recommend it to anyone who’s looking to not spend an arm or a leg. Or not invite some people to their wedding so they can afford a great dress… mind you I don’t plan on getting married again… but you never know. Kidding! Hopefully my fiancé doesn’t read this.

Initially, I thought that Donna, the owner of Berkachi, was wonderful. She seemed extremely friendly and helpful. All of that changed once I got my dress. I took my dress home assuming that after paying $ 400 for alterations, my dress would be done. Unfortunately, I was wrong. 1) The sequence at the bottom of the dress wasn’t completely attached to the dress. 2) Some of the patterns on the sequence were missing. 3) There were strands of thread hanging at different parts of the dress. 4) The alterations job was messy, careless, and sloppy. Parts of the sequence at the bottom of my dress still showed the dress, while other parts didn’t.
I brought the dress back to Berkachi. It was over 90 degrees outside! I told Donna how disappointed and upset I was. My wedding is two weeks away in CA! What if I got to CA before I had noticed the careless and sloppy alteration work that was done on the dress?
Donna blamed the above mentioned things on the cleaners that she brought the dress to. She said that something must have happened to the dress there.
Donna also blamed me. She said that I left the store without checking the dress first.
Donna also claimed that the careless and sloppy job done with the sequence was because there wasn’t enough sequence to work with. How can this be if my dress used to be longer (longer = more sequence material) and now it’s much shorter (shorter = less sequence material needed).
Donna made one excuse after another. She apologized by saying that she was sorry, but that it’s a busy season. Where is her sense of personal responsibility? Does she not have pride in the work she sells?
I was foolish and perhaps naïve to believe that after spending $ 400 on alterations alone, that the final product would be done with pride and care. How silly of me…
Wow…never again… I have many friends getting married next year. I will NOT recommend this place to anyone.
If, after reading this review, you still decide to buy your dress or get your dress altered at Berkachi, make sure that you double check the dress and the alteration work that is done. If you don’t check your dress before you leave the store, Donna will blame it on you, the dry cleaners, and the busy season.
Also, don’t make the same mistake I made. I prepaid for the alterations upfront. Once she gets your money, there’s no real incentive to do a good job. Huge mistake.
Donna has lost a customer for life. She’s also lost the business of all my friends and family as well.
Initially, I would have given her zero stars if I could. However, after I brought the dress back, Donna got it fixed within 24 hours. For that, I’m giving her 1 star.

Very unfriendly & not helpful at all!
I was shopping for a bridal veil and checked the Berkachi website which had no information at all. I tried calling them, but instead just got an answering machine for making appointments, and no option to connect with a human being. But I decided to make the trip to their shop this Saturday, but instead was given a total cold shoulder. The woman was very abrupt and and told me that they had bridal veils and that I couldn’t see them without an appointment. She didn’t bother to try and make an appointment or try to get me to come back later (which I never will). If you’re looking for good friendly customer service, then this is NOT the place for you!

My experience at Berkachi has been amazing. Donna has been nothing but helpful, pleasant and accommodating. It is probably the most amazing customer service I have received in years and out of all my Unilocal reviews, I happiest to write this one.
I have watched every wedding dress show on Bravo etc, and always hoped I would find a place where you would get top notch customer service
Berkachi is the place and I couldn’t be happier. Though I haven’t purchased my dress yet, I can list the positives of my experience so far.
1. Not too large of a selection, but they have excellent variety
2. Donna can see the big picture and can envision making changes to dresses… and offers suggestion.
3. The sky is the limit (almost).I feel like if it is possible to do to the dress (and she will be honest), she is all for it. Add a sleeve, take off beading, add this etc. You can do have those alterations and she is happy to work with you during the process
4. Donna really listened to what I wanted and when something wasnt right for me, she told me in a good way. In no way she was rude… if anything, she explained and simplified things based on my wants.
5 They have an excellent selection of bridesmaid dresses and she can call into the manufacturer for different sample sizes
6 You are the ONLY people in the store, which makes me comfortable and happy to have the attention that is critical in dress shopping
7 She didnt rush me or pressure me. She treated each dress I tried on as an experience and talked through what I did and did not like about each one
8. The dresses are excellent quality!!!
I am probably forgetting so many more details, but my friend and I felt so good about coming here and just amazing vibes from Donna. I plan on going back to try on a few dresses I liked and cant wait to work with Donna and my bridesmaids through the dress buying process. I will update my purchase and alterations

