Modern Brides Take on Family Traditions (and Opinions)

11/20/2009

During the pre-appointment staff meeting, sales directors Joan and Nicole remind the consultants to support the brides in their gown selections while simultaneously trying to get their families onboard with their decisions. As the show goes on, I realize how useful this advice will be.

Susan is breaking with family tradition by not wearing her great-grandmother’s wedding dress. The dress has been worn by more than six people in her family and is 40 years old. However, she knows it doesn’t fit her modern style.

When her family heard the news, her mother Lou, aunt Sue and sister Jey flew from Georgia to New York City for an intervention. (Hmm, aren’t interventions usually saved for extremely inappropriate or illegal behavior?)

Susan tells Keasha she wants to look sexy, elegant, chic and fashion forward … and stay under $4,000. She’s getting married in Mexico, which is another family shocker, since all the other girls have wed in Nashville, Tenn.

Across the floor, Dianne is meeting bride Tiffany, who’s shown up with six people,including her mother, two sisters, two future sister-in-laws and future mother-in-law. Tiffany’s mother, Nancy, really wanted the wedding gown shopping experience to be between the two of them, but it’s not to be, much to her chagrin. I may need popcorn to see how this drama plays out.

Tiffany wanted everyone included, because she’s looking for a diversity of opinions. I’m not sure if she realizes that a) she’s not sending troops off to war and b) too many opinions is like having too many ants. It’s annoying and spoils the picnic.

Tiffany wants a dress with a sweetheart neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves, since she feels her shoulders are too broad. Her mother, Nancy, envisions chiffon cascading down, while her sister Jennifer wants form-fitting and tight. Her other sister, Lori, would like “bling” in her veil or even a tiara. 2004 called -- they’d like the word bling back. Regardless of everyone’s wants, Tiffany’s budget is $2,500.

Keasha calls on fashion director Randy to help her find the perfect dress to reconcile the bride’s contemporary tastes with her family’s more conservative sensibilities. The first dress Susan tries on looks stunning on her. She is clearly excited and says she doesn’t want to take it off. When she walks out to show her family, I can hear the crickets chirping. LOL

Her mother, Lou, is surprised by Susan’s reaction to the gown. “I’ve never seen her look not only happy, but she glowed,” she says. However, she still wants Susan to wear a more traditional wedding gown. (I learn that in the South, when you don’t like something, you say, “How lovely.” How polite.) Dress No. 1 is labeled “lovely” by the family and Susan returns to the dressing room to try on yet another dress.

When Tiffany comes out in the first gown, the groom’s sister, Dianna, cuts Nancy off to offer her opinion. Apparently she’s not “wowed.” The group continues to offer their collective opinions while her mother looks miserable. “It would’ve been nice if Tiff had turned around and looked at me first and asked me what I thought. But she’s marrying into a family and she’s going to look to everyone,” says Nancy. Huh? What does that mean?

The second dress Susan tries on is more traditional and conventional. “She did not carry herself as well as she did with the first dress,” concedes her mother. Susan thinks the gown is “lovely” and “too sweet.” Randy asks if she wants to be sexier; when Susan says yes, the look on her mother’s face is priceless. I laugh as Randy says, “I saw women fainting on the couches behind me. I thought I was going to need my smelling salts.” According to Lou, “The way we were brought up, you didn’t put the word “sexy” along with a wedding dress.”  A certain part of me wishes more people were like Lou, with a strong sense of what constitutes inappropriate behavior, but I digress.

Downstairs, Suzanne is in for her first fitting along with her mother, grandmother and future mother-in-law. She’s only met Joyce twice before, so she’s trying to get to know her. While they wait for Suzanne to come out, Joyce thanks the family for including her.

While Tiffany tries on the second gown, consultant Dianne notices that Nancy is taking notes like a stenographer. Tiffany is irritated by her mother’s note-taking and wants her to engage in the process more. Nancy explains that she’s taking notes so that when Tiffany asks her opinion later, she has extensive notes to show her. HUH?!

The third gown Susan tries on mixes traditional and modern elements and has a long, flowing chiffon bottom. She says it makes her think of Ginger Rogers, but that isn’t necessarily a good thing in her eyes. Her mom agrees that it is too “ballgowny” for a wedding.

Susan asks to try on the first dress again. “I can’t stop smiling when I have it on,” she says. Apparently, her family needed to convince them that this was THE dress to see Susan with an updo and a veil.

