So you’re a bride, congratulations! You’re probably ready to start wedding dress shopping. Whether you’ve been dreaming of silk, organza, or tulle, you’ve come to the right place. Read on below for the top 5 bridal salons in New York for your perfect “say yes to the dress” moment.
I visited the best range of bridal salons in the city – from small, intimate boutiques to more mainstream experiences and I can say that it’s best to get a feel for both.
Spina Bride
132 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Spina Bride was my first visit and it was a perfect first experience. It’s a boutique-feel. They give you & your guests slippers when you walk in and you instantly feel comfortable. They start the appointment by letting you walk around the boutique and selecting your favorite dresses. They then bring you into a private room to try on the gowns. Quick warning here – there is no separate space for the bride to change in/out of gowns away from your guests, so make sure you’re comfortable changing in front of whoever you bring. It was just me and my mom for this appointment so I was totally comfortable, but wanted to add a quick FYI on that piece. The room is beautiful and intimate, decked with blue velvet curtains and a rounded couch. This boutique ensures that you are the only bride in the room, which makes you feel extra special!
- Pros: Small, intimate, great curated selection
- Cons: Expensive
Kleinfeld Bridal
110 W 20th St, New York NY 10011
If Spina Bride was the most intimate, Kleinfeld is the exact opposite! But if you’re a Say Yes to the Dress fan, you’ll want to go anyways (I was the same). Expect waiting time, crowds and brides everywhere. At each appointment you’ll step up on a pedestal, and at Kleinfeld you’ll be standing on a pedestal with brides to your left, right, back and side. In some ways that can be fun, but if you want all the attention on you for this moment, this is not the place. Additionally, Pnina Tornai is their exclusive in-house designer, so there is a big push to try on her gowns. All this to say however, they do have a very large selection in the back so if you go in knowing which styles and designers you like, your stylist can pull other gowns for you.
Pros: Large selection, location of “Say Yes to the Dress” TV show
Cons: Crowded, less intimate
Mark Ingram Atelier
110 E 55th St #8, New York, NY 10022
Mark Ingram is on the 8th floor of an office building, tucked away from the ground floor. While they have a few gowns out on the floor for brides to sift through, their main service is pulling gowns for you from the back. Brides stand in a pulled curtain room with chairs for only one or two guests, who, like Spina Bride sit in the room with you while you change. Their price point is on the higher end. If you give them a budget of anything less than $10,000, you’ll have a very limited selection here. On the plus side, they have a nice setup with a mirror to your front and back so you can easily view the gowns from all angles. They also have a nice selection of lace overlays if you’re going for a detachable Kate Middleton look.
Pros: Intimate, higher end designers
Cons: Expensive
KYHA Studios
57 Bond St, New York, NY 10012
Nestled on the cobblestone streets of Bond St in NoHo lives KYHA Studios. A modern, clean layout makes you feel like you’ve entered your sophisticated woman era. The salon carries only one designer – their own, so have a look on their website before setting up an appointment. Gowns varied from clean all white styles to beaded, sheer details. They are all done incredibly nicely and are super sophisticated looking. They have large couches so you can bring as big of an entourage as you want, with your own private changing area.
Pros: Intimate but good for large groups, sophisticated styles
Cons: Only one designer
Pronovias New York
45 E 58th St, New York, NY 10022
If you want a beautiful gown on a more conservative budget… come here. This bridal salon is huge, and I was shocked to find out that my two favorite dresses were only in the $2-$3K range. The salon is beautiful. It’s one of those places that you walk by on the streets and imagine yourself stepping into one day. Beautiful window displays, tons of natural light, and gorgeous gowns everywhere. Can I move in?! You start your appointment by going around the floor and pointing our your favorite pieces, and then your stylist will also suggest similar styles to the gowns you are most drawn to. I will say that since it’s Pronovias many of their gowns are of this designer, however they also carry Vera Wang and others.
Pros: Large salon, good pricepoints
Cons: Designer selection
In Conclusion…
To summarize it all… go wherever makes you feel happy. This process is meant to be fun, exciting, and an opportunity for you to find the dress of your dreams. I suggest visiting both big and small boutiques so you can get the full experience. Bring your entourage of moms, friends, bridesmaids, or don’t! You can always go own too if that’s your cup of tea. Whatever you decide… congrats on your wedding and I hope you feel like the most beautiful bride!
With love,
Taylor