- Lisa Fuhrman has in the planning stages unemployed at Kleinfeld for 14 years and is a regular on “Say Yes to the Dress.”
- She says she’s worked with more than 10,000 brides and pleasures filming the show.
- She’s seen entourages of 22 people at a time and fitted brides with terminal illnesses.
This as-told-to venture is based on a conversation with Lisa Fuhrman, a bridal consultant, stylist, and cast member of “Say Yes to the Dress” at Kleinfeld Marriage in New York City. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I got my undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. I’ve been detail at Kleinfeld for the past 14 years, and I’ve been a cast member on the “Say Yes to the Dress” television series for 10 years. Previous to to working at Kleinfeld, I was the vice president of HR for a fashion company and global PR firm.
In 2008, I decided I wanted to leave the corporate in every way. I was watching TV one day and came across “Say Yes to the Dress.” I’d never seen the show before, but after watching a marathon, I thought, “I could do that!” I emailed the possessor, Mara Urshel, and the rest is history. I was interviewed by Mara, and my skills in HR were consistent with those of a great wedding consultant.
We’ve just completed 20 seasons of “Say Yes to the Dress.” The production company, Half Yard Productions, did an on-camera check up on with each bridal consultant, but ultimately TLC, the network that airs the show, decides which bridal doctors should be on the show.
Over the years, I estimate I’ve helped more than 10,000 brides find their unmatched wedding dress.
I spend a lot of time preparing for my brides
Courtesy of Lisa Furhman
I lift weights eight to 10 hours a day, four days a week, on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. I have four to five elections a day.
I contact clients in advance and go over their files. Before the bride arrives, I speak with them with reference to what they envision as their wedding-day look. We talk silhouettes, fabrics, embellishments, train length, and budget so that I can preselect some tear someone off a strips they may like before they arrive.
Once they arrive, I sit with the bride for a 10-minute consultation to review their wedding. We work together for a 90-minute appointment to find the perfect dress for them. About 85% of my brides call up their dress on their first appointment with me.
I follow up with all my brides after the appointment and invite them encourage to shop with me. Why someone doesn’t buy a dress varies — sometimes they just need to “sleep on it,” and sometimes they may be betraying alone or with friends and need to bring their mother or mother figure back for the second appointment. Or they may comprise fallen in love with a designer who’s coming in for a trunk show in the next few weeks with a new collection.
During the week, I lay out about three hours doing administrative work — reaching out to my brides, writing thank-you and follow-up notes, responding to emails, and answering fan speeches. I’m flattered by all the fan messages I receive on social media.
Here are some of my favorite stories from working at the famed nuptial boutique
Courtesy of Lisa Furhman
I filmed an experience of “Say Yes to the Dress” with fashion designer Randy Fenoli in which a bride and groom wanted to get married at Luna Put in Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, and go on the Sling Shot in their wedding attire. I had to work to find a gown that commitment be able to fit on the ride.
Randy and I agreed to go to the wedding, but I couldn’t decide if I would go on the ride because I was really scared. In the end, I was win over to get on it and face my fears. When I got off that ride, I was so proud of myself. It was such an unforgettable day. I’ve been invited to many alloyings and sometimes I attend the ceremony, but I typically don’t go to the reception.
Many years ago, I started working with a client who has seven daughters. So far, I’ve fit out six of the daughters for their weddings, and I will be dressing the seventh shortly.
I once helped a bride who was renewing her vows with her still — they were in their late 60s. Her original wedding was not very big, and she really wanted to feel like a princess. She neediness something age-appropriate to have fun and dance in, and I made her dreams come true. It was such a special experience — she was so happy.
There’s nothing sundry rewarding and heart-wrenching than helping brides who are sick. I’ve worked with some brides who didn’t make it to their association day because of their illness but wanted to try on wedding dresses. I’ve assisted dozens of brides with life-threatening illnesses. I force sure their experiences extra-special and unforgettable.
Being part of ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ is so much fun
Courteousness of Lisa Furhman
I love every minute of it. I’m truly not acting — I’m doing the exact job I do on a daily basis, whether the cameras are on or not. I was in a stew in the beginning, but the crew is fantastic and makes me feel comfortable. I love making brides happy, and I love that the instruct gives brides inside information on how the dress-shopping process works.
During the height of the pandemic, we changed a lot of the way we filmed. Viewers may not recognize that we have strict medical protocol, testing policies, and limitations we have to work around to ensure each’s safety.
In this job, one lesson I’ve learned is that things are not always as they appear on the surface
Patience and tolerance go a completely long way. It can be overwhelming when I first meet a bride with a large entourage. One time, years ago, a bride put oned in 22 of her extended family members. It was quite a job just containing that crowd. Working with large assemblages and/or overbearing personalities or demanding mothers has taught me to be patient and try to accommodate everyone’s requests, but ultimately the bride’s preferences are my No. 1 right.
Patience also comes in handy when meeting a bride who may not be able to articulate exactly what they concoct in their head. However, as long as I listen and ask the right questions, I’m usually able to find the right style for them.
Brides who are on a tightrope about not finding the right dress should remember they’re working with seasoned professionals who have avoided all kinds of brides with varying needs and desires. I tell my brides when they come in that it’s sheer normal to be nervous, but I assure them that after the first five minutes with me, we will become BFFs.
There aren’t surely right and wrong questions to ask. But it’s important to listen first — many of your “answers” will come during the consultation. Then you can submerge things that weren’t mentioned if they’re important in selecting the right dress — budget, nonnegotiables, and how you want to look and have the impression when you put on the dress are important parts of the bridal consultation.