Downstairs Suzanne is revealing her gown to her future mother-in-law for the first time. Joyce thinks the gown and Suzanne look beautiful. Alterations manager Vera checks in to make sure everything is OK and asks Suzanne what jewelry she’ll wear. Suzanne doesn’t want to wear any, but Joyce takes matters into her own hands and goes to find her a necklace. After trying the pearl necklace on, Suzanne realizes it looks great and isn’t “too much with the dress.” Joyce asks if she will accept it as a gift, which leaves Suzanne surprised and touched by the kind gesture.

Tiffany is trying on dress No. 3 and wondering why her mother has been uncharacteristically quiet. Dianne attempts to engage Nancy by soliciting her opinion, but Nancy wants no parts of it. While Tiffany and the rest of the group love the third dress, Nancy is decidedly not feeling it.

I have no idea what family dynamics are playing out, but I do find it inappropriate when sister-in-law Dianna openly discounts Nancy’s opinion as not counting. Despite her mother being against her getting the gown Tiffany decides to say yes to the dress.

On her wedding day, Suzanne looks radiant.

 

 

 

Style vs. Budget: Sometimes Something Has to Give

11/13/2009

 

Director of Sales Nicole opens the show by reminding the consultants to follow the brides’ style selection and budget. “Some brides’ taste level exceeds their budget, but it is ultimately up to the consultant to decipher which one is going to take precedence. Is it going to be the budget? Or style?”

 

Audrey’s first appointment, Jessica, brought her fiancé, Danny, with her since she doesn’t have any superstitions regarding him seeing her in the gown beforehand -- he probably won’t remember anyway. They met nine months ago at a club. According to Jessica, it hasn’t been an easy road that she’s taken in deciding to marry Danny, primarily because he’s 24 and she’s 29. On top of the age difference, which I personally don’t think is that big, he has a daughter and she has three kids. In spite of the circumstances, things seemed to fall into place for them at the right time.

 

Jessica is looking for something form-fitting with tulle and lots of glittering details. In her first wedding, her gown only cost $100, so she wants this to be her dream wedding. Audrey asks Danny what he’d like to see Jessica in, but she interrupts him. “He wants something our daughter can wear one day. I want something that she’ll say, ‘Mom, what were you thinking?’”

 

Knockout wedding gowns can present a challenge at a $5,000 budget, according to Audrey. The first dress Jessica tries on is beautiful AND over-the-top with roses on the skirt, but she thinks it’s too monochromatic with her hair and complexion. “I look like a butterscotch sundae,” she says. Danny doesn’t like anything about it.

 

On the main floor, Dianne and Randy meet Courtnee, who’s been searching for a gown for a long time. She likes A-line dresses with sweetheart necklines and lace details. Her budget is $4,500 and she would ideally like to spend less, since her godmother will be paying for half.

 

The first dress Courtnee tries on is a no-go. I’m on the floor laughing at her aunt’s description of it. “The lace was too busy. It looked like someone got a fan, put some feathers in front of it and then splattered it all over her body,” says Aunt Staci. Courtnee rejects the second gown for being too plain.

 

Dianne pulls a dress that is almost double Courtnee’s budget, but according to fashion director Randy, Dianne realizes that Courtnee’s taste level far exceeds her budget. Dianne wants to show her that dress last, as Courtnee may find something she likes more for less.  

 

The second dress Jessica tries on is a hit with Danny, but he knows his bride-to-be is not happy. Audrey enlists Nicole’s help, since she’s shown Jessica the most elaborate gown she has at her budget. Nicole asks Jessica if she’d be willing to buy the third dress without so much beading, as it would help drop the price from $8,800 to closer to $5,000. But Nicole says no; the beading is what she loves about the gown.

 

Dress No. 3 is a hit with Courtnee, thanks to the lace and $3,300 price tag. Her family also loves the way it looks on her. Although Courtnee likes the dress, she doesn’t love it and thinks it’s “too safe.”

 

Fiancé Danny knows which dress Jessica really wants and shows it to Nicole and Audrey. According to Nicole, gowns by Kleinfeld’s exclusive designer, Pnina Tornai, start at $5,900 and go up to $40,000. However, this is the gown Jessica has been dreaming about. She admits to not asking for the dress initially because it is twice her budget, but also realizes she’s not going to be happy with anything else. I personally can’t believe that gown costs $10,400.

