Let’s be honest, getting married is almost exclusively about THE Dress. So, let me take you on a little Wedding Dress Journey.

My short adventure took me to Pronovias and Kleinfeld Bridal. I was going to go to more shops, but one day was enough for me. Both these stores had a bazillion dresses and very knowledgeable shopping partners.

Part I: Pronovias

As I searched for dress shops in NYC, an overwhelming amount of choices appeared. I narrowed my search a bit by looking at materials. Pronovias is a Spanish founded dress shop that specializes in lace wedding dresses, which I love and wanted for our big day. I read the reviews on Yelp and Google, which aren't all good, and was slightly worried. But I kept my appointment anyways and went in with optimism and a huge smile on my face. Perhaps my attitude helped, but my experience was wonderful, engaging, and helpful. The lighting was very dim, but the space was large and the selection was adequate.

My helper, Katherine, was fabulous! She asked my price range (which I said was 5k, to get some perspective) and some styles I was thinking of. It's my theory that the store is set up based on price range, thus I was taken to the proper floor for the 5k and under dresses and set up in a large showroom. She did bring me one that was above the range; just to be sure I wasn't missing anything.

This dress was ~$6,000. It was lovely; but it's something I would wear to work or on a daily basis.

Katherine initiated the visit by leading me around the store, while I chose dresses I liked from their rack selections. I didn't expect to be so involved so this was a very lovely surprise! Contrary to the Yelp reviews, Katherine was very warm and welcoming and insanely helpful. I tried on at least 10 dresses and spent nearly 2 hours in the store. My favorite dress was well under the price raneg I had given. This made me trust them quite a bit. Simply because I say I will spend 5k doesn't mean I want to spend 5k.

Ultimately, I highly recommend Pronovias as a stop on your list. At no time did I feel pressured or rushed or that there was another client banging down the door. The store was quiet and calm and provided me with a level-headed approach to dress shopping.

My two lasting favorites were "Pladie" and "Merry.”

Pladie + Veil ($2417 + $544)

Merry ($1197) appears to be no longer available. But this would have been the dress, if I had gone with Pronovias' styles.

Total cost for any alterations: $500.

Likes:

• Able to pick from selection
• Prices were clearly stated
• Wide selection
• Lots of time with no pressure

Dislikes:

• The reviews online were quite discouraging. I’m glad I kept my appointment, but something needs to be done for all those negative reviews!
• Potential time for alterations was somewhere between 6-8 weeks. They should have a local shop that does this in half the time. It is New York City after all.
• The cost for alterations is pretty steep! It’s half the price of the actual dress, in some cases. It would be nice if it was based on a percentage of the dress itself.
• The lighting could be better. It was very dark.
• I wish I would have been given some sort of paper/pencil to take notes. It's my fault; but it would have been a nice suggestion from the shop.

Are you familiar with Pronovias? We've seen them in many different places. We even saw a shop in Phuket! In any case, always be sure the selection is huge and the consultants are nice and helpful, which are very important parts of the shopping experience!