Sarah Seven Salon

TLDR: **Do your research and ask about their workload before buying here. Get any requests for alterations in writing and confirm at what point in the process they should be done. Perhaps ask to speak to a manager about them before purchasing.**
While I loved the relaxed, whimsical style of these dresses I had a very unfortunate experience with the San Francisco store. I found a dress here over seven months before my wedding (because everyone loves to tell you you’re running out of time), and went through the typical order process, with the staff explaining why it takes so long to create the dress and the rounds of fittings.
I had chosen a dress that I wanted to modify a bit (adding a v neckline to the front). Before purchasing the dress I was told that they could make the modification during the fittings, not while making the dress. I placed the order. After thinking about this a bit, it didn’t sound right, so I called to confirm that they could indeed add a deep «V» at the neckline later rather than during production.
At my first fitting, there was no V and it was not mentioned. When I brought it up the staff seemed surprised and said they couldn’t add a V to this particular dress. Not only that, during the first fitting the dress fit worse than the sample had. The top was too tight and I was swimming in the skirt. They couldn’t even pin the dress on me to measure for alterations, and instead had to use dress clips to pull away the excess fabric. I was assured this was typical for a first fitting and that the second would be much better. During this fitting I waited for long periods of time while the two associates wait for the only measuring tape — the first sign that this was an incredibly understaffed operation.
At my second fitting, I was very nervous, but kept telling myself that I should trust the company as they do this all the time. When I tried to put the dress on it was so tight we couldn’t zip the last 8 (!) inches of the zipper. There was a gap the size of my own rear-​end, and in order to even come out of the fitting room to look in the mirror, they had to find scraps of fabric to cover my bum. Not to mention the alterations around the shoulder were sloppy and uneven.
I was again assured that this happens all the time and was fixable. I was told «it’s just a couple of inches and we’ll let it out». It wasn’t until I insisted to talk to a manager that the team admitted that this mistake was not fixable on this dress, and that they would have to make the dress again. I was promised that they’d expedite the process and make my dress the priority. This was a mere 6 weeks out from my wedding.
They pressured me to make a decision on the spot — if I wanted them to start over or if I wanted a refund. This was poor form, given it was their mistake, and took them months to get me to this place. I begged for 24 – 48 hours to make a decision and they gave in.
At this point in the process, I didn’t have enough confidence that this company could make the same dress with the same staff, in a fraction of the time, and do it right the second time. Sarah Seven refunded my money (which is why I’ve given the shop one start rather than none). Unfortunately, that left me without a dress 6 weeks before my wedding. I ended up calling every bridal shop in the city asking what they had pre-​made ready to wear.
While I found a different dress I was happy with in the end, it wasn’t what I had pictured for myself and I couldn’t help but thinking «I wish I had researched the first shop more thoroughly». A wedding is something I hope to experience only once, and dress shopping turned out to be the most stressful and upsetting experience of the whole thing. I walked down the aisle in something I picked in a week because of this shop’s mistakes.
I had wanted to buy from a small business, and the dresses are lovely so I hope they’ve staffed up and have enough personnel to fill orders without mistakes. Please do your research and ask about their workload before buying here. Get any requests for alterations in writing and confirm at what point in the process they should be done.

This shopping experience was wonderful. You really feel extremely well taken care of and the space is beautiful. My stylist was Andrea, and I loved her. She had such a laid back warm vibe and really made me feel comfortable.
I tried on quite a few dresses here. I easily could have purchased multiple gowns here and been happy but I did find another dress with my name all over it at another boutique. I would definitely recommend that any bride stop here on their search for the perfect dress!
Thank you Andrea! You rock!