 

Her fiancé tells her they should push the wedding back a year since the dress is so over budget, which does not sit well with Jessica. The lowest price Nicole can offer is $8,800, which is still too high. Audrey suggests that Danny and Jessica take a moment to talk. Jessica decides to wait six months and then come back for the dress. She doesn’t want to feel like she compromised on her wedding day.

 

According to Audrey, Jessica wanted everything without sacrificing anything, and it’s not a happy ending when you put yourself in that position.

 

Downstairs in alterations, it’s not about the design but the color. Bride Jasleen is Indian, so a white wedding gown is out of the question due to cultural mores. In Indian culture, the color white is associated with funerals, according to the bride. Traditionally, wedding gowns are a deep, red color and the veil has heavy embroidery.

 

Jasleen was on “Say Yes to the Dress” previously, looking for gowns that could be dyed. She’d found a gown but wanted to make sure the shade of red used would be appropriate. While consultant Carmel was looking for red swatches to show her, she ran into designer Pnina, who was less than pleased that the dress Jasleen was about to buy was such a close approximation of one of her designs. She was so outraged that she had found a $6,700 copycat gown for Jasleen and dropped the price to $5,000 to fit her budget.

 

Now Jasleen is back to see her dress in red for the first time. OMG, it is even more beautiful in the deep, jeweled red.

 

The fourth dress is a hit with Courtnee and her family, although it’s over her budget by a considerable amount. Even with Dianne discounting it to $6,600, Courtnee is hesitant to spend so much money, even though she loves the gown. Her family offers to make up the difference, and she decides to get it.

 

Jasleen looks absolutely stunning on her evening wedding ceremony, and the beautiful diamond jewelry around her neck isn’t bad either.

 

Fiancés in the Dressing Room

11/06/2009

There’s a new trend in wedding gown shopping: instead of the bride and her mother shopping for a dress, it’s the bride and her fiancé.  According to Joan, director of sales, “It does change the dynamics of the whole appointment.” Fashion director Randy says it’s due to a change in mind-set. “It’s the couples’ wedding, not just the bride’s wedding.” I’m wondering whatever happened to not letting the groom see the gown until you’re walking down the aisle?

 

Consultant Keasha is helping Jennifer and her fiancé, Dennis. Jennifer already has a wedding gown, which she feels she was pressured into buying by her mom and Dennis’ mother. Jennifer wants something with more pizzazz, since the dress she has now is “just plain-Jane boring.”

Neither set of parents know the couple is shopping for a new gown. Jennifer would like to pay $3,000, but is willing to pay a bit more for a gown she falls in love with. She wants something more elaborate and exquisite to go with her fairytale wedding.

The first dress is summarily dismissed by Dennis, because although he can’t pinpoint why exactly, the dress makes her figure look odd. I may have to revise my opinion of fiancés helping pick out the wedding dresses; he is completely right about the fit of the dress.

Across the floor, consultant Sarah is meeting Lisa and her mother. Although her fiancé was supposed to be there, he got called into work but will try and make it. Hmm, she feels she can’t make a decision without him? 

Lisa wants a dress that’s her, but isn’t sure what that means. Since she performs in musicals, she does not want anything too “costume-y.” Her budget is $6,000.

The first dress is rejected because of the sparkled bodice, but the fitting is still a very emotional experience for both her and her mom, as it’s the first wedding gown Lisa  has tried on.

Meanwhile, Jennifer’s second gown is nixed as being too revealing and the third is considered too “prom-y.” With three strikes, Keasha tries a new strategy: getting Dennis really involved in the selection. She takes the couple to the stockroom to see if they can find something.

I giggle when Dennis says, “Crinoline, taffeta, ruching … Oh my God, what am I in for here?” The couple is flustered and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of gowns. By the time director of sales Nicole shows up to help, Dennis looks so relieved that I half expect him to kiss the ground. Nicole is confident she has the perfect dress for Jennifer.

In another part of the store, Lisa awaits the arrival of her fiancé, John. Although Lisa feels “stunning” in the second dress, she’s sure John won’t like the top. This is the third time she’s said she can’t make a decision without him.

The third dress makes Lisa’s mother tear up. As Lisa is showing off the fourth dress to her mother, her fiancé walks in. According to John, Lisa always gets compliments on the clothes he picks out for her. He vetoes the dress and Lisa immediately goes to try on another one.

Keasha and Nicole help Jennifer into wedding dress No. 4. Dennis thinks it’s such a gorgeous gown, he gets on one knee to propose again. Nicole thinks it’s special that Jennifer has gone out of her way to make him happy. 

