Updated
2024-10-07T20:03:09Z
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Business Insider reporter Samantha Grindell tried on wedding dresses at Kleinfeld.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
I had a mock bridal appointment at Kleinfeld from “Say Yes to the Dress.”
I tried on three gowns ranging in price from just over $2,000 to $7,000.
I was surprised by the dress I liked most, and the experience changed my thoughts on wedding gowns.
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As a wedding reporter at Business Insider, I’m constantly speaking to industry experts about wedding trends.
Among those experts is Marissa Rubinetti, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Kleinfeld in New York.
Kleinfeld is famous for having the largest collection of wedding gowns in the world and for being the salon featured in “Say Yes to the Dress.”
The boutique’s dresses are also pricey. According to the store’s website, its gowns start at around $2,000 and can cost tens of thousands of dollars, with its most expensive gown, designed by Pnina Tornai, retailing for $80,000.
When Rubinetti invited me to see the store and try on dresses, I immediately said yes. Surprisingly, I fell in love with the most affordable dress I saw that day.
I was led to the hallway full of dressing rooms, which looked familiar to me as a “Say Yes to the Dress” viewer.
The fitting rooms at Kleinfeld.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
The dressing rooms are just a few steps away from the main floor where brides model dresses for the people accompanying them to their appointments. Kleinfeld employees refer to them as “entourages.”
Rubinetti told Business Insider that Kleinfeld has standard fitting rooms for brides and consultants and a few VIP rooms for clients where an entire appointment can be conducted.
“If we have a bride that has more than three guests, we’ll put them in a VIP room so that there’s a little bit more space,” she said. “They could get crowded on the floor.”
I was taken to a standard fitting room for my appointment.
My appointment started with a conversation with my consultant before she pulled any gowns for me.
My Kleinfeld consultant, Briar Moroschak.
Samantha Grindell/Business Insider
I worked with Briar Moroschak, who had been working at Kleinfeld for a little over a year when I met with her.
As we settled into the dressing room, I made myself comfortable on a chair in a corner, and Moroschak plopped down on the pedestal in front of the mirror next to me. The vibe was immediately intimate, and I felt like I was talking to a girlfriend rather than a woman I had met mere moments ago as we chatted.
Moroschak told BI that she starts her appointments by asking brides about their wedding venues, their partners’ names, and the vibe they envision for their weddings.
“I just want to talk to you first,” Moroschak said of her approach to brides. “I want to know your personality because your wedding dress is a reflection of who you are at the end of the day.”
Moroschak moves on to ask brides about their visions for their dresses after she gets a feel for who her clients are, chatting through silhouettes and even looking at brides’ Pinterest boards.
Then, it’s finally time to try on gowns. Moroschak and I decided it would be best for me to try on three dresses with different silhouettes and embellishments to experience a range of gowns.
I didn’t expect to like the first dress I tried on: a sleek fit-and-flare gown.
I tried on an Anne Barge gown.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
The Naomi gown designed by Anne Barge was the most affordable dress I tried on at Kleinfeld. It was priced at $2,410 when I visited the bridal store.
The crepe gown had a structured bodice with off-the-shoulder sleeves. Ruching flowed across the gown to give it texture, and a short train flowed from the skirt. Pearl buttons also lined the back of the dress.
The gown was beautiful, but I wasn’t sure I would like it on myself when I saw it on the hanger because it was so simple and looked like it would be tight, which can sometimes make me self-conscious.
I also typically gravitate toward brides who wear lacy, A-line dresses in my work, so I didn’t expect to be blown away by a form-fitting dress.
I was shocked by how much I liked the dress.
The gown was lined with buttons on the back.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
Moroschak immediately showed me why she’s the dress expert, as I felt stunning in the Anne Barge gown.
I loved how secure the structured bodice felt, and the gown hugged my curves in all the right places without feeling too tight on my stomach or hips.
The train elevated the dress, and I loved catching glimpses of the buttons in the back as I inspected the gown.
