Behind-The-Scene Secrets From “Say Yes To The Dress”

6. You Can’t Wear Pink, Hold A Purse, Or Use Your Phone

Want to be on Say Yes To The Dress? Then you have to be prepared to follow their rules! The SYTTD team has some strict rules that all brides and their entourages must follow. And while the rules don’t sound crazy, it can be a lot to ask of a woman to part with her phone and her purse for eight hours of filming. The same bride who was paired with Robin (from above) explains how her group had to follow the rules.

They were told ahead of time not to wear pink because it would blend into the wall color of the room where interviews are done. So that’s easy enough! But before filming begins, a producer comes out with waivers and confiscates everyone’s purses. Say goodbye to your Michael Kors for the day, ladies! Cell phones are also a big no-no on set. One of this bride’s friends, Candice, brought her phone with her on to set — what a rebel. Well, she was caught using it and the producers took it away from her. They don’t want to risk any photos or videos being leaked.

7. Brides Get The Owners’ Cell Phone Numbers

So, while you might not be able to keep your phone with you if you appear on the show, you will get the personal cell phone number of the owners of Kleinfeld’s! The owners of the New York City bridal boutique are Mara Urshel and Ronnie Rothstein. They often appear on the show, greeting brides, attending fashion shows, speaking to the consultants, and helping to make bridal magic happen. But from the show, you’d never imagine that Mara and Ronnie are as hands on with the brides as they claim to be.

In 2016, Mara sat down with Brides.com and shared just how invested she and Ronnie are in the process. Mara said, “Every step of the way, the bride receives personal one-on-one attention, from a personal bridal consultant, to her fitter who she will work with for the next few weeks until the gown fits perfectly! Ronnie and I give our cell phone numbers so brides feel they can reach us at any time, day and night.” Now that’s customer service!

8. There’s A Sale Section We Never See

So it seems like almost everyone on SYTTD has big bucks to spend on a wedding dress. In fact, the average cost of a dress from Kleinfelds is $4500. If you’re trying to stick to a budget, is there even a point in applying to be on the show? Well, maybe. Brides have revealed that there is actually a secret sale room in the store where dresses are 50% off! 50% off? Now that is a steal! We’ve seen episodes of SYTTD where they have sample sales or trunk sales. Brides line up outside and hunt through the racks like maniacs to find a deal. But are you trying to tell me there was a 50% off room just sitting there the entire time? Let’s see more of that room please! The half price room might not be TV gold, but this bargain shopper would love to see what’s in there. Sure, some of the big name designers probably wouldn’t be happy to hear they ended up in the bargain bin but a good deal is a good deal.

9. You Have To Communicate Through The Mirror

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Say Yes To The Dress, you know the basic premise is the bride puts on a dress in the changing room with the help of the consultant, she gets brought out to the couch area, and she stands on a pedestal while her family sits behind her. I always thought it was so strange that the bride would stare at the mirror instead of at her family and friends behind her. After all, she already saw what she looked like in the dressing room. Isn’t she out here to get their opinion? Well, not really. Apparently producers instruct brides to look and speak into the mirror when they get on the pedestal, so that they are facing the cameras. The family is also instructed to speak to the bride via the mirror so the cameras can catch her reaction. Only once they’ve captured all the shots they need and reset the cameras do they let the bride turn around and actually face the people she came shopping with.

10. Many Of Our Favorite Consultants Started As Customers

Is your dream job to work as Kleinfeld’s as one of the on-screen bridal consultants? Well, it could totally happen for you. Some of our favorite consultants actually started out as customers at Kleinfeld’s. Keasha, easily one of the most loved consultants, got her job at Kleinfeld when she came in as part of her cousin’s entourage and helped her cousin find the dress. After leaving Kleinfeld, Keasha went on to star in her own show Keasha’s Perfect Dress and has opened up her own bridal store, Beautiful Bridal with Keasha Rigsby in Detroit.

Another well-known consultant, Camille, also got her start at Kleinfeld’s through a customer appointment. She came into the store looking for a dress for her son’s wedding, and left with a job! During her appointment, Camille met with Ronnie, one of Kleinfeld’s owners, and learned about an opening in the store. Looks like dreams really do come true at Kleinfeld!