Hours
Tuesday–Friday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. by appointment
Saturday by appointment only

Do I need an appointment to visit Promise?
You are welcome to visit our boutique at any time during business hours to browse our collection. However, if you would like to try anything on (bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses, veils, jewelry, etc.), we request that you make an appointment so that we can ensure that you have all the assistance you need. Of course, we will accommodate walk-ins as much as possible. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call 301.215.9232 or email us at info@promisedc.com.

How do the bridal appointments work?
At Promise, we believe that shopping for your bridal gown should be a fun and exciting experience. Our sales consultants will begin your appointment by asking you several questions about the setting of your event and the look or style that you would like to accomplish. We then suggest that you browse through our collection while we discuss some of the different designers, styles, fabrics and details fitting your interests. Together, we will then select approximately 5 or 6 gowns for you to try on. Our sales consultants will help dress and fit you into each gown, as well as show you the different options you might have for customizing the design to your wishes. With each gown that you try on, you will learn more about what you do and don’t like for your wedding look. At the conclusion of the appointment, we record the gowns that you liked best, and provide you with the detailed information about them.

Can I bring my family and friends with me to my appointment?
Promise is a small, couture boutique. We encourage you to bring the people most important to you to share in this exciting experience. However, if you plan to bring more than 2 guests, please let us know at the time that you schedule your appointment so that we can ensure that we provide you and your guests with the service and comfort that we like to extend.

Due to the large quantities of glass and other breakable items, as well as the expense of our merchandise, Promise is not a safe environment for infants and young children. For their safety and in consideration of our other customers, we kindly request that all children be closely accompanied by an adult at all times. Thank you for your consideration.

How do I decide what kind of gown I’m looking for?
In the beginning, we recommend that you keep an open mind. Until you start trying gowns on, you most likely won’t know exactly what style is right for you. To identify what you might like, start by looking through bridal magazines or on wedding web sites. Your wedding day look should be a reflection of your own sense of style. So, think about what clothes or styles you have in your closet that you love. Begin to collect pictures or ideas of the bridal designs or looks that really appeal to you. When you’re ready to begin shopping, call us to schedule your appointment.

When should I begin looking for my gown?
This depends entirely on you. We recommend that you order you bridal gown 8 to 10 months before your wedding date. This allows for the time it takes for the gown to be custom made and the time we prefer to have for the fitting process. If you want to do a lot of shopping and plan to visit every bridal salon in the area, then you will want to begin shopping for your gown about a year in advance of your wedding date. If you are very decisive, know almost exactly what you want and have pinpointed the shops that carry those styles, then you may only need to visit 2 or 3 shops, or a month or two, before finding the right dress.

How often do new dresses arrive in the boutique?
In the bridal industry, there are two seasons—Fall and Spring. Our buyers travel to New York in April and October of each year to preview designers’ new collections and carefully select the gowns that we will offer in our boutique. Typically, it then takes 4–6 months for the new samples to arrive. So, gowns purchased in April typically arrive in the Fall, while gowns purchased in October arrive in Spring.

What is the price range of your collection?
Promise is a couture bridal boutique. All of our bridal and bridesmaid gowns are made to order. The majority of our bridal gowns are priced between $2400 and $3500. Some of our simpler gowns are priced closer to $2000, and some of our more exquisite designs are priced closer to $5000. Our bridesmaid dresses are priced between $225 and $400. Twice a year, in the Summer and in December, we offer select bridal and bridesmaid gowns “As Is” off-the-rack for up to 50% off.

I’m ready to purchase my wedding gown, now what?
Congratulations! It is an exciting day when you find your dress. When you are ready to purchase your gown, we will take your measurements and compare them to the size chart provided by the designer to select the appropriate size of your gown. We will then discuss fabric and color decisions with you. The paperwork/order form is filled out and signed by you. At Promise, we require a deposit of 50% of the cost of your gown to place the order. The balance, which includes tax and shipping, is due when your gown arrives at the boutique.

Do you offer alterations?
Yes. We have a wonderful seamstress in-house that we work with for our bridal alterations. When you purchase your gown from Promise, you are not required to work with our seamstress. However, given the intricacy and importance of the alterations of a wedding gown, we believe that there is an advantage to working with our seamstress given her experience fitting our gowns

What forms of payment do you accept?
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover are accepted. Personal checks and cash are also welcome.

What is your return policy?
Given that our merchandise is custom-ordered, all sales are final. There are no refunds, exchanges or credits available. There are no exceptions. Thank you for your consideration.

Is there parking available at the shop?
Yes! In front of the shopping plaza Promise is located in, there is very limited parking. In addition, right next to 4931A St. Elmo Avenue there is a large metered parking structure, as well as metered street parking in downtown Bethesda. {map}