Down in alterations, bride Kate has arrived with her father and grandmother, excited to see her dream dress. Earlier in the year, she and her girlfriend went to the Kleinfeld sample sale, where she found her dream dress -- even though she wasn’t engaged yet. Ironically, five days after the purchase, her boyfriend proposed to her. Kate is not pleased with the alterations. She wants more material added to the hip area to create more fullness.

Lisa retries dress No. 3 to show her fiancé; keep in mind this is the dress her mother loved. John thinks it looks like something that should be on a table. Lisa tries the second dress on again, which she loved but was concerned that John wouldn’t like the ruching on the bodice. She is correct in her analysis; he doesn’t. I’ve never dated a man who would even know what ruching is or care.

Consultant Sarah finds it sad, since she could tell Lisa really loved the gown. Sarah recommends they both sit down and figure out what they both would like in a gown and then come back.

It’s been four months since Jennifer bought the “risky dress.” Now she’s in alterations worrying that the risky dress is too risqué. She’s not sure it was such a good idea, as the wedding day will be the first time her mother sees the gown.

She thinks more material should be added to the see-through midriff, so she’s not showing skin. Jennifer is worried about her stomach showing, but her friend Lesley think it’s just nerves. Jennifer drops the bombshell that she thinks she may be pregnant to Lesley. Since no one will know she’s pregnant, Jennifer is worried her guests will just think she is a “fat bride.” LOL

Kate is back for another fitting and is completely pleased with the way the gown looks.

On her wedding day, Jennifer anxiously awaits her mother’s reaction to her wedding gown. Her mother absolutely loves it, and with her blessing, Jennifer is one happy bride as she walks down the aisle. During the wedding reception, the happy couple surprises everyone with the announcement that Jennifer is pregnant.

Mother-Daughter Dynamics Bring a Train of Emotions to Dress Shopping

10/30/2009

With a busy day ahead, Joan, director of sales at Kleinfeld’s, reminds the consultants of the special bond between mothers and daughters. “Mother-daughter dynamics to me can be one of the most difficult situations, because we know nothing about their relationship.”  She suggests the consultants try and be as kind and understanding as they can to make it a much better experience for everyone. I start chuckling at some of the looks on the consultants’ faces. The words “you gotta be kidding me” come to mind in several cases.

 

Bride-to-be Tameka says her mother, Gladys, is a very opinionated woman who is used to getting her own way. Her mother wants a VERY long train on the gown, but it’s not what the bride envisions herself wearing. Tameka wants something simpler, with some beading and in the $2,500 price range.

 

“I get to pay for the dress, which is why I wanted her to give me a little more say about what she’d like to wear,” says Gladys. The bride doesn’t want a long train, because she plans on wearing the gown the whole night and wants to be able to dance and move. Dianne’s challenge is to please the bride, satisfy the mother and not break the bank.

 

The first dress is not a hit with either the bride or her mother. Tameka has no idea why her mother is fixated on the long train and wants Gladys to try and compromise, since it is “her day.”

The second dress actually makes Gladys scrunch her face and turn away in horror. I can’t stop laughing at the overreaction. While acknowledging her mother’s feelings, Tameka is fully vested in making sure her wishes are met.

 

Karen has brought her stepmother, sister and good friend to help her choose a gown. Unfortunately, her mother passed away six months before. She gets very emotional while talking about it, and I can feel my heart going out to her. She is looking for a classy, elegant dress and would like to stay at $2,500.

 

Karen does not like the tulle skirt on the first dress she tries on and never makes it out of the dressing room. The second dress she tries on has an unusual cut-out back. Karen seems to like the dress, so she goes out to show it to her family. They tactfully let her know that this is not the dress.

 

Back in the dressing room, Karen rejects a slew of gowns without even trying them on. Consultant Debbie realizes it is going to be a difficult appointment. 

 

Although dress No. 3 has a 4-foot train, mom Gladys wants it longer. Tameka is appalled, as she feels it’s too long already. I start chuckling at Gladys’ reaction to her daughter saying the train is too long. She actually clutches her face and looks at Tameka in a who-ARE-you?! kind of way.

 

Dianne suggests a long, cathedral veil in an effort to reach a compromise. When Gladys asks if she can pick out some gowns, Dianne is left with no choice but to agree. Dianne explains there are two designers who do 6-foot-long trains. The problem is she has shown their dresses to Tameka, and she doesn’t like them.

