Part II: Kleinfeld Bridal
I've watched Say Yes to the Dress several times before, but I never dreamed I would be even close to the actual place. It turns out it's easier to try on their world famous dresses than to try to catch an episode.
Fortunately, I decided to dress shop off camera; but after stepping foot inside Kleinfeld Bridal, I was able to view the excitement of doing it for the world to see! After waiting for about 15 minutes in a crowded lobby, a very peppy woman took Maria and I past the “great room” (the place where the show films) and into the tiny hallway where the normal folks try on dresses. We had a fairly small sized dressing room for the situation. It was okay, but I’d have liked a whole runway for my shopping experience.
Our helper, Alyssa, gave us water (very nice) and started with the questions:
"How much would you like to spend?" (6 to 8k)
"When is your wedding?" (Next Year)
"Where will it be?" (Germany and California)
And then a few fun things about how my future husband and I met, just to make it personable.
I tried on 7-10 dresses in the price range I provided her. It was slightly overwhelming and very quick. I wanted more free time with the dresses and it would have been nice to walk around for a few minutes in them. A bride needs to be able to move! All in all, the experience was exciting and very helpful. It really solidified my love for lace! The thing I didn't like was that she picked them out for me. When I shop, I want to do the choosing. I understand their process, but I maybe I would have liked something she didn't think I would like, you know? Additionally, there was no flexibility in going down in price. I see now on their site that they have gorgeous dresses for far less than the 6-8k range I suggested.
Boutique Employees: Simply because a customer says they will pay a price, does not mean they won't be "Wow'd" by something less.
I suggest if you go to Kleinfeld's, you pick a few different materials with which to work. Do a little research before you go too! The day I went was the day Pnina Tornai was having a trunk show. If you do your research, you can see what might be there and ask for it specifically. Alas, I hadn't done my research so luckily Alyssa helped with this and introduced me to this fabulous Israeli designer. Had I chosen the Pnina dress, I would have also received a discount. So this is something to ask about as well.
Pnina Tornai V-Neck Sheath Gown in Lace ($5400 that day only because of an exclusive trunk show)
Another thing to think of before you go dress shopping ANYWHERE, take a notebook. You'll walk away with photos and one or two names, but you won't get the full scope of what you saw or tried on. I have so many photos; but at the end, they only give you the names and prices of your top two favorites. The dress I thought I liked the most actually did not photograph well at all. And a dress I dismissed in the beginning looks amazing in my photos. I wish I would have kept detailed notes. I don't remember these two following designers at all, but they were very unique, sexy, and beautiful!
Beautiful Dress with Visible Boning
Tony Ward makes unbelievably detailed wedding dresses. I believe Maria teared up a little with this one. The lace and flowers and just everything were impeccably done. In the room, it overshadowed everything including me! It was just amazing! The thing that didn't go over so well in the end was that Tony's dress did not at all photograph well on me. The dress was gorgeous, but I was not. Had I purchased this dress, the dress would be getting married and I would be the puppet master. This is another thing to watch out for when trying on dresses. They may look INSANE and beautiful, but do you take over the dress? You have to. You're not in a runway show. The dress should be at 30% and you should be at 70%.
Tony Ward Illusion Sheath Gown in Beaded Lace ($6300 that day). Unfotunately, as gorgeous as this dress was, it did not photograph well at all on me. Where’s my butt?! Where’s my shape?! I’m totally gone!
Mark Zunino had the only high-low wedding dress (at least in my price range) at Kleinfeld's. This was rather disappointing. I really really wanted one of these styles because I’m quite proud of my long legs. Unfortunately, with nothing additional for comparison, I couldn't go with this edgy style in the end. Even though it was not quite suitable for my wedding, his dress was absolutely adorable.
Super cute and super teeny Mark Zunino Sweetheart (~8k that day). Note: this was a sample size worn on the runway, which made me super excited!
Total cost for any alterations of any dress: $700.
Likes:
- The selection was broad. There are a LOT of designers who want their dresses here.
- Alyssa was very helpful, excited, and enthusiastic.
- You can take as many photos as you want!
Dislikes:
- I felt a little awkward pressure at the end. “So, are you ready to say, ‘Yes, to the dress.’?” Hahaha. I need time, woman!
- I think the prices are outrageous and vamped up because of the press the place gets.
- We had to wait in the lobby with a ton of other loud anxious women. There weren’t enough seats. It was quite sloppy for a place that sells such high-end items.
- The dressing room was very small.
- I wasn’t able to view the stock on my own. This was really disappointing.
Photo Dump
I felt like a princess in this mystery dress
Long Greek Dress? I loved it! It would have been perfect. This is the one I would have bought, if I had already had my wedding days. Surprise! You should aim for comfort, in addition to style.