Why did you pick your gown?

I am absolutely not an impulse shopper, so I was in a state of shock after actually buying the dress. I think I went with my gut; I was really afraid that if I didn’t get that dress,  I would never be able to find anything like it and priced within my budget again. I knew that the material I wanted would be expensive, and I imagined myself comparing every dress I saw afterward to the one I had passed up at Kleinfeld’s. I have seen a few dresses since my Kleinfeld’s purchase, and so far, I was right. I am still attracted to dresses that are very similar to the one I bought, all of which have been well over my budget.

Did you stay within your budget?

I am very happy to say that I stayed within my budget. The tax put me a little over the top, but not enough to worry about. I am a bit concerned that the alterations may cost more than I had anticipated, though.

My mom had really wanted me to look at Kleinfeld for a dress. She grew up in Brooklyn and remembered the store from her childhood. I told her that almost everything the store carried would be over my budget, and  I didn’t want to look at dresses that I couldn’t afford. As luck would have it, I received an email promotion from theknot.com about the sample sale at Kleinfeld, as well as a coupon to be used the day of the sale. I figured that if I was ever going to have a chance of getting a Kleinfeld gown, this was it.   Fortunately, I was right.

What was the hardest part about shopping for a dress?

I think the hardest part was not having my mom and my maid of honor, Liz, there with me, because it would have been nice to share the experience with them. Andrew was fantastic, though, and now we have a great story to tell everyone. It’s funny, because no one is surprised that Andrew was the person I asked to go wedding-gown shopping with me. He is eight years younger than me, so he grew up around me and all my girlfriends. Needless to say, he learned a few things about fashion and shopping. He has a great eye for detail, and he’s a great listener. Andrew knew exactly what I was looking for, and made what could have been a really stressful day a lot of fun.

Did you have any meltdowns?

No meltdowns.

What tips would you give to other brides-to-be?

My advice for gown shopping would be to have an idea of what you want before you go to the store. Look at a lot of pictures and try to notice if there are certain features to which you are consistently drawn.

Have a budget before you go shopping, and ask the salesperson to show you only dresses that are within your budget. Otherwise you are bound to fall in love with something you cannot afford, and who needs the disappointment?

As for everything else, I still have a lot of planning ahead, so I would appreciate advice from other brides-to-be!