For more than 70 years, thousands of brides have traveled to Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City to find their wedding day looks. From the moment you walk through the doors, you’ll feel the magic of Kleinfeld. Not only does Kleinfeld have 30,000 square feet filled with the largest selection of wedding dresses in the world, it also has the greatest professional staff of over 200 employees who are dedicated to finding and perfecting your bridal look.
Photo Credit: Jose Villa
We get asked all the time on our Facebook and Instagram for advice on what to know before getting married. And we thought—who better to ask than our very own past Kleinfeld brides? We got the scoop on what our brides wish they knew before tying the knot—find out, below.
Prioritize certain aspects for a great experience.
Many brides agreed—a great wedding formula is simple, and prioritizing certain aspects will make for an amazing, unforgettable experience. Invest in delicious food, a highly skilled photographer (a wedding is only as good as the photos to remember it by), a bumpin’ DJ (with some great song recommendations), and last but not least, a really special and meaningful honeymoon to seal the deal. “If these 4 things work, you’ll have the best time of your life,” promises bride Benca.
Make sure to work out every detail with your vendor before hand, so they don’t skip over the small details (photographer), time frame deliverables
Wear comfortable shoes.
You might really want to wear those gorgeous 5 inch heels that match your dress perfectly and give you some height—our brides say to seriously rethink this. “Please wear comfortable shoes!” says bride Sarai. “I wore high heeled shoes and even though they had squared heels, my legs felt really tired,” Opt for a comfortable low, chunky heel or flat if you can to dance the night away with ease. Just make sure that whatever shoes you decide to wear are brought to each and every alterations appointment so that your dress can be hemmed accordingly.
Buy the dress you truly love.
While it may be important to you that your mom, dad, sister, brother, grandma or bestie approves of your wedding dress, keep in mind that whatever style you say “yes!” to is the one you truly love most. Even if someone personally liked a style you tried on more, you feeling confident, beautiful and the best version of yourself in the dress you fell in love with will make everyone whose opinions you care most about happy.
Bring a clean white sheet with you to help you get dressed.
When you unzip and let out your wedding dress the night before your wedding, lay down a clean white sheet first so that you can gently drape your train on it to keep it from getting stained. When you’re ready to get dressed, stand on this same white sheet and step into your dress to ensure your dress stays stain free up until you walk down the aisle.
Hire a wedding planner.
If you’re able to factor one into your budget, definitely invest in a wedding planner if you can. Brides who opted without one wished they could have relied on a wedding planner to help with big and small details, from negotiating contracts and deliverables from a photographer, to day-of necessities like keeping to timelines and making sure setup is running smoothly. “[Hiring a wedding planner] would have been the best money we spent,” said bride Amy.
Invest in a great photographer.
Your wedding will be only as awesome as the photos to remember it by. With that, hiring an experienced photographer is worth its weight in gold. Do your research and find a photographer who shoots weddings aligned with your own personal taste. Read testimonials, scour their social media for picture inspiration, and ask them lots of questions before putting down a deposit. “Ask the photographer you’re considering what their time frame is for pictures. I’m going on 7 months and still don’t have mine,” explains bride Kelli. Last but not least, give them a shot list of must-have photos from the special day so that you can be sure you’ll be able to look back and remember every special moment from your wedding day.
Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Wedding planning is supposed to be fun—make sure to remember that! Looking back, brides said that obsessing over the small stuff created unnecessary stress. For instance, it’s ok if everyone on your guest list can’t make it—those who can, will, and you’ll have an amazing time regardless because you’re getting married to the love of your life. ” You are always going to have annoyed someone because your fifth cousin twice removed wasn’t invited or great aunt Hetty wasn’t seated at table 1—it’s your day and your hard earned money…don’t stress about trying to please everyone!” says bride Stephanie.
Live in the moment.
You might be caught up in the details stressing over getting your photos taken or making sure speeches are on time—take a moment to remember that your wedding is just a few hours, so really enjoy yourself! “No matter what happens, the upside is that you are marrying the love of your life and honestly, that is all that matters,” says bride Lori. Dance ’til you drop, and don’t forget to eat all of the food you tirelessly picked out!