I wore Sarah Seven’s «Violet Hour» to my wedding in August 2015. Looking for a wedding dress was a little daunting for me going into it. I had never dreamed about my wedding dress so I didn’t know exactly what I wanted and what would look good on me. I went to 6 places overall to try on dresses and Sarah Seven was my 6^th and final stop. Half of the places i went were a fine experience and the other half were just HORRIBLE, mainly due to being unable to fit my hips into any of the sample sizes. I’m a street size 12 and select shops decide to carry nothing larger than a sample size 8 and claim it’s the bridal industry’s fault and not theirs that they don’t carry larger sizes. How then do you explain the other boutiques out there that carry sizes 10 – 24? Sarah Seven was a breath of fresh air from these more uptight boutiques. We were immediately greeted by our stylist with a smile and offered champagne and total «make yourself at home» comfort and hospitality. Very few of my other experiences were this inviting. What I also loved about this shop was that rather than me having to tell them what I wanted to try on they asked me a few questions and then brought all the dresses to me to determine what would look the best on my body. It was so much fun and stress free to receive this type of service! Our stylist was very tuned into my reactions to the various dresses and within no time put me in the dress I fell in love with! I was immediately enamored by the dress. it was EXACTLY what I was looking for in a dress that would be both unique and elegant. I smiled from ear to ear and didn’t want to take it off. As if this wasn’t enough, I was thrilled to learn that the price included tax and all alterations, which I had heard could get very expensive! The dress was also locally hand-​made in Oakland where i live and came with a built-​in bra so I didn’t have to stress about finding a bra that worked with the illusion neckline. What’s better than all that?! A good friend of mine tried on dresses with me for her wedding that same day and she ended up finding her dream dress too! We were both so happy and relieved.
I gave this vendor 4 stars because the dress took longer to make than promised and communication was not easy. Luckily I ordered it early enough in advance that this didn’t pose a problem for my wedding date; however, I did find it strange that no one reached out to me regarding my order to inform me of the delay. Communication in general is not this boutique’s forte. Getting a hold of someone is difficult since they are closed several days a week. My initial fitting had me a little worried because the bust was far too big for my chest. They assured me the smaller cup size would have been too small. I elected not to freak out until my 2^nd fitting after giving them a chance to tailor it to my body. My 2^nd fitting was GREAT! The seamstress had done amazing work and the bust fit as expected. The third fitting i took the dress home! Great experience overall. I received so many compliments on the dress and I will cherish the photos forever.

Aja was absolutely wonderful to work with. She took her time, was incredibly helpful, and very informed/​informative. She made me and my girls feel incredibly special. CHAMPAGNE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER!!! Every bridal salon should offer it-it’s that extra special step that goes a long long way! Thank you for a wonderful experience! I ended up falling in love with a dress from another salon, but highly recommend Sarah Seven!

What an absolutely wonderful shopping experience!
Obviously you have to be a bit biased to give a wedding dress shop five stars — either the styles work for you or they don’t — but I thought the dresses were beautiful, the service was excellent, the space was charming… I really couldn’t have asked for more.
The appointments are 90 minutes, which is a perfect amount of time. We didn’t end up using the full appointment, but it was nice to not feel rushed and be able to try certain dresses on multiple times, take photos, etc.
The space is large, warm, and relaxing. They only take two appointments at any given time and they are VERY separate from one another, so you kind of feel like you’re in your own world.
The women working there were extremely friendly and helpful. They assist with getting dresses on to the extent needed but don’t require you to have them with you in the dressing room. They also have a large selection of accessories to complete the looks — sashes, veils, headpieces, etc.
The experience was fun for the whole group. Champagne for all!
If you like Sarah Seven’s styles, it’s definitely worth going directly to her boutique — they have more options and we were treated better here than at any bridal salon.

I really loved how the Sarah Seven sample dress looked on me. The service I was provided was great. All the ladies who helped me were incredibly friendly and empathetic.
However, when I received the dress it was incredibly low, and although they said the corset would be in my size, it wasn’t. The cups were much too small for my bust and the corset was huge, and I’m not a small girl (They had to take in more than 5+ inches, and I hadn’t lost any weight). With all the alterations made, the dress just wouldn’t stay up. It was way too big around the waist and ribs. There were lace straps/​back/​capsleeves which were not symmetrical and the lace was literally tacked on to the inside of the dress. It wasn’t sewn into the seams of dress. After several alterations it just didn’t fit right and was much too low cut than I wanted, but it was the week before my wedding so I just gave up.
The day of my wedding the dress was literally falling apart. The skirt of the dress was coming apart from the bodice and the places where the pleats were tacked were coming undone. I also realized that the hem was cut uneven. When my bridesmaids put me in the dress it was on the tightest hook & eye closure, but still it wasn’t tight enough. I just don’t know if their sewing/​alteration skills could handle someone of my size and body shape. I’m curious how other brides with big boobs and bigger figures fit these dresses.
This was a beautiful dress, but it was not a dress for someone who isn’t skinny, a wedding over an hour long, or worth more than $ 200. I’ve gotten dresses from Forever21 that were made better than this dress. Maybe I just got a bad egg?

I picked up my dress today! Sarah Seven was the first place I visited (found them on pinterest) and I didn’t need to look elsewhere after that, i LOVE my dress, and most of their dresses are unique, beautiful and affordable :)
Started the process early (chose it over a year ago, and started coming in for fittings later). The whole way through was smooth sailing! I worked with Alyssa, who was easy going and did a great job with my dress. I brought 1 – 4 people (friends or family) at all of my fittings, and we all felt comfortable with Alyssa.