I felt like I was wearing the dress rather than the other way around, and the simplicity meant we could have fun with accessories, too. Moroschak added a veil embellished with pearls to the look, and I really felt like a bride.
I also got to pair a ring with each gown I tried on.
We paired the dress with a pear-shaped ring.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
Kleinfeld partnered with Zales on a line of lab-grown engagement rings, and I was able to pair a different ring from the collection with each gown I tried on so I could fully transform into a bride-to-be.
I wore a $6,119 two-carat, pear-shaped ring in rose gold with the Anne Barge gown.
Modeling dresses in the showroom was just as fun as it looks on TV.
Modeling the gowns was fun.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
I was a little embarrassed when I first walked out of the dressing room, but I found myself grinning as I walked to my pedestal, making eye contact with other brides and feeling like we were part of a special club.
Although I was mostly focused on seeing how the dress looked in the showroom lighting, the thrill of being one of the Kleinfeld brides on the floor was intoxicating.
The entourage with me during the appointment also made me feel beautiful, channeling the energy I love seeing when I watch “Say Yes to the Dress.”
I’m sure wedding dress shopping is fun in many places, but I quickly saw why Kleinfeld is special.
Next, I tried on an A-line dress from Martina Liana.
I tried on a Martina Liana gown.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
The $3,658 gown was the type of dress I always imagined trying on, so I was thrilled when Moroschak brought it to my dressing room.
The bodice had a square neckline and straps that flowed into a low back, and it was adorned with floral lace.
The full skirt, which was also covered with lace, was created with layers of tulle. The fabric pooled into a train.
As I put the dress on, I noticed Moroschak’s skill with zippers. She got me into each dress without having to use clips to keep the dress together.
The dress was beautiful, but I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.
The gown was trimmed with lace.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
Looking at myself in the dress, I felt less confident than in the first gown.
The dress was stunning, but I thought it hid my figure instead of showing it off like I hoped it would.
The bodice cut off just under my chest, so I looked shorter. My waist was also lost under the full skirt, so the dress became the center of attention instead of me.
I was also surprised by how heavy the gown felt.
The lacy dress was heavy.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
As I was zipped into the dress, I felt the weight of the embroidery and layers of tulle almost immediately.
Before I walked from the dressing room to the floor, Moroschak had to help me gather the dress in my hands so I could walk freely.
I had previously helped friends carry their skirts at their weddings and thought it seemed glamorous. There was a charm to the feeling of carrying a big skirt as I walked, but I could see how it could quickly become tiring and annoying.
The idea of dancing or even walking down an aisle in such a big dress seemed cumbersome. I found myself longing for the light crepe fabric of the Anne Barge gown.
Giddiness swept through me when I put on a tiara with the Martina Liana gown.
I wore a tiara with the look.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
Moroschak wanted to give me the fullest range of bridal looks possible during our appointment, so she paired the A-line gown with a tiara instead of a veil. She picked the Moi et Toi Ranier tiara from Eden Luxe Bridal, which cost $590.
I don’t have many reasons to wear a tiara in my day-to-day life, so putting one on at Kleinfeld felt like an adult version of playing dress-up. The crown made me feel regal, but the veil I had worn before felt more bridal.
Throughout the appointment, Moroschak checked in with me to ensure I felt comfortable and beautiful as we put on each dress.
“The biggest thing is establishing trust with your bride,” she told me. “We need you to leave feeling the best instead of stressed.”
We paired the gown with a more modern ring.
I got to try on another ring with the look.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
I slipped a nearly $10,000 toi-et-moi ring from Kleinfeld and Zales’ collection on my finger as I tried on the A-line dress and marveled as it sparkled under the boutique’s lights. It featured both an oval-shaped diamond and a pear-shaped stone.
Similarly to the tiara, I probably wouldn’t wear such a big ring in my actual life, so having an excuse to put it on excited me.
The final dress I tried on was a strapless ball gown from Pnina Tornai.
The final dress was designed by Pnina Tornai.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
The third gown gave me the opportunity to live out my princess fantasies, as it reminded me of a grown-up version of the gown Mia Thermopolis wears to the ball in “The Princess Diaries.”
