For more than 70 years, thousands of brides have traveled to Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City to find their wedding day looks. From the moment you walk through the doors, you’ll feel the magic of Kleinfeld. Not only does Kleinfeld have 30,000 square feet filled with the largest selection of wedding dresses in the world, it also has the greatest professional staff of over 200 employees who are dedicated to finding and perfecting your bridal look.
We always receive questions on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter about how to best shop for a wedding dress. Who better to ask for their top tips and tricks than our expert bridal consultants? We spoke to a few of them and got the scoop on how to make the most out of wedding dress shopping—take a look!
Come prepared.
Do yourself a favor, and try on different wedding dress silhouettes before coming to shop at Kleinfeld, says Bridal & Accessories Consultant, Zoey. This way, you can get a better idea of what you do and don’t like—perhaps you love the way a fit and flare accentuates your curves, but you don’t like the super fitted look of a mermaid style. From there, you’ll feel much more confident and ready to shop for your dream dress, as you’ll have already checked off a few boxes on your list of must haves (and definite no’s).
Be flexible.
When shopping for a wedding dress, and planning a wedding in general, it’s important to be flexible and keep an open mind. “Ignore things that might not go as planned,” says seasoned SYTTD cast member, Debbie. Try on styles you might not love on the hanger, explore designers you might not be aware of (or might not love just by looking at photos), and don’t sweat the small stuff. Who knows—an open mind might mean realizing you actually love a beaded v-neck sheath wedding dress—not a long sleeve lace ball gown like you thought!
Go with your gut.
“Follow your heart when saying yes to the dress and you will never go wrong,” says Dianne . We talk to brides every day who have tried on lots of dresses—sometimes upwards of 50 (!) and they still manage to have one dress on their minds throughout the process that they keep going back to, or a dress they subconsciously compare every other dress to. With that, we always say to go with your gut! It also helps to not try on lots of wedding dresses (even though it might be fun) as it can definitely make decision-making harder.
Only bring your nearest and dearest.
Wedding dress shopping is a very exciting time in your life, and it may be tempting to invite your whole family, your future spouse’s family and close friends to share the experience with you. Believe it or not, shopping with only a small group of your closest confidants is definitely preferred, and consultant James can tell you why—”the more people, the more difficult the decision,”. Think about how many opinions you’ll have to consider (and strong personalities you might have to deal with) if you bring along a large group.=
At this time, due to COVID-19 concerns, we are adhering to a strict 2 person per bride policy at Kleinfeld.
Arrive feeling your best.
“A confident bride is a decisive bride,” consultant Shay likes to say. When you look and feel your best, you’re more likely to picture yourself on your wedding day while trying on wedding dresses, and you’re way more likely to say yes to the dress of your dreams! With that, prepare for your appointment by taking the steps you need to feel like your best self—whether that’s taking a relaxing yoga class the morning of to get in the zone, picking out your favorite outfit, or getting your hair blown out.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR BRIDAL APPOINTMENT
Be present.
Make sure to take lots of photos and videos to remember the special wedding dress shopping experience, but most importantly, give your full, undivided attention to your consultant and finding your dress. Before you know it, it will be over—and we don’t just mean the shopping experience at Kleinfeld. “Coming from a newlywed, relax and live in the moment; it’s going to be over in the blink of an eye,” says Ally, our Pnina Tornai Boutique Manager.
Ready to shop? Make an appointment! Looking to work with any specific consultant? Pro tip: request them by giving us a call at 646.633.4300.
Need more bridal advice? Read our blog!