I’m not an expert in wedding dress shopping but I know good service when I see it and Berkachi is fantastic. The owner is the only person you deal with in this sweet little shop. She unlocked the door when we came for our appointment (no one else in the shop but you) and greeted us with a smile. She immediately told us that all of the dresses were $ 1,300 or less and encouraged us to browse.
She watched begin browsing and then began pulling out her ideas for dresses that I might like (and she was usually right). The selection wasn’t huge but there were plenty of options. We found a dress that I may buy but she didn’t try to pressure us into buying it right then and there.
Berkachi is a wonderful experience for brides on a budget, it’s my favorite dress shop yet! Even if I don’t get the dress, this is the first place that I’m taking my bridesmaids to look for their dresses!

The attendant here was friendly and patient, and even brought out another dress she thought might be something that was similar to the ones I was trying on. There were some nice dresses here, but didnt find that it was much of a selection to choose from though… the prices were reasonable though. Wasnt sure what designers they even carried so it was hard to look up dresses later to see what else i may like.
p. s. — they DO let you take pictures, which is very helpful, as one of my friends suggested to take photos when trying on dresses, as after your wedding, how you look in the dress in photos is the only way you’ll remember it by. plus I found how you think it looks when looking in the mirror can be very different then how it shows up in photos.

I am not surprised to have seen so many positive reviews since my first one for Berkachi. It is a great little shop that is a must-​go for Cambridge/​Somerville brides. I know that Donna cares about continuing to diversify their inventory and think outside the box in terms of selection.
I am a bit surprised at the reviews that comment on the «synthetic fabrics» and «poofy styles». I just don’t think that’s accurate. Yes, a duchess satin or pure silk dress is going to be way more expensive and not really fit with Berkachi’s mission… but my dress was neither scratchy nor cheap looking. Nor poofy. I loved it.
My alterations were good… though I ended up losing too much weight and therefore the bust was too big and didn’t photograph very well. That was my fault, though, for not pursuing additional alterations. I also had ribbons break on my bustle, and therefore had to hold my train while dancing, which was kind of a bummer. I gather that this happens a lot, though, regardless of where one purchases her dress.

This was the first place I went shopping for a wedding dress. The prices were right, but the fabrics were not. Like someone else said, mostly synthetics. If that’s not a deal breaker for you, then check this place out. Everything was affordable and they seemed to have a variety of styles. I was looking for tea length, so I was given suggestions on alterations.
The salesgirl was attentive; the place is by appt only, so you’re the only party in there– they literally keep the front door locked! She was also young and perhaps not the most experienced bridal salesperson. You are on your own to get into and out of the dresses. They basically just help clip/​zip you up.
I found a dress I liked, but ultimately, I knew I’d keep looking and not come back. And that’s what happened!

I haven’t bought a dress yet — though I’m still musing over one that I tried on at Berkachi — but all the nice things that everyone else has said about the place are true. The owner is a friendly, helpful young woman who worked at high priced Newbury street bridal places for years before getting sick of it and opening her own little shop. The whole premise of the shop is to have lovely, affordable gowns — nothing in the place is over $ 1000. Its a great concept, and an intimate, relaxed space to try things on and have your female relatives oooh and ahhh at you.
If you want a designer dress, this is not the place, but if you want a very nice looking no-​name dress, you’ll do great here. The only limitation is the size of the shop, but that’s true of most bridal shops, as I am learning in the-​education-​of-​bridget-​the-​bride.

I’m sure this place is for someone… its just not for me. Many of the dresses are affordable here, but the fabrics are mostly synthetic and they are big & poofy… and scratchy. The saleswoman who helped us was very nice and accommodating, but a quick scan of the room was all I needed. We are having an outdoor wedding and real silk fabrics or cotton are critical to not dying from the heat outside in my wedding dress…
I have read that many people have found wonderful dresses here at very great prices though, so we figured it was at least worth a look.

I had a great experience here with Donna. I tried on almost every dress in the place twice and she never got impatient. The dresses here are very reasonably priced and very tasteful. I would highly recommend Berkachi !!!