Reasons Why Say Yes To The Dress Is Totally Fake

TLC is renowned for its captivating reality shows, yet not all of them showcase the truth behind their glitzy façades. Among these, Say Yes to the Dress has become a staple in the wedding planning world, entertaining millions with its dramatic moments and emotional reunions. However, beyond the glamour and excitement lies a narrative that often doesn't reflect the real-life experience of wedding dress shopping.

As we delve into the world of Say Yes to the Dress, we uncover the truth about the show's production, the often chaotic environment at Kleinfeld Bridal, and the reality of brides' experiences. This article aims to peel back the layers of this popular show and reveal why it may not be the genuine celebration of love and fashion that it appears to be.

From the busy atmosphere of the bridal shop to the manipulation of moments on camera, the reality of Say Yes to the Dress is not as rosy as it may seem. Join us as we explore the various factors that contribute to the perception that this beloved reality show is, in fact, a highly curated and scripted experience.

Table of Contents

• Kleinfeld is way too busy in real life
• Kleinfeld is cramped
• The dresses are dirty
• The consultants don’t actually give brides what they want
• Participants may be asked to revise what they say
• Filming goes a lot longer than the show makes it look
• Episodes regularly air before the wedding
• Not all bridesmaids are created equal
• Brides try on more dresses than it seems
• Saying yes to the dress might be more like a maybe
• Producers don’t just say yes to just any potential bride
• Never forget, the end goal here is a sale
• They stick to the script, no matter how unique the bride

Kleinfeld is way too busy in real life

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The Kleinfeld depicted on Say Yes to the Dress is a dreamland for soon-to-be brides. It's the kind of magical place where generations of family and friends calmly sit and sip champagne while future brides work closely with their ultra-attentive sales assistant to find the other one (you know, since they’ve already got the fiancé). Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Kleinfeld is apparently nothing like the serene bridal oasis depicted on the TLC series. In fact, according to the New York Post, it can more accurately be described as "a madhouse."

The upscale bridal boutique is reportedly so busy that brides wait in long lines and get shuffled around to accommodate the insane crowds. The shop sees "up to 105 90-minute appointments per day" in just 28 dressing rooms.

"There were probably 20 other brides trying on dresses at the same time, so you never had a dedicated mirror or platform that was for you," bride Parisa Arash told the New York Post. "You had to stand around the middle of the floor waiting for someone to move… It’s literally a machine that’s pushing people through." Since the series kicked off, Kleinfeld sees a whopping 17,000 brides a year and, according to the New York Post, has become a "full-scale tourist destination" with branded t-shirts and hats bearing the famed TV slogan "Just Say Yes." The meager three-and-a-half-star Yelp rating says it all.

Kleinfeld is cramped

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The Kleinfeld Bridal Shop we see in the Say Yes to the Dress looks absolutely gigantic. The back room that houses the dresses looks like an indoor football field alone, but TV really does add 10 pounds, or in this case, a few hundred square feet. In reality, it’s not exactly meager (the New York Post sizes it at 35,000 square feet), but it’s certainly no palace. The place is reportedly so cramped that no one would be surprised if you knocked elbows with another bride and spilled some of your champagne on a $6,500 Vera Wang gown — and that’s without equipment and a film crew, who reportedly takes over the store "four or five days a week, nine months a year."

"Despite looking like a palace on TV, Kleinfeld isn’t large enough for the amount of customers it attracts," show participant Amanda Lauren wrote for Ravishly. "If you have never tried on a wedding dress, let me tell you: Those things are ridiculously big and heavy. There aren’t enough mirrors and platforms, so I had to wait in line while the clock was ticking. Would my appointment end before I got a peek at myself?"

The dresses are dirty

On TV, Kleinfeld looks like a pristine, white oasis with expensive gowns in perfect condition. In reality, it’s apparently a little bit filthy and the dresses are sometimes worse for the wear. Some Kleinfeld shoppers said the shop and its merchandise was in lackluster condition. According to Ravishly, complaints included simple things such as "an unattended coat check" (an odd sight at an upscale shop in winter in New York City) and much more serious criticisms about the store’s claim to fame — the dresses.

According to the New York Post, multiple brides-to-be at the shop have said floor samples at Kleinfeld were in awful condition. "There were actual armpit sweat stains. And on the hem