Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
How can I make an appointment?
Please fill out our appointment request form. We'll get back to you as soon as possible! We encourage you to submit appointment requests online rather than over the phone, as we are able to return emails faster than phone calls due to the private, one-on-one nature of our appointments.
We require that the person trying on gowns be the person who makes the appointment, rather than a mother, friend, sister or wedding planner.
Please keep in mind that our weekend appointments tend to fill up 1-2 months ahead of time. Our weekday evening appointments fill up a few weeks ahead of time.
You can bring your own champagne or order it (with free delivery) from a neighborhood wine shop, Second Bottle.
Hoping for snacks too? Black-Owned business, Kitchen on Wellington offers free delivery of their handcrafted charcuterie cups.
Who can I bring with me to my appointment?
You can bring up to 4 guests plus yourself to the appointment. We do not allow any children under the age of 12. We will make an exception for a baby in a carrier or car seat.
As far as your entourage goes, please only bring supportive loved ones, we do not tolerate body-shaming nonsense of any kind.
Where are you located?
We are nestled in the historic neighborhood of Church Hill, located in the heart of Richmond city proper. 602 North 29th street is located a few blocks off of East Broad Street and easily found by GPS. Because we are in a residential area, there is very easy parking with no time limits around our shop.
What are your sizes and price ranges?
Our designer bridal gowns range from $1500 to $4500 (most falling between $2200 to $2800) and our sample sizes range from size 6 to 28.
Keep in mind that bridal gowns run two sizes smaller than what you are used to wearing. For example, if you wear an 8 at Old Navy or J Crew, you'll probably be a 12 in bridal.
When you order your gown, we'll require a payment of 50%. The other half will be due once the dress arrives at the shop. If your gown arrives earlier than the designer estimated at the time of purchase, you are still responsible for paying the remaining 50% balance within 7 business days of the gown arrival to our shop.
How long have you been in business?
Urban Set Bride opened its doors in March 2014. We are already the most-reviewed bridal shop in Richmond and were voted BEST BRIDAL SHOP of 2015 - 2024.
Our sister company, The Hive Wedding Collective, was created by co-owner Christine in 2011 and is now a team of 5 full-time coordinators who handled event design and logistics all over Virginia and DC.
Christine is also an ordained wedding officiant and small business consultant through CHG Consulting + Ceremonies.
How did you get started in the wedding industry?
After graduating from VCU in 2009, Christine planned to move to Brooklyn and open up a women’s clothing boutique with her bestie, Hunter. Her world was turned upside down when her boyfriend, Colin, was diagnosed with brain cancer a few weeks before she was set to move to New York . She canceled her plans to move, helped him through cancer treatments, and held on hope that the tumor would shrink and they could spend the rest of their lives together. They got engaged a few months later, chemo and radiation treatments were working to battle the cancer and he was doing well!
Unfortunately, after 12 months of positive treatment outcomes, things took a turn and the tumor began to grow again. After a brave 18 month fight, Colin passed away at 26 years old. Christine (along with her family and close friends) had to figure out life without him.
The one bright light that came out of this immense loss was the spark for wedding planning. She had already planned most of her wedding with Colin and found it to be the perfect balance of creativity, style, and organization skills.
Christine planned weddings as a side hustle for a year and quickly realized that there were no “cool” places in Richmond to get a wedding gown, despite the city being filled with awesome/stylish/creative women.
You either go to a big box bridal shop with no personality or customized service. Or you get a stuffy, uptight, conservative bridal shop that isn’t welcoming to all AND usually comes with a high price tag. There was nothing in the middle! Anyone looking for something different had to travel to DC or NYC or buy a gown online and miss out on the warm, fuzzy experience of trying on gowns with your family and friends.
Jennifer spent 24 years as an Army wife, raising Christine and packing up the family every 2 years to relocate wherever the Army said to go. She was finally able to do something for herself and got a degree in Accounting and Christine's business partner was born!
The mother-daughter team, along with shop manager, Ruth, and lead stylist, Chelsea, handle bridal appointments, financials, inventory purchasing and all the ups and downs of small business ownership.
Urban Set celebrates a decade in business on March 2, 2024!
When should I start shopping for my gown?
We recommend beginning this process 10-18 months before your wedding date.
Most of our gowns take 6-8 months to arrive once we order them. We recommend you give yourself another 2 months for the alterations process.
We do not sell gowns off the rack. We’d recommend Blue Sage Bridal for any wedding happening within the next 6 months.
Give yourself time to relax, have the gown altered, and purchase your bridal accessories.
Is the shop ADA compliant/handicap accessible? Sadly, we are not fully wheelchair accessible. We are in a historic building and very limited as to what we are allowed to install and change about the entrances to our store. There are a minimum of two steps to enter the store. That being said, we will do everything we can to help those with movement assistance devices access the store and get comfortably settled in.
Your Appointment
How long do the appointments take and who should I bring with me?
Our appointments are scheduled for 90 minutes and we allow 4 guests plus you. Make sure your entourage is filled with kind, supportive, body-positive friends and family.