 

Despite the plethora of dresses shown to her, Karen still isn’t sure. She’s finding it very hard to shop for a dress, since her mother isn’t there and she always imagined her mother being there to help. Karen rejects the third dress she tries on because she finds the skirt to be too plain. Debbie thinks she is trying to shop for a gown too soon after her mother’s death. 

 

Gabrielle is downstairs for her first fitting after giving birth. She ordered her dress in a smaller size two months after her daughter was born, anticipating losing all her baby weight. The weight hasn’t come off four months later, so if the dress doesn’t fit, she will have to buy another one.

 

Once the dress is on, it looks good on her, but all Gabrielle sees is her fat stomach. Although her mother and sister think she looks beautiful, Gabrielle is not convinced – she worries she looks like a “gut girl.” Fashion director Randy is called in to reassure her. He tells her the neckline is beautiful on her as is the ruching around the stomach, which helps create a beautiful silhouette. He also points out that her fiancé loves her the way she is, which helps Gabrielle feel better.

Upstairs, bride Tameka and mom Gladys are equally determined to each get her way. Tameka takes one look at the dresses her mother has picked and vetoes them. “All I could think was, oh my gosh, I’m going to wind up getting this dress I don’t want, with this long train and feeling uncomfortable. How can I get out of this?”

 

Karen finally comes out in dress No. 4, which she initially liked. However, as she begins to show it to her family, Karen realizes it is way too soon to try and shop for a wedding gown without her mother. She leaves with no dress.

 

The fourth dress Tameka tries on barely has a train, but she loves it. Her mother? Not so much. Dianne has added a very long veil in an effort to please Gladys. Gladys wants Tameka to at least try on one of her picks. Although she really doesn’t want to try on any more gowns, Tameka acquiesces in an attempt to “make my mom happy.” She hates the dress she tries on and says it makes her look like a lounge singer, although her mom thinks she looks darling. I have to agree with Tameka -- it’s not the best look for her frame.

 

Dianne helps her try on the dress she loved again and coaches her to speak up if she really likes it. Although Gladys is not happy and would not have picked this dress, she ultimately realizes her daughter is thrilled. Plus, Tameka is willing to compromise by wearing a very long veil instead.

 

Back in the alterations department, Gabrielle is back to try on her dress again. She’s spent the past two weeks dieting and exercising and has lost 10 to 12 pounds. The hard work pays off, as she looks fantastic in her gown and is finally satisfied.

 

On her wedding day, she looks amazing and the groom is obviously thrilled with his bride.

One Wedding, Too Many Dresses

10/23/2009

 

A big challenge for consultants is helping the “reselection” bride, i.e. someone who buys a wedding gown and then starts to wonder if she’s bought the right dress. In these cases, consultants should try and get to the root of what’s bothering the bride, says Joan, director of sales at Kleinfeld’s.

 

After buying a wedding dress, Sarah has decided she hates it and is shopping for a “glamorous” gown with Keasha’s help.  Her previously purchased gown feels too young and is a bit too flashy for her. She says it was “really an impulse buy.” I can see shoes or maybe a coat being an impulse buy, but a wedding gown? With Sarah’s wedding a month away, the pressure is on Keasha to help her find the perfect dress. Her budget is between $3,000 and $5,000.

 

Sarah has done some homework on the dresses she likes, which should theoretically make Keasha’s job easier. Of course it’s not that simple, since the pictures Sarah has brought with her are of two completely different styles of gown.

Downstairs in alterations, Meghan is in for her first fitting and is horrified that the dress they are putting her in is not the dress she picked. She bought a dress with a sweetheart neckline, and this one does not have it. With her wedding two weeks away, she is having a bit of a panic attack. Vera, the alterations manager, swears the dress doesn’t come with a sweetheart neckline. Since Meghan insists it does, the situation is turning into a bit of a tussle. Regardless of who is right, I think the dress looks horrible on her.

 

Upstairs, Keasha is helping Sarah into her first pick, which looks absolutely gorgeous on her. As soon as she comes out, Sarah’s family agrees.

 

Kelly is looking for a wedding gown, even though she’s found three in another store. “I’m not convinced about those three dresses on hold. I’ve been a tomboy all my life, so these girly wedding dresses are something new for me,” she says.

 

Consultant Jessica starts by asking Kelly where the wedding will be and what she’s looking for in her gown. Unfortunately, Kelly can’t provide any guidance for Jessica. With a budget of $5,000, Jessica is left to pull four different gowns to see if anything strikes Kelly’s fancy.

