Shopping for Wedding Dresses, Part IIB- The Next Day

I was excited about going to Kleinfeld…just for the experience and I was looking forward to the champagne.  Of course I wasn’t looking forward to driving into the city and navigating all the traffic restrictions to get to the right block where the store was on.  And I wasn’t looking forward to paying a fortune to park my car.  We got there with five minutes to spare.  My cousin, Janie, who’s a jewelry designer and has her office nearby, met us there.  It was heartwarming to have Janie there because we are a month apart in age and we grew up together.  We never even imagined sitting side by side as my daughter would try on bridal gowns one day.  And Janie is an artist, so it would be good to have her opinion.  As we walked in, they have a sign warning you that they can be filming you for the show, “Say Yes to the Dress”.  Our sales associate, Keisha, greeted us.  Well, if Felice the Wheezer was crazy and Mary Lou was warm and fuzzy, Keisha was just plain fun and funny.  I wouldn’t buy her a Hallmark card- I would want to go out with her for drinks to a club and dance- because when Keisha found you a dress you liked, she would start leading you around in a little dance.  She also told us that most of her brides met their fiancés on the internet dating sites and that J-Date was the most popular. She was quite informative and entertaining.  As a matter of fact, she’s one of the stars on “Say Yes to the Dress”. 

 

Kleinfeld is quite an experience.  They let the guests of the bride into the dressing rooms, which are very fancy.  However, the price tags in Kleinfeld are much higher than anywhere else, even with a Trunk Show. And they don’t give you champagne anymore.  Apparently, there was a lawsuit insinuating that customers were “under the influence” when they were “coerced” into buying dresses.  Lindsay began trying on the dresses, too expensive and not as nice as the dress she picked the day before. However, Keisha was determined and found a dress, which was more within our price range and a little bit different.  And, then, it happened. Again.  Lindsay’s eyes lit up and she started nodding.  And Keisha was dancing all around the room.  Even Janie loved it.  We went to the main room to walk around and look in the mirrors.  Keisha brought out her manager who offered us a discount.  They introduced Randy, from “Say Yes to the Dress” to Lindsay and offered to put her on the show.  It was very exciting. 

“But what about the dress from yesterday?” I whispered to Lindsay. 

“I don’t know; I’m confused.  I’m saying “YES” to this dress.  What should I do?” she said.

That’s why I was glad we had a committee.  We’ll decide. I quickly took a picture of Lindsay in the dress, even though you weren’t allowed.  It was going to be a long day.  I had to drive all the way to Woodmere to pick up my mom; then back to Massapequa.  We had time to spare, so we went to a wedding expo in Melville, which I will devote another blog entry to, because that’s a story in itself.  At 7pm, the committee gathered at the store in Massapequa.  Lindsay told Mary Lou that she found another dress she loved at Kleinfeld and was very confused.  Of course, Mary Lou was very understanding.  Then, she went to try on the first dress again, as the committee waited with bated breaths.  We all sighed with relief and awe as Lindsay came out in THE DRESS, smiling.  “You look beautiful,” Marisa exclaimed.  I showed Lindsay’s mother-in-law the picture of the other dress.  “Oh no, that’s too ongepatshket!!” (That’s a Yiddish word for overly done or too much.)  The committee agreed.  This was THE DRESS.  The RIGHT DRESS.

Maybe I will send Keisha a Hallmark card, after all….a funny one.