After shopping at a bunch of other bridal stores and having no luck at all, I finally found the salon and dress of my dreams! The gals at SS are so fabulous! Most of Sarah’s dresses are in the store. I was torn between two amazing dresses and they came in early the day after my appointment so I could try them on again and make a decision! The ordering and alterations process was a breeze. The dress (Blushing) was spectacular. I wish I could get married every day so I could wear more of these stunning gowns!

Sarah Seven was the second bridal shop out of four that I visited and it was definitely a five star experience.
I definitely have to say, the saleperson made me feel so special even though I was late (Union Street festival = no parking in the Marina), there was plenty of time during my appointment to try on everything I wanted, and as other reviewers have mentioned, you aren’t competing with other brides to try things on since the boutique is tiny and they only fit one person at a time.
I almost bought my dress here but ended up finding one I liked better at my last appointment of the day, at Jinwang in Union Square. It was dangerously close though! They have a truly gorgeous selection of dresses and accessories, have a great price point (including alterations), and all their dresses are SO comfortable and of amazing quality. This is the perfect place to go if you don’t want a princessy look or if you hate things that are over the top bridal. It’s tasteful, elegant, and I felt like myself in all the dresses I tried on. Loved the experience.

I found my wedding dress here today!
The salon is beautiful and very private — they only have one appointment at a time, and it’s 1.5 hours, which is much better than the 1 hour and screaming babies at other salon I went to before this one. The customer service is amazing! Andrea was super sweet and helpful, but also gave real feedback and answers.
This is only the second salon my mom and I went to, but as soon as I put on the dress, we both knew that was it. I tried on the other dresses I’d picked out, and the built-​in bodice in all of the dresses sat SO WELL on my body, which is crazy, because I have a small bust and large hips, and I never feel like clothes are made to fit me.
Some really awesome aspects:
— The dress I bought is actually 2 dresses in 1! It’s a beautiful white silky flowing dress underneath with a lace cover on top.
— The alterations are included in the price, and are done at the salon, by the same people who make the dress.
— The dresses are made in Oakland to your measurements.
— They gave us champagne :)
There are some really unique dresses here and the salon offers a really personal experience. Highly recommended!

Coming to Sarah Seven felt like I was getting my favorite ice cream on a hot day. I had Andrea as my Consultant/​Stylist and she created a truly wonderful environment for me. There was no point that I ever felt uncomfortable — she was super accommodating, genuine with her compliments, and confidently playful — which is a winning combo for a good time… I am sure the champagne helped with that too.
Things to know:
— Sarah Seven is a local designer and everything is made in Oakland
— Mostly sweetheart top a-​line dresses
— Lace, chiffon, silk, beaded are all key words
— Alterations are included in the price
— Store my be hard to locate so you might want to call ahead to get directions
I would recommend Sarah Seven to anyone but especially those seeking something from the following categories:
1.) Very pretty, simple, and elegant
2.) Sexy, edgy, and lacy
3.) Ethereal, beaded, flow-​y (lot’s of movement)
Last notable thing I can think of is that they are very accommodating to additions — like adding cap sleeves, adding a train, or extending a train. These type of additions do cost extra, but the quotes I got were all fair prices.

I came here on Saturday after a slough of other dress appointments at other SF bridal salons. At this point, I had already been to ~7 other bridal shops so I already had a few dresses that I was debating on getting. Initially, when I decided to check out Sarah Seven, I was a little skeptical as to whether I would find anything here because the dresses that were shown online all had the same silhouette (which was a silhouette that was not flattering on me when I had previously tried on dresses). However, I decided to give Sarah Seven a try anyways because all of their dresses had the bohemian chic look that I was looking for (and still hadn’t really found).
First off, I have to say that the customer service was AMAZING. I literally had changed the time of my appointment like 4 – 5 times before the date of my appointment and they were super nice about letting me do that. I felt super bad about it, but my plans kept changing and it was crazy. Also, I got to the store like 20 minutes late because we couldn’t find parking too, but the Andrea (my sales girl) was super nice about it. ALSO, this has literally been the ONLY bridal salon that gave me champagne. MAJOR PLUS!
The appointment started off with me describing the type of look I wanted and my budget. I was really happy to find out that all of the dresses include free alterations and that a lot of the dresses were within my price range. AMAZING. My sister and I browsed through the racks and picked out 7ish dresses to try on. I then tried them all on (plus some extras) and omgoodness EVERYTHING looked amazing. UGHHHH SO HARD TO DECIDE. Andrea was also very helpful in clipping me in and helping me out of dresses. The good thing was that a lot of the dresses were very close to my size, which is strange cause I usually wear like size ⁰⁄₂ in dresses. I ended up debating between two dresses here and also one that I had seen at another salon previously that I was dead set on before coming to Sarah Seven. Andrea was very helpful in giving me advice on my debate too. She was very straightforward and gave me her honest thoughts and I thought it was great. She also let me try on the dresses over and over to get a feel for both of them for a longer time.
All in all, I said «yes to the dress» here! Such a HUGE moment and I had Andrea to thank for it. Thanks so much for helping me accessorize each dress and just understanding what I wanted. Can’t wait to get my dress in person and come for my fitting.
One thing that I wish could improve though is that there could be more silhouettes and styles. All the dresses had very similar silhouettes and only really varied by fabric and a little bit of detailing. It would be a great if there were just more types of dresses to choose from.

