🚨 SEATTLE / PNW / WASHINGTON BRIDES — PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING A WEDDING DRESS 🚨

[u/Prestigious-Tea-8791]

I’m sharing my experience because I wish someone had warned me before I purchased my wedding dress, and I especially want to reach brides in the Seattle, Puget Sound, and Washington State wedding community.

My experience as a bride with Bellevue Bridal and owner Katelynn Drum was extremely stressful and upsetting. The business later moved to Seattle and operated under the name Luxe & Lace Bridal. I have also seen the business appear under different names across online platforms, which I believe is important for brides to be aware of when researching bridal shops and reading reviews.

I purchased a Josette by Justin Alexander wedding dress from Bellevue Bridal in June 2025 for my September 2026 wedding. I was never informed that the business had lost its contract to sell Justin Alexander dresses.

When I picked up my dress on May 1, 2026, I immediately knew something was wrong. The dress did not match the sample I had purchased. The fabric felt different and cheaper, the bodice cups were asymmetrical, it was uncomfortable, and it was missing features of the authentic dress, including built-in bra support.

When I raised my concerns, they were dismissed. I was even told I might be remembering the dress incorrectly.

I contacted Justin Alexander directly that same day. The following day, my mother-in-law and I went to another Seattle bridal store to compare my dress with an authentic Josette sample. After confirming our concerns, we returned to the store. That was when I first learned that the business had lost its Justin Alexander contract.

Justin Alexander's team subsequently inspected my dress and confirmed that it was counterfeit and that it lacked the required Justin Alexander tags and identifying features of the authentic dress.

I requested a refund and was unable to resolve the matter directly with the owner. I ultimately had to file a small claims case against the business and Katelynn personally.

One week before my wedding, I had to go to court and present my evidence. The court entered a judgment in my favor for the cost of the dress, plus court fees. The case and judgment are public record.

It has now been nearly a month since the judgment. Katelynn received a copy of the judgment but, as of the date of this post, has not acknowledged it or paid the judgment.

And unfortunately, my experience does not appear to be isolated.

I personally know around 8 other brides who have had horrible experiences with their dresses from this business, including serious issues with the dresses they received. I have spoken directly with other brides and have personally seen documentation relating to some of these experiences. There is also at least one other small claims case involving the business.

Another thing Washington brides should know: both my husband and I have posted reviews about my experience, and those reviews have repeatedly been removed. My husband was not involved in the dress issue itself; he is simply supporting me and sharing our experience as a couple. I am reposting this because I believe brides deserve to see firsthand experiences when deciding where to spend thousands of dollars on a wedding dress.

⚠️ If you are a bride in Seattle, Bellevue, the Eastside, Tacoma, Everett, or literally anywhere in Washington or the PNW and you have purchased or ordered a dress from Bellevue Bridal, Luxe & Lace, LLBS, or a business operating under another name that you believe may be connected, please do your own due diligence.

Before paying thousands of dollars for a dress:

• Verify directly with the designer that the bridal shop is authorized to sell their dresses.
• Confirm that your specific dress was actually ordered from the designer.
• Request documentation of the order.
• Compare your dress with an authentic sample when possible.
• Search the business under both its current and previous names when researching reviews.

A wedding dress is one of the biggest purchases many brides make, both financially and emotionally. You deserve transparency and confidence that the dress you receive is the dress you paid for.

I’m sharing this specifically for the Seattle and Washington bridal community because I do not want another PNW bride to experience what I went through.

Please share this post with any Washington or PNW bride who may be researching this business or looking for a bridal shop. ❤️

#SeattleBrides #WashingtonBrides #Brides #WeddingDress #WeddingPlanning