What should I bring with me to my appointment?
1. If you are shorter than 5'9, please bring a heel or wedge that you can stand in comfortably for the appointment. We can always order the gown shorter if you want to wear flats on your wedding day.
2. You won't need a strapless bra for the appointment, but you are welcome to bring one if you feel more comfortable in that during the appointment. Most wedding gowns look best with no bra, but again, it's totally up to you and what you are comfortable with.
3. Contouring undergarments (only if you think you'll need/want them.)
4. Any jewelry that you think you'll wear.
5. Polished hair and makeup (if that is your style.) It helps visualize what you'll look like.
Do you consign dresses?
We do not offer gown consignment. Our favorite consignment shop, Blue Sage Bridal, is where we send all of our retired sample gowns to be resold at a lower price point!
Are you LGBTQ+ friendly?
Heck yeah! We welcome and support all kinds of love. Y’all means all!
If you have a preferred pronoun, please let us know when you book your appointment. We want you to feel comfortable to be your true self with us. No matter how you identify or how you present, you are welcome to come try on gowns with us.
Do you sell tuxedos, prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses or mother-of-the-bride/groom dresses?
We only carry bridal gowns. We recommend checking out Tiffany’s Bridal or Lex’s of Carytown for bridesmaids and mothers gowns.
Tuxedo/Suit Rentals? Generation Tux (we are retailer partners with them! They’ll take great care of you!
Custom Suit? We love both of these locally owned shops for custom suits and tuxedos for all gender identities: 707 Fine Clothing or Andre Julius.
I had such a nice time with my stylist and want to send her a tip. Is that an option?
That’s so sweet! Our team does not work on commission and is paid very well, but a little treat here and there always makes our day. We have our personal Venmo info at the bottom of this page if you are so inclined. <3
I bought my dress somewhere else but I’d love to buy a veil and hairpiece from Urban Set! Is this possible?
Unfortunately, we only offer accessories appointments to our current clients. We made this decision to keep our calendar open and ensure our team is better able to serve those who’ve purchased gowns from our boutique. Our sister store, Blue Sage Bridal, carries the same accessories we do and offers open appointments for everyone!
I bought my dress somewhere else and I need it steamed before my wedding? Is that something you can do?
Yes, we charge $100 - $250+ to steam “out of shop” gowns. This service takes 30 minutes and you can wait for it or pick it up later that day. Payments for this service must be submitted via Venmo or cash as a direct payment to the stylist handling the steam. You can book that appointment here.
Can you steam my dress on location?
Yes, we charge $250 to steam wedding gowns on location within Richmond city and the surrounding counties. This service takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on the fabric and style of your gown. Payments for this service must be submitted via Venmo or cash as a direct payment to the stylist handling your steam. You can book that appointment here. We can also handle maids/moms/flower girl dresses for an additional fee.
Do you all provide measurements for online gown purchases?
We do. This is a $30 fee and payments for this service must be submitted via Venmo or cash as a direct payment to the stylist taking your measurements. You can book that appointment here.
Do you offer alterations?
We don’t have in-house alterations, but we have a team of talented alterations specialists that we recommend!
Claudia Villegas of Seams Alterations - located near Brandermill in her home studio (Claudia takes December 1st to February 1st off every year)
(804) 501-6518
seamsalterations@gmail.com
Instagram
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Evelyn Bagala - located in a studio beside Urban Set at 604 N. 29th St. (upstairs)
(804) 305 - 3173
fashionsbyevelyn@gmail.com
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Jamey Garrett of Richmond Sewing Company
Located next door to Urban Set at 604 N. 29th St (first floor)
richmondsewingcompany@gmail.com
www.richmondsewingcompany.com
(Jamey also specializes in reinventing vintage wedding gowns for the modern bride!)
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Fariba's Bridal Alterations & Custom Design
Located in the Near West End off of Gaskins Rd @ 11000 Three Chopt Rd, Richmond, VA 23233
www.faribadesigns.com to schedule
(804) 273-9000
$$$
Roya Bridal Alterations
1208 Concord Ave, Henrico, VA 23228
www.royabridalalterations.com
(804) 308-3116
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AG Alterations
3301 Church Road, Henrico, VA 23233
https://www.facebook.com/agalterationsrva/
(804) 364-0206
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Tang's Bridal (Northern Virginia)
Located in outside DC @ 8675 Sudley Rd, Manassas, VA 20110
www.tangsalterations.com
tangs@tangsalterations.com to schedule
(703) 393-8458
$$$
Remember, alterations are NEVER included in your gown purchase.
Your alterations payment will go directly to the seamstress. An average alterations cost for a wedding gown is $400 - $900+.
What sample sizes do you have?
Our samples range from a size 6 to 30. Most of our samples are sizes 10-14
We proudly carry over 60+ plus size samples in our Urban Set Curve section.
Keep in mind that gowns can be ordered in any size and the sample is just a sample. We will always do our best to help you visualize the final product and reassure you that you are going to be a knockout!