No More Queering TLC
Sadly, my quest to queer (and plus-size-ify) Say Yes to the Dress has ended, and I’ve refunded the donations I’ve gotten (unless I was told to keep them for other purposes, like Sexually Able).
Why?
Well, originally, I told them I had a $1000 budget (twice what I was expecting to pay, but worth it to be on there for my own marketing). They told me I need $1500-$2000 to shop in Kleinfeld’s, the shop featured on the show. I was going to give up, but you, dear readers and twitter followers, encouraged me to go on it, and started donating money to make it feasible.
I was excited. Q was going to come with me, my best friend was going to fly out from Denver, I was set. I even had my little sister scan pictures of my mother and father’s wedding from 1969 (my mother wore a peacock blue dress, and the producers wanted pictures).
Then last Monday, I was told that apparently, Kleinfeld’s “can’t” do a red plus size dress for less than $3500. Never mind than apparently almost any white dress is dyable to red…they just couldn’t do it for such a “low” budget, and they wouldn’t book me an appointment.
And so, I gave up. Why? Because my own ethics won’t allow me to spend a huge amount of money on a wedding dress for ONE DAY, and I’m certainly not going to ask other people to help me pay for that. I’m sure I can find, or even have a custom dress made for under $1000. I’ve found ones I like online for $500, but I really do want to try in on, obviously.
So thank you, for your support. I will say that the producer I worked with on the show (Katy) was nothing but nice, understanding, and open-minded. She seemed super excited in the first place, and very disappointed at the budget levels from Kleinfeld’s. I just wish they’d either be willing to subsidize dresses, or perhaps also have a “budget” location for filming.
Thanks again for all your help, tweeting, support and more. It’s been more than appreciated.
-Essin’ Em
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Seriously, $3500? They can’t “do” something for less than that?
Yes, I know it’s Kleinfeld’s and it’s for a TV show. I’ve also seen the show and I know how they push the idea of spending more (or pushing your parents to spend more…) because it’s your special dayyyyy, and you just deserve that $5000 princess dress for your special dayyyy.
The whole thing is so infuriating, and I’m so sick of the WIC.
(Okay, this whole comment is using the royal you. I don’t actually mean that you specifically buy into the special day nonsense, etc.)
I don’t think that a little extra material accounts for the difference in price. But you could have an incredible dress made on $2,000.
That sucks.. :( I’m glad that the producer was nice. It’s totally ridiculous of the shop to have that kind of attitude, I ran into the same elitist people here when looking for a location for the ceremony and reception, it’s freaking astronomical to get married! We wound up renting a secluded area off of our local Greenway (hiking trail/ park) that was handicap accessible and cost 60 bucks for the whole day through our local Parks and Rec. Good luck in your search! :)
How disappointing and frustrating. I completely understand how you would just say an emphatic no at that point — and, to me, this is yet another infuriating example of sizism in our culture. I mean, seriously? They can’t get a plus-size dress for less than $3500, but they could do a skinny dress for less? (Or is it the red thing that makes it so expensive?) Regardless. Infuriating. It would’ve been nice. But, well, now you get to do your own wedding on your own terms without the eyes of the public boring in.
Well, in terms of plus size stuff costing more, and having worked in plus size clothing in the past – we ARE paying for extra material, and really, that’s all. That’s why sometimes, even in one store, a 32 may be more $ than an 18.
However, the ‘wedding’ industry sucks balls in terms of pretty much everything. IMO, its INSANE to spend 5000$ on a dress you’ll only wear once. And I’ve noticed, the more you pay for the dress, the less likely you’ll wear it somewhere else. For 1000$, you could probably have a really great corset and skirt custom made. (Actually, you might want to talk with Vera from FYN – she has an awesome purple and white corset she had made for her wedding, with a purple skirt. She still wears both pieces, and they made a lovely wedding outfit. She might be able to help you out with finding someone to make something better than anything you’d get at a shmancy wedding store.)
bollocks! I was looking forward to it for you & hollering “Hey! I know that hot lady!” (Minus the creeper internet stalker vibe) heehee.