 

The first dress, a ball gown style, is roundly rejected by Kelly’s family. The second dress is dismissed as being “too girly” for her. According to Kelly’s mom, Shelley, “On someone else it may be beautiful, but not on Kelly.” Wow, thanks Mom for the self-esteem boost.

 

Jessica says that going wedding-gown shopping with a big, opinionated group in tow can be tough. Sometimes friends come along who can be cranky -- because they’re not the ones getting married.

 

Downstairs, Vera is conceding that Meghan is in fact right about the sweetheart neckline, after she went on the designer’s Web site and found the gown. This is a bit of a hollow victory for Meghan, as she will need to come back another day for her fitting.

 

The second dress Sarah tries on is beautiful and has the wow factor, but I personally feel it’s too much boobage for a wedding gown. Apparently, her family agrees with me. They tell her that although the dress is beautiful, the other one was much more elegant. Her future brother-in-law even goes so far as to say that with the other dress he noticed her pretty face as opposed to her breasts.

 

Sarah is torn between the two gowns. I’m amused, since she says she wants glamorous but is once again going for a flashy wedding gown. She can’t afford to make another costly mistake, so she tries on the first gown again to make sure. After a bit of hesitation, Sarah realizes that it is indeed the perfect dress for her.

After several tries, dress No. 4 is a hit with Kelly. Her face lights up and she starts smiling. “I feel like a bride,” she says. Unfortunately, the rest of her group doesn’t share her enthusiasm.

 

When her mom asks if she really likes the gown, in a tone usually reserved for “You like eating garbage?”, all the color drains out of Kelly’s face. I gasp when one of her bridesmaids, Renay, says, “Even though Kelly did come out in a dress she loved, we just knew it wasn’t it.”

 

By dress No. 5, Kelly is frustrated and Joan steps in. She suggests that Kelly come back another day so that she can try on dresses with a fresh perspective.

 

In an oh-no-you-didn’t moment, Shelley interjects with, “I don’t know if we’ll come back.” When Joan asks if there was a problem, Shelley responds that she hasn’t seen anything there that she couldn’t find five minutes from her home. Her daughter looks mortified at this point. I’m thinking my mother is right when she says, “You can’t teach class.”

 

“I didn’t get the idea that they were connecting with Kelly. That they were putting her in what she wanted to be put in,” says Shelley. Actually I disagree, but that’s a whole other blog.

 

“It’s about Kelly. It’s always about the bride. She is never going to get what she wants unless she speaks up. It’s so sad to me, watching everyone tear her apart,” says Jessica.

 

Kelly heads to New Jersey empty-handed, where she eventually buys one of the three dresses she had on hold.

 

Just a few days before her wedding, Meghan is back for a fitting and hoping everything is OK. The gown looks perfect to her, and she’s even best friends with Vera.

 

On Sarah’s wedding day, she looks radiant and classy.

Every Bride Wants to Achieve “Her” Vision

10/16/2009

 

Every bride has an image of her dream wedding in her mind, whether she’s been thinking of her wedding day since she was a little girl or since her engagement day. Joan, the director of sales, reminds the staff to do their best to find the dress that fulfills each bride’s dreams.

 

Dianne’s first client, Magdalonie, has brought an army of bridesmaids to help her fulfill her vision. Her best friend, Oyin, promises to be “brutal” with her opinions, since she wants Magdalonie to look magnificent on her day.

 

Magdalonie is looking for a traditional Cinderella ball gown, complete with a long train and tiara. She plans on alighting from a horse-drawn carriage, so she wants everything to fit the theme. She is looking for two dresses: one for the wedding and one for the reception. Magdalonie wants both dresses to be strapless and have sequins, but the reception dress should be sexier and allow her to move freely on the dance floor. She is willing to spend up to $5,000 on the wedding gown and $2,500 on the reception gown.

 

The first dress she tries on is roundly rejected by her friends, even before she steps up on the pedestal. The consensus is that it’s too plain and making her butt look “Mother Hubbard.”  I’m guessing that is NOT a good thing. Fashion director Randy explains that a lot of times brides focus on one particular silhouette or style, but once they try it on, they realize it doesn’t flatter them.

 

Michele has brought her mother, fiancé and aunt to help her find the perfect gown. In 2007, she was diagnosed with lymphoma. The chemotherapy caused her to gain 50 pounds, and she’s tried on at least 75 dresses without feeling wowed.

