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.
Article Written by Guest Author
Martine Harris
The Chief Creative Officer of Essense of Australia and Martina Liana
On behalf of the Essense of Australia team, I am thrilled to work with the Kleinfeld family to give you my best tips to ensure you have an incredible trunk show experience at Kleinfeld and find the dress of your absolute dreams!
Allow me to introduce myself — I’m Martine Harris, Chief Creative Officer and head designer for Essense of Australia, Martina Liana, Martina Liana Luxe, Stella York and All Who Wander. As a designer, I want all of my brides to have a fabulous time wedding dress shopping – and you can rest assured Kleinfeld provides the ultimate bridal experience. Their consultants will help you find “the one” to say “YES” to.
What is a Trunk Show?
If you’re new to the world of bridal, chances are you’re not quite sure what a trunk show even is. I’m here to put your mind at ease and prepare you to find the perfect wedding dress for YOU! A trunk show, simply put, is the ultimate personal bridal shopping experience. These exclusive events are planned months in advance. During the show, Kleinfeld will showcase the newest wedding dresses from the latest collections. Plus, we’ll have a designer representative from our team there to talk through inspiration, trends, and details behind the wedding dresses in the collection!
Style D3145 from Essense of Australia
Upcoming Trunk Shows at Kleinfeld
Kleinfeld will be hosting an Essense of Australia and Martina Liana trunk show from September 22 – 27, 2020. At this exclusive designer event, you’ll see many of our latest styles which you can preview here: Fall 2020 Essense of Australia and Martina Liana. Kleinfeld stocks many of our dresses that are size inclusive up to a size 34. We are thrilled to share our brand NEW collections with you. You can book an appointment here to attend!
Style LE1101 from Martina Liana Luxe
I’m also so excited to share with you that the debut of my Martina Liana Luxe collection will be featured at Kleinfeld during the trunk show. Martina Liana Luxe is curated for the bride with an eye for details and a taste for finer things. You’re not going to want to miss this extraordinary new label. Keep in mind that customizations can be done to many of the gowns. Your Kleinfeld consultant will work with you to bring your bridal vision to life!
The Raine gown from All Who Wander
Lastly, you’ll be able to view our latest collection from All Who Wander. This unique label is for free-spirited brides craving anything but ordinary. Retro-inspired laces, exotic patterns and rustic fringe details set to appeal to Kleinfeld’s most adventurous brides. Ask your Kleinfeld consultant about All Who Wander if you’re instead interested in trying on a particular style.
Fun fact: This was from the last trunk show I attended at Kleinfeld. I LOVE being able to experience the moment a bride says “YES” to one of my designs.
I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with the incredible staff and owners of Kleinfeld. I continue to be amazed at their deep level of expertise and passion for their brides! Last January, we were able to enjoy a beautiful evening together in New York. I cherish our relationship and look forward to many more memories to come! And now, I’ll get on with my tips for having the best time at your trunk show bridal appointment and finding “the one”.
My top 8 trunk show tips to find “the one”:
1. Do your research!
I love creating different designs that appeal to different brides. So check our dresses and have an idea of what type of silhouettes, fabrics, details, etc… that you’ll want to try on. Bring photos of these dresses and styles and show them to your consultant! This gives you a fantastic starting point to find your perfect wedding gown.
2. Be open to dresses outside your norm.
While I say do your research, also be open trying on dresses outside your comfort zone. The staff at Kleinfeld knows our full inventory and will be able to suggest styles that will look amazing on you. You never know if one could be your dream dress if you don’t try them out. What do you have to lose?
3. Think outside the box.
Use your imagination to envision your dream dress and run with it! Your consultant will find you a dress as close as possible to “the one”, however, if it’s not exactly what you what – customize it! Many of our Martina Liana styles can be custom ordered to include the details you want most.
4. Come prepared.
Bring undergarments that you are comfortable in and expect to wear on your wedding day. Think nude underwear, a strapless or convertible bra and any shape wear you’d like to wear under your dress. Check out Kleinfeld’s article that outlines what to bring to your appointment and this article outlining the different types of shape wear for different styles of wedding dresses.
5. Bring your people, but don’t over do it.
I recommend bringing only your closest, most trusted friends and family members while choosing your dress. Ultimately, the opinion that matters most is yours. You can always bring other friends to a fitting or accessories appointment. Kleinfeld currently allows brides to bring 2 guests with them to their appointment, but please check with Kleinfeld to learn more about their current appointment guidelines.
6. Be honest.
Everyone involved—your consultant, the designer, your friends and family—all want you to find your dream dress. Be upfront and honest with your consultant about what you like and don’t like. They can help narrow down the selection and prepare you for your YES moment, which leads us to my next tip!
7. Be prepared to say yes that weekend.
With trunk shows, you may not get a second chance at trying on a dress that is part of the event. After the show is over, the dresses may no longer be available at the store. If you fall in love with the dress, don’t let the opportunity pass you by.
8. Take pictures!
When you’ve found your dream dress at the trunk show, have your bridal party take pictures of the front, back and any other details that you don’t want to forget. This will ensure you’ll have pictures of yourself in the gown on hand throughout the wedding planning process.
I hope these tips helped you feel better prepared to find the dress of your dreams at our trunk shows at Kleinfeld. I can’t wait to see which style becomes your dress for the big day! Again, the incredible consultants at Kleinfeld are experts at what they do and will make sure you have an amazing trunk show experience. I am so grateful to be a part of the Kleinfeld family and can’t wait to welcome you as a Kleinfeld bride. Check out the Kleinfeld trunk show schedule and secure your spot to one of these exclusive events.
With love, M!