As a prelude to Liz and Colin’s Martha Stewart produced wedding at Sandals Emerald Bay , I had the pleasure of chatting with Jennette Kruszka, Director of Marketing and PR at Kleinfeld . Jennette and I stood by at Liz’s final fitting, and I was glad to snag some tips from her on picking out your destination wedding dress, as well as some insider advice on the Kleinfeld experience as a whole.
Check out our Q&A below and feel free to comment with additional questions for Jennette… Here’s hoping this holds everyone over until Merci New York can disclose Liz’s wedding dress details this October {in tandem with Martha Stewart Weddings’ fall issue}… 
Merci: What aspects might a destination wedding bride want to consider when selecting her wedding dress? Are there specific fabrics, silhouettes she should consider or avoid?
Kleinfeld: Nowadays a destination wedding is not necessarily on a beach in the Caribbean.It can be a Vineyard in Italy, a ski slope in Vail, or St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.In Liz and Colin’s case it’s the sand! When choosing a wedding gown for a destination wedding in a hot climate, Kleinfeld recommends light comfortable fabrics such as silk organza, chiffon, taffeta or tulle. Slimmer gowns such a sheaths or slim a-lines are generally selected for a beach wedding however, a taffeta ball gown is also acceptable.
Merci:In your opinion, are there particular designers whose lines seems targeted or best suited for the destination wedding bride?
Kleinfeld: Most bridal designer collections include an array of fabrics and silhouettes that are acceptable for a beach wedding. Some recent designer collections that include lightweight fabrics are Badgley Mischka, Elizabeth Fillmore, Claire Pettibone, David Fielden and Reem Acra.
Merci: It’s a destination wedding bride’s first fitting and she’s walking downstairs at Kleinfeld for the first time. What should she expect? What should she bring that local brides wouldn’t? What might she often forget?
Kleinfeld: At a first fitting the most important accessories to bring are shoes and undergarments. We cannot start the hem until a bride has her shoes. {In fact, even if a bride is getting married on the sand and intends to wear flip flops, she must bring them to her first fitting}.
For comfort, our fitters are able to build a bra into a dress or add cups. If she is a Kleinfeld bride from out of town {like Liz}, we can accommodate her with a three-day fitting. She would arrive on a Thursday and we will begin pinning the dress to sculpt it to her body. Depending on how much work needs to be done, we will then sew the gown overnight and tell her what time to come back on Friday. This happens again on Friday.
By Saturday, the gown will fit like a glove and we will prepare it for pressing and packing. By 6pm, she will be ready to leave with the gown, or we can ship it to her destination. {Some local brides also need a three-day fitting because they may have ordered the gown close to the wedding or they are not getting married in New York}.
Merci: What is the “magic number” for fittings? How many are truly needed?
Kleinfeld: At Kleinfeld, a bride typically has three or four fittings.If a fourth fitting is needed, it is typically just to try on the gown to ensure fit. We will then press it and pack it.
Merci: How does Kleinfeld suggest destination brides travel with their gowns?
Kleinfeld: To ensure delivery, we suggest carrying the gown with you on the airplane and asking the flight attendants to keep in safe from wrinkles by hanging it in a first class closet.Try calling the airline ahead to see if they can make special arrangements. Shipping can be tricky due to customs regulations. Although we always press our gowns, if you do have to ship, we suggest you make arrangements at the hotel or a reputable dry cleaner who can press and steam the gown to touch it up.
Merci: Are there any funny, interesting or noteworthy anecdotes about destination weddings that you might want to share with our readers?
Kleinfeld: In the past we have had brides bring their suitcase in and we will help them pack the gown right into their suitcase. We have also received phone calls from brides freaking out right before the wedding because of wrinkles. In an emergency, try using a blow dryer but keep the heat on low and do not put it too close to the fabric, you do not want to burn it and have a bigger emergency!
Merci: What are some key points to consider for selecting a veil and accessories that “sit with” your dress?
Kleinfeld: Keep in mind that the veil should not over shadow the gown. It is a mere accessory. Make sure your accessories enhance the beauty of you and your gown and don’t overpower and clutter up the look.
Many thanks to Jennette Kruszka for sharing her thoughts and advice with Merci New York’s readers! Photos courtesy of Kleinfeld