 

She’s looking for a classic look for about $1,500. She wants to stay away from big, poufy dresses, since she feels they will just make her look larger. Consultant Keasha invites Michele and her fiancé, Adam, to help her look for a gown as a team effort.

 

According to her mother, Patricia, the “problem is that a lot of the dresses are built for thin girls.” One of Michele’s biggest frustrations is that a majority of the gowns she likes don’t even come in her size for her to try on. She thinks the gowns for larger women are very frumpy.

 

Dianne keeps helping Magdalonie try on different dresses, but the bride isn’t feeling any of the gowns. Dianne thinks she will eventually want something sexier than the ball gown look.  Magdalonie says the dresses are making her look fat. Well, yes. Unless you are 5 foot 10 or above and weigh 2 pounds, that’s what the Cinderella ball gown makes you look like.

 

Finally, the sixth try-on brings signs of progress, and Magdalonie heads out to show her friends dress No 2. Although the dress has a beautiful train and her friends all think it’s a 10, Magdalonie isn’t convinced. I have to agree with her; although it is a beautiful dress, it doesn’t make her look amazing.

 

Meanwhile, Michele comes out in her first dress. The dress has a very pretty silk organza top, but everyone thinks it’s too plain. Although Keasha is limited by style, size and budget, she’s not willing to give up. Interesting factoid: Manufacturers charge more for plus-size gowns because more fabric is used for the garment, according to Randy.

 

According to Keasha, “Michele wants a couture gown, but not at a couture price.” The second gown is also a no-go.

 

Downstairs, Debbie shows up to see her gown before the first fitting. She’s only lost 8 pounds, but the dress looks huge on her and she’s panicking. This seems a bit silly to me, as the alterations department has three months to fix the dress. Then again, who knows if I would spit out pea soup, a la Linda Blair in <i>The Exorcist</i>, given the same circumstances?

 

The third gown is the charm for Michele. It is a beautiful dress that makes her look like a Greek goddess. The gown is $2,100, which is more than what Michele initially budgeted for, but she doesn’t mind paying extra since it is “her dress.”

 

For the moment, Dianne has struck out with finding the perfect ball gown for Magdalonie, so she’s moved on to the reception dress. The first dress she tries on finally puts a smile on her face and is a hit with all her friends. All she needs now is the wedding gown.

 

Randy thinks the reception dress is perfect for Magdalonie. “I don’t even know if you need a first dress. I wouldn’t take this off,” he says. He admits later he should not have made that statement, since he could’ve potentially cut Dianne’s commission.   

 

Back downstairs, Nitsa, the director of alterations, reassures Debbie that her dress will fit like a glove on her wedding day.

 

Dianne has Magdalonie try on the second dress again. Unfortunately, she just doesn’t feel the same joy she did with her reception gown. Her friends tell her it’s important for her to be ecstatic about the dress. Magdalonie leaves with only one gown and the determination to find her “dream ball gown, even if I have to go from here to Canada.”

 

On Debbie’s wedding day, she’s full of praise for Kleinfeld’s alterations department. “The dress is everything I wanted it to be.”

 

Got a Wedding Question? Ask Carley?

10/13/2009

 
Post your wedding etiquette questions for Carley Roney, Editor-In-Chief of The Knot. She'll be answering questions from TLC viewers, so here's your chance to ask everything you've ever wanted to know!

Got a question? Leave a comment.

Sometimes It’s About Confidence, Not the Dress

10/09/2009

Confidence, or the lack thereof is the focus of tonight's episode. Nicole, Kleinfeld's director of sales, reminds the consultants how overwhelming looking for a dress can be for brides. The consultants should remember to instill confidence in their customers and make them feel comfortable with their purchase.

Heather has come up from North Carolina with three of her bridesmaids to find a wedding gown. Her mother couldn't make the trip and Heather is an only child, so I foresee a lot of hand-holding in Keasha's near future. Heather is looking for a classic, form-fitting gown and is willing to spend up to $5,000. Keasha is amazed when Heather confides that she's recently lost 120 pounds! Seeing her now, I can barely believe she was once heavy. Heather, however, is still not used to her new look.

The first dress looks good on Heather, especially when the sash is added, which emphasizes her small waist. Her bridesmaids are lukewarm about the gown, however, and start offering their opinions. Immediately, I can see Heather's self-confidence begin to plummet.

Bride-to-be Meredith confesses that she doesn't know what she's looking for in a dress. This complicates Audrey's job a bit, since she has to figure out which dresses to show Meredith without having any guidelines. Meredith would like to spend between $3,000 and $4,000 and although "she doesn't know what she wants, she doesn't want to make searching for a dress a stressful experience."