This place is heaven on earth. I will preface this by saying that I ended up deciding on a dress elsewhere, but my experience here and the gorgeous dresses warrant a review that may encourage brides to try on dresses and find «the one» here!
First off, Alyssa is an UH-​MAZING consultant, and all around awesome person. The first time I came in, she was so sweet and helpful, finding dresses in my budget and taking a great interest in my wedding and vision. The salon is beautiful, and I had an hour and a half to try on dresses. I never once felt rushed — i felt relaxed and special, never like a «sale». Alyssa gave great feedback and help with any questions I had. I think I tried on 6 dresses, and I really did love each one of them. I fell in love with «Lafayette», and after taking tons of photos, decided to sleep on it (I’m not a decisive person by any means, wedding dress shopping was a little overwhelming for me).
Alyssa was quick to send me info about the dresses I had tried on, and responded immediately to my emails. I decided to make another appointment to try on Lafayette again, and another dress she thought I might like. The second time was just as amazing — I felt I got to take my time envisioning my wedding day in the dress, which was so appreciated since some other salons felt rushed and I couldn’t get a great idea of how I really felt about the dress.
In the end, I decided on another dress, but I will get to remember this experience as fun and positive, greatly due to my time at sarah seven and with Alyssa. I already miss it there and the beautiful gowns!
I would highly recommend making Sarah Seven one of your first stops for a dress. It is such a special experience, and you’ll really feel like a special bride here :)

I’m so glad to have found this place! I wish I’d started my search here — would have made the process so much easier!
A good friend and I are getting married one month apart, so we booked appointments back to back so we could try on dresses and give each other some moral support. We went to the well known shops across the city, and I went to another in Portland, OR. while visiting family. All in all, I went to 6 different places. Customer service was fair to mediocre at all of them — until Sarah Seven. Visiting here last made a real impression, it’s far beyond every other place I tried.
In fact, my friend and I had already settled on dresses before we stepped in here. We figured we might as well keep the appointments to see what they had. We both ended up changing our mind, and buying our dresses here. Luckily we liked different ones ;)
We were greeted by Kara, who made us feel so welcome. She even brought out champagne! A first in our dress shopping experience. She was so friendly and helpful, and had great style — we felt very comfortable and could tell she wasn’t just trying to sell us. She’s clearly very good at her job.
Appointment sessions here are longer than they are anywhere else. At other places, you have a dress limit, and you’re out the door in an hour. Not at Sarah Seven. You don’t feel rushed, and you feel like it’s ok to take your time and find what works for you. I so appreciated that after all the other shops we went to.
The best part is that the fittings and alterations are included into the price, as is the tax. It’s all built in. I walked out of the door knowing that I’d bought the most flattering dress I tried on, and that I got a really good deal. Like I said, I only wish I’d come here first, but that just makes me appreciate Sarah Seven all the more. Also, Sarah is an Oakland designer — all the dresses are made in Oakland. I love knowing that I’ll be wearing a dress that’s locally made. Did I mention I LOVE my dress?
This place is a hidden gem, and I can’t believe it’s not more popular on Unilocal.Brides, save yourselves the trouble and make Sarah Seven your first stop. These dresses are crazy gorgeous, and this place is the best!

I just got engaged and went to Sarah Seven for my first ever fitting with my maids of honor and mom (not that there’s a 4 additional person limit to bring to fittings). Kara helped me with everything from getting a feel of what I wanted, suggesting different stuff, getting me in/​out of dresses, pairing accessories, and making me feel super comfortable about everything! They let us bring champagne and even had cups to give us. Super fun!
Also, the dresses are GORGEOUS. Plus, they are all locally designed and made and are pretty affordable! I’m not set on anything yet, but I definitely have one or two on my list…

Visited their boutique on Saturday with my bride-​to-​be sister. The dresses are beautiful. What made it even better was the help & expertise from our consultant Nikki. Great customer service! She really listened to what my sister wanted but had suggestions on dresses that would look fabulous. I would highly recommend checking this place out

Adding a star because the manager, Beth, reached out to me twice in response to the review of my visit to Sarah Seven. She was very apologetic and kind, acknowledged my experience, and clearly took the time to try to remedy what had happened. I appreciate the thoughtful response, and only wish this quality of customer service had been there with the person I met with on my visit. Thanks Beth!

I had a year and half to plan, My North Shore Hawaii Beach Wedding. The first thing I did was research wedding dresses on line and I came across this beautiful dress from Sarah Seven on Pinterest which I saved. I had gone to two Bridal shops around my area and quickly figured out that I didn’t want a mainstream wedding dress I wanted something modern and young. I made my appointment with the Sarah Seven in San Francisco on line; I was a little concerned because I hadn’t talked to an actual person. All doubts faded when I got an email confirmation and then on the same day of the consultation I got a call to check if I was on my way. It was a little hard to find but when I did, I was greeted warmly by staff and was amazed at all the wedding dresses I had to choose from I loved everyone I tried on so hard, I wanted them all! When I finally chose the ONE!!! The relationship that pursued with Sarah seven was smooth and effortlessly. I even got to meet Sarah on one of my last fittings, she was such a sweet heart. I truly believe you got to love the dress you wear on your special day so don’t settle for less try Sarah’s dresses and you won’t be disappointed. Thank you Sarah Seven and staff for making me look beautiful on My Best Day Ever!

I’m so happy to say that I had an excellent, easy experience buying my wedding dress directly from Sarah Seven’s bridal boutique in SF. After looking at countless bridal shops, I discovered hers and almost immediately found the dress. The studio was cute, sales help great, and most importantly, I would have worn almost any of her dresses. She just gets it (for the brides that aren’t wanting a fluffy satiny super traditional look). Her dresses may not be cheap, but they are still affordable considering the excellent design aesthetic and uniqueness (think BHLDN, but better). All of the dresses are made right in Oakland.
I am thrilled to say that the process was easy and smooth, and the dress came in after their complimentary alterations looking pretty perfect. It fits really well after one fitting, and I am very excited to wear it! The whole process took exactly 4 months. Dress was delivered to my door safely by fed ex, since I live a few hours from the city. My only minor critique is that the dress I ordered to this day has not been photographed and featured on their website as a line item, and also, no one ever picked up their main phone line when I called. The good news is, they are very helpful via email and respond quickly.
Thank you so much Sarah and Nicole!

I had such a wonderful visit to the Sarah Seven boutique! And yes, I even ended up choosing my own wedding dress there! The beautiful, flowing, elegant-​yet-​bohemian-​chic style was exactly what I envisioned for the big day. It seemed like fate that one of their two flagship boutiques is located in San Francisco!
Appointments are required. I made an appointment 2 weeks in advance for a Friday 6:30pm time slot and brought four of my bridesmaids in tow (apparently girls will drop all their Friday night plans to shop for wedding dresses at the drop of a hat?). The boutique space is adorable. Yes, it’s a bit off the beaten path (on Geary in the Inner Richmond) but it had sweet décor, a couch for the onlookers, antique lightbulb accents and mini champagne bottles to sip on. They also feature a few accessory designs too which matched perfectly with the style of the gowns
Beth was the sweetest manager/​dress stylist/​helper/​supporter we could have asked for. She allowed me to try on dozens… ok pretty much EVERY dress in the whole store. Beth was so warm and friendly, we felt welcomed immediately. She didn’t come across as a salesperson at all, just someone who was knowledgable, patient and enthusiastic about the dresses and fabrics.
Seeing the Sarah Seven dresses on Pinterest and other wedding blogs, I wasn’t sure if any of the cuts would work on my body (size 6ish, muscular build, large bust) but every dress was awesome thanks to the built in bodices. Even though they hit at the natural waist and sort of truncate your torso, the dresses hug and flatter your body in all the right places and are SO comfortable. Like I wish I could wear their dresses in my everyday life. Sarah Seven creates each dress individually for her clients in their Oakland studio. Prices range from $ 1,200-$ 3,500 for their gowns and the tag prices include all alterations and future fittings. My dress will take about 5 months to create and I am so excited to go back to see the finished product (and update my Unilocal review!).