The $7,000 dress was from the Pnina Tornai Love Collection. Rubinetti described Tornai as Kleinfeld’s “most important designer,” as she has an exclusive relationship with Kleinfeld. Brides can’t buy her gowns anywhere except for Kleinfeld; the store even has a boutique dedicated to her.
The Pnina Tornai gown I tried on was the most intricate of the three I wore that day. The strapless neckline scooped slightly, and the semi-sheer bodice was covered in lace.
Layers of fabric sat on my hips, giving the skirt volume. It was also embroidered with lace and had a dramatic train, as well as a three-dimensional flower on the waist and a corset tie in the back.
Since the dress made such a statement, we paired it with both a tiara and a veil.
I wore both a veil and a crown with the look.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
Everything about my Pnina Tornai look was over the top, from the gown to the lace veil and the ornate crown.
I also wore it with a 2.5-carat, oval-shaped ring from the Kleinfeld and Zales collection that typically retails for nearly $10,000, which made it feel even grander, as did the $478 Swarovski Crystal Calista tiara from Eden Luxe Bridal.
I was impressed by how much Moroschak knew about the dresses and accessories she put me in. She told me she spends hours studying dresses on Kleinfeld’s website and even tries on gowns at the store when she doesn’t have clients.
The dress was surprisingly supportive.
The corset bodice made the strapless dress stay up.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
I always imagined brides who wore strapless wedding gowns spent their big days pulling their necklines up, but the Pnina gown made me see how that wouldn’t be a problem with a well-made wedding dress.
The corset-style bodice lifted my entire torso so I felt secure. That also seemed to take some weight off the huge skirt, though it still felt really heavy.
Although the gown was more comfortable than I thought it would be, I couldn’t stop thinking about what a big wedding you would have to have to pull off a dress like this.
After trying on all three gowns, I was definitely most drawn to the Anne Barge dress.
I was surprised by the dress I loved.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
Before the appointment, I expected to feel self-conscious in a tight dress, and I thought I would be drawn to full skirts and lace.
But I loved the understated elegance of the Anne Barge gown. The silhouette not only made me feel secure, but the fabric was light and easy to move in. I could easily picture myself dancing and celebrating in a dress like that.
At the same time, I found things I loved about each gown. The lace on the Martina Liana was stunning, and it made me curious about what an A-line dress with a slightly longer bodice would look like on me. The Pnina Tornai dress showed me the benefits of a strapless gown.
The experience also piqued my interest in what a simpler A-line gown would feel like, as it seemed the weight of lace bogged me down more than anything else in both the A-line and ball-gown dresses.
Even though I eat, breathe, and sleep weddings for my job, wearing wedding gowns was a completely different experience than writing about them. I left Kleinfeld feeling grateful I had the opportunity to try on wedding dresses, and it made me even more excited to speak to brides about what they loved about their gowns.
My experience made me see why Kleinfeld is so beloved in the wedding industry.
Kleinfeld really is special.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
I got the bridal treatment from the moment my appointment began at Kleinfeld.
Moroschak ensured I felt confident and taken care of throughout my time trying on gowns, and the supportive energy in the showroom set the tone for the experience.
I saw brides celebrating finding their dream dresses with their families, and their consultants seemed just as excited as they were. It made me smile, both because I was happy for the brides around me and because it felt familiar to what I had seen on countless episodes of “Say Yes to the Dress.”
Moroschak told me she had the same experience when she started working at Kleinfeld.
“This is such an iconic place to work with the show and everything, so when I first started working here, I thought it was going to be not as magical or not the same as the show in any way,” she said. But she said the reality was even better than what she saw on TV.
“The owners are so nice, and they really take care of you. It feels like a small business, but it’s a household name,” she went on to say. “They see this as a family, not an operation.”
Even though I wasn’t really picking out a gown that day, I’m glad I got to see what it was like to be a Kleinfeld bride.
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Source : Business Insider