The first dress is a definite no, with her sister Michele opining that "she needs more fullness at the hips." Ouch!

I agree with the bridesmaids -- the top on Heather's second dress isn't great. It actually makes her look drab. Heather says she'd like simplicity in her dress, so Keasha puts her in a very simple gown.  "It really feels like a nightie," says Heather, and with that comment, we have strike No. 3.

Getting a Wedding Dress at the Last Minute

10/03/2009

The morning starts off with a staff meeting headed by the director of sales, Joan. Although brides may come into the store at the last minute to get a wedding dress, she explains, those challenges can and should be overcome. Her pep talk couldn’t have come at a better moment, since tonight’s episode is all about brides trying to find dresses with very little time to spare.

First up is Michelle Duggar from 18 Kids and Counting, with her husband, Jim Bob, and their entire family. Michelle needs a dress for her 25th wedding anniversary, at which time the couple plan to renew their vows. They think it would be special for Michelle to have her own wedding gown, as she borrowed her mother-in-law’s when she first got married.

Debbie has her work cut out for her. Michelle will be renewing her vows in three weeks and wants a dress that hides her baby tummy and has a high neckline so that when she leans over it’s not “peek-a-boo.” Michelle calls this “modern modest,” and it’s a challenge considering the style of most gowns and the time constraint. I personally think that once you have 18 kids, with another on the way, your neckline is the least of your worries.

Beatriz has tried on 100 dresses so far, and she’s down to the wire since she’s moving from New York City to a little island in Europe, which has no bridal boutiques, in a month.

By her own admission, Beatriz is very meticulous and has researched a lot of wedding gowns, so she’s able to hand Camille a list of 40 dresses, all priced within her budget of $4,000. Unfortunately, the list lacks a theme, as she has various styles in it. Since the appointment is for an hour and a half, it is also too long.  She would have to try on a dress every 2.5 minutes to get through all of them, according to fashion director Randy, who’s been pulled in to help.

Dancing Around Dress Decisions

09/25/2009

Bride-to-be Bernadette has been shopping solo for months in her quest to find “her” dress. She’s meeting with Kleinfeld bridal consultant Sarah to see if she can finally find the perfect gown. Bernadette is, in her mother’s words, “headstrong.”  

When Sarah asks what she’s looking for in a gown, Bernadette responds by giving her a long list of what she doesn’t like. This list includes big ball gowns, lace, pickup skirts and anything too plain. Bernadette wants to stay under $5,000, since her mother is paying for the gown.

Her mother, Cathy, says she won’t go shopping with her daughter anymore because it is too nerve-racking. As soon as Sarah walks in with some gowns, Bernadette says she won’t even try on the first gown because she doesn’t like separate skirts. I understand having an idea of what you don’t like, but at least try things on before rejecting them. After Sarah helps her put on another gown, she complains that she doesn’t like satin because it “feels too heavy.” Hmmm, I think this is going to be a long day for Sarah.

On the other side of the store, Keasha is helping Marcie, who admits to being “all over the place” when it comes to dresses. Her preference is for strapless gowns with sweetheart necklines. She also likes the gowns to be fitted through the waist. So far she’s tried on close to 100 gowns and wants to keep her budget at $5,000. Her future mother-in-law, Michelle, politely describes Marcie as confused.

Although Marcie has been walking around with a picture of a particular gown for months, she is unsure whether that really is the right dress for her.

Bernadette is trying on dresses she’s tried on before and not liked. We also discover that she doesn’t like belts. I’m with Sarah when she says, “It’s like working backwards. Why try on these dresses that you know you’re not going to like?”

Sarah decides to call in fashion director Randy to help. Randy asks Bernadette what she likes and what her price point is. Bernadette is still not clear about what she likes. She wants something that expresses her personality, but doesn’t tell Randy what that is. He then asks Cathy what she wants to spend. Although they both responded under $5,000, when Randy delves a little more, he discovers that under $5,000 really means $3,000 to the mom.

As Randy says, that’s a big discrepancy in price and something does seem weird about the situation. He suspects Bernadette may already have a dress but goes searching for gowns nonetheless.

Marcie’s second dress is a winner with everyone, but she is still unsure because she is comparing it to the Vineyard dress in her mind.

Next, she tries on a Vineyard dress and finally decides it’s the one. Personally, I thought the second gown was more becoming on her, but it’s not my wedding.