Anthropologie weddings has a lot of gowns in this price range! I actually believe Kleinfeld does too More on reddit.com

Before booking appointments, I suggest you really do your research. If you don’t like heavily embellished gowns, don’t waste your time by going to Galia Lahav or Berta. Don’t feel obligated to Kleinfeld’s just because your aunt or grandma or whoever wants to, etc. You do not want to go to 10-15 different show rooms - it gets very overwhelming and tiring. I also highly recommend going alone or bringing only 1-2 good vibe, trusted people along. The more people you bring or share pictures of your gown to, the more unnecessary opinions you’ll have. You won’t want that. A good amount of places have a booking fee as well so consider that when planning out your appointments. Find 3-5 designers you love and book your appointments there. Stick to the original designer if possible — if you end up loving an Monique Lhuillier dress, order through their flagship store on Madison Avenue and not one of their stockists like Bergdorf Goodman. There’s less cooks in the kitchen that way. Additionally, try to book all of your appointments in a week span. You can always return to try on your favorites but that way you can keep it all fresh in your mind. Don’t space them out months in between. You also need to really consider budget. Sure, the Wed and Danielle Frankel fall under the same realm of avant- garde bridal but the Wed’s highest priced gown is 7k where with Danielle Frankel, that’s the average price of one of their gowns. Additionally, don’t forget the extra costs associated with a bridal gown. If your budget is $8,000 and a gown is $7,500…keep in mind the alterations fee (typically $800-$1800), taxes, and if you want a veil, etc. Pro tip: most places can ship out of state to void the sales tax. So if you do love Vivienne Westwood but know you can’t be shelling out 10k+, then maybe don’t book that appointment. At your appointments, keep in mind, the gowns you are trying on are samples so they won’t fit you properly. They will likely be too big or small and appear ill fitting. You really need to use your imagination. If you are larger than a size 8-10, be sure to call the studio to see if they carry larger sample sizes, especially in the styles you are interested in. A lot of studios only have original samples (size 0-2) and size 6-10 dupes so if you’re plus size, be prepared you won’t be able to try on certain gowns. Additionally, do your research ahead of time of the dresses you want to try on during your appointment to maximize your time. Let’s say you like Kim Kassas bridal..look their collection and see what you would like to try on. Say you only like their Alexandra and Paris dress - when you book your appointment at Bridal Reflections (one of their stockists) call/text them to see if they carry those styles in the first place. