13 surprising things you probably didn't know about 'Say Yes to the Dress'

Updated

2021-10-12T15:58:43Z

Kristin Chenoweth say yes to the dress

"Say Yes to the Dress" has been on the air for over a decade.
TLC
  • You have to apply to be on TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress."
  • Brides can spend up to five hours taping their segments on the show.
  • People who have been on the show say producers try to stir up drama amongst the bride's entourage.

You have to apply to be on the show.

There are specific questions on the application.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images

There's nothing accidental about the brides on "Say Yes to the Dress." Brides-to-be submit an application through Kleinfeld for a spot on the show.

The current application includes questions like: "How did you partner propose to you?"; "Are you a plus-size bride?"; "Why do you think you would be fun to watch on TV?"; and "Describe yourself in three words."

Brides can spend up to five hours taping their segments on the show.

Filming takes a lot longer than the episodes that air.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images for GILT

Although a normal consultation at Kleinfeld usually only lasts about 90 minutes, one bride who appeared on the show revealed that she was there for almost five hours.

The interview process, coupled with the need to get many different shots of each dress, can make filming drag on for quite a while.

The shop can get crowded if you're not on the show, according to the brides.

Kleinfeld draws a huge crowd.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images for GILT

In a piece for Ravishly, writer Amanda Lauren said that the dress emporium is actually much smaller in real life than it appears on television.

Lauren described her experience waiting in line for a peek at herself in a dress because she said there weren't enough mirrors and platforms to satisfy the huge crowds the shop attracts.

People who have been on the show say producers try to stir up drama amongst the bride's entourage.

It's a reality show, so they want drama.
TLC

In an interview with 417, "Say Yes to the Dress" bride Courtney Wright said that the film crew definitely tries to keep things interesting in front of the camera.

"You can tell that they want to stir up some drama. If someone says something that could potentially cause a disagreement, the director asks you questions about it," Wright said.

The crew may coach the bride and her guests on what to say.

A bride waits to hear feedback on the TLC show.
TLC

In her 417 interview, bride Wright also described being coached on how to speak about the dress by the show's film crew.

"They would ask us things, like 'What kind of dress are you looking for?' Then we'd all put our two cents worth in, and they'd stop us and say, 'Say what you said again, but say it like this,'" Wright shared.

One bride sued the show after her episode aired before her wedding.

Alexandra Godino on "Say Yes to the Dress."
TLC

According to an interview with the New York Post, Alexandra Godino sued "Say Yes to the Dress" because it aired her episode before her wedding.

Godino said in the lawsuit that she received a verbal promise from the show's producers that they would not air her episode until after her May 2016 wedding.

When the episode was scheduled to air in March 2016, Godino sued.

Godino lost the emergency suit to block the episode from airing but had plans to sue the show's production company for monetary damages. It's unclear if she was ever compensated for the show revealing her $20,000 dress.

Unsatisfied brides might not get a refund.

Kleinfeld dresses can be very expensive.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images for GILT

One bride who appeared on "Say Yes to the Dress" sued Kleinfeld after she alleged that her custom dress was made with the wrong fabrics and in the wrong size.

According to TMZ, which saw the lawsuit, bride-to-be Randi Siegel-Friedman tried to return the custom dress to Kleinfeld but she said she was refused a refund.

Instead, Siegel-Friedman says she wore a sample dress off the rack instead of the $12,000 dress she ordered.

A number of celebrities have appeared on the show.

Kristin Chenoweth on "Say Yes to the Dress."
TLC

A number of stars have been on the show, including Kristin Chenoweth (who was helping her friend select a dress),  Kelly Ripa (who was a consultant for a day), and Martha Stewart (helping a friend choose).

Even if their wedding is called off, brides might still have to see their episode on TV.

Singer Elle King on "Say Yes to the Dress."
TLC

A canceled wedding won't stop TLC from airing a bride's episode.

Singer Elle King learned this firsthand when the network broadcast her hunt for the perfect dress even after the performer skipped her own wedding in April 2017.

There's a good reason every other gown on the show seems to be a Pnina Tornai.

Pnina Tornai has an in-store boutique.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Ever wonder why it seems like every bride ends up trying on a gown designed by Israeli dressmaker Pnina Tornai? Well, Tornai is actually one of Kleinfeld's primary vendors and is the only designer with an in-store boutique.

Brides appearing on the show are usually offered a Tornai gown because there are simply so many of the designer's dresses in stock.

Every bride gets the owners' personal cell phone numbers.

The owners make the customers feel important by giving them their cell phone numbers.
Getty Images

Viewers of "Say Yes to the Dress" are probably familiar with Kleinfeld co-owners Mara Urshel and Ronnie Rothstein.

In an interview with Brides magazine in 2016, Urshel insisted that every Kleinfeld bride receives the personal cell numbers of both owners. This is intended to make their customers feel cared for and important.

Most of the dresses at Kleinfeld are stashed away in a storeroom.

There aren't that many dresses on display.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images for GILT

If your vision of the perfect Kleinfeld experience involves browsing thousands of beautiful dresses, the reality of shopping at the famous boutique might disappoint.

In that same piece for Ravishly, bride Lauren said that most of the dresses at Kleinfeld are actually kept in a massive storeroom. It's up to the customer to describe her perfect gown to her consultant, who then goes into the storeroom and selects a few contenders.

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