Why did you pick your gown?
I know this sounds super-cliché, but it was the first one I tried on and was the only dress that brought tears to not only my face, but my family's faces as well (my grandmother from Europe was hysterical). We all agreed, “This is the ONE”! A few nips and tucks need to be done in order to sex it up a bit, but other than that ... it was pretty close to perfect!
Did you stay within your budget?
I totally did, which was a shocker, because usually I tend to be a bit extravagant. For kicks, I asked my rep at Kleinfeld to put me in a really expensive dress, just so I could see how it looks and feels. I’ve got to tell you, it did nothing for me. Not one person was really impressed with it. Whew, thank goodness! Can you imagine if I would have fallen in love with an extravagantly expensive gown? There would be no wedding, just gown!
What was the hardest part about shopping for a dress?
It was such a pleasurable experience, that it wasn’t hard at all. If I had to choose something, it would be trying to make the dress fit exactly how I envision it will fit. I have a little ways to go before my fitting, so we’ll see how that cookie crumbles! With Kleinfeld's amazing reputation, I’m sure my dress will be everything I imagined it to be.
Did you have any meltdowns?
Shopping for the gown … No! That was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. My family was there, the service was amazing, the price was right; it was unbelievable!
Planning the wedding …Yes! I am from New York and very used to a New York-style wedding and most of all wheeling, dealing and negotiating. My wedding is taking place in Sarasota, Fla., so the service is a bit slower, the style is totally different, and negotiating has been almost impossible. I am a control-freak and tend to take the bull by the horns. I am very hands-on, which can be good and bad all at the same time.
With all my vendors in Florida, it is difficult for me to be as hands-on as I anticipated (which makes me crazy). I have to learn to trust that the vendors I’m doing business with will emulate my vision for the wedding. I guess the comfort level just isn’t there … yet. I’m heading down to Sarasota in October to meet with various vendors, go for hair and make-up trials, go for the menu tasting, pick out the linens, etc. I am a nervous wreck and really hope that it all comes together.
I guess I have such a bad taste left in my mouth because the first time my fiance and I visited our wedding location and met with a few people, we were promised the sun, the moon and the stars and came home with no doubts that a destination wedding was the route we were going to take. We felt like we were in good hands. Upon receipt of the contracts, it was a different story. They over-promised, under-delivered and over-charged (in our eyes). Even to this day, everything we request seems to be a battle. I’ve never received a response of “Sure, no problem. You're throwing three significant, expensive events with us, so we’ll be more then happy to throw that in for you!” It’s almost been like, “Let me check with “xyz,” and we’ll get back to you.” And the end result is never what we requested it be. I almost feel like a burden and pain-in-the-neck because I’ve questioned probably everything that was in the contracts.
I’ve read all the bridal magazines (and will continue to until the day of my wedding), and they all say not to feel bad for asking a million questions or requesting what you want. They actually advise you to do so. At the end of the day, it’s your money being spent and your dream coming to life.
We as brides have a right to want to make our wedding perfect (or close to it). I haven’t had a bridezilla moment yet, but there’s still a lot of planning left to do!
What tips would you give to brides-to-be?
- Educate yourself. Don’t settle for anything less than what you want and envision.
- Don’t be afraid to speak up. Your voice is a gift that was meant to be used and heard.
- Don’t assume that people know what you want, because they never do! Always provide pictures and samples of the look you’re trying to achieve. This goes for every aspect of wedding planning, from the dress, to the food, to décor, to lighting, to napkin folds, etc. Others may not notice the “little” details, but you will and this is all about you (and your fiance of course!).
- Have the most fun you can during this process. It may be frustrating at times, but the light at the end of the long-planning tunnel is your eyes meeting with your fiance's as you walk down the aisle. In the end, it will be worth all the hard work (and fun)!
