3979 Deep Rock Road
855-1000
bellarosabridal.com

Second Place: David's Bridal

Third Place: Jingles

Brides-to-be know that actually buying the dress isn't the fun part. It's the search. It's black-clad saleswomen appraising you with expert eyes. It's trying on the floofy cupcake dress you'd never, ever buy. It's hearing your best friends say, "Oohhh," when you emerge. Bella Rosa owner Heather Rose Harton knows this. That's why she designed her 7,500-square-foot shop in the West End with an intimate inner salon for brides, where expert consultants help find dream gowns. In Richmond that often means simple, classic gowns without a lot of beading, says Bella Rosa's marketing director, Shannon Harton, who's also Heather's husband. A national chain, David's Bridal is known for a wide selection and super sales with gowns as inexpensive as $99. Local boutique Jingles, in third place, is a favorite for its impeccably trained staff and designer gowns.