Weddingbee Blog

(source)

I didn’t really know where to start looking for a dress. The internet is a great resource, and I got my hands on every magazine I could, but I had no idea how to begin trying on dresses and finding the right one.

My mom, with the best of intentions, made an appointment for us to go check out Kleinfeld in Manhattan. You can read about how I prepared for my first appointment here. In addition, I started watching Say Yes to the Dress in anticipation. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that helped. I was not looking forward to my first appointment because I thought of myself as a little more low-key than many of the brides that they feature.

When I arrived, they set me up with a sales associated named Erika (I liked her right away :)). She was the perfect fit for me. She had no desire to be on the show, just to help me find the right dress. She was attentive, and extremely helpful as I tried on dress after dress.

When we went back the second time, Erika was our consultant again. I was nervous because we had such a big group, but once again, she assuaged my fears, and helped me ultimately find my dress. If you want a giant selection, you can conveniently get to New York City, and you are not on a tight budget (or you are, but you just would like to see a bazillion dresses), Kleinfeld’s is a great place to start.

A note about finding the dress: I love my dress, and I am very much looking forward to wearing it, but I did not seem to have that moment like many brides (at least on TV) have. This dress was the right one for me, and I like my family would have been brought to tears no matter which dress I tried on first, because it was the reality of seeing me in a wedding dress! Similarly to Miss Buttons, I was not overwhelmed with emotion, but I do love my dress.

A last word on shopping for your dress. You need be comfortable when you are shopping. If you are not a good fit with the salon or with the sales associate, you will not have a good experience. I consider myself lucky to have had such a great experience, but you have to do what feels right for YOU!

And just for giggles, because it will be a while before you see her again, my dress!

I think I might have been caught in the veil here…

(personal photo)

What’s your best advice for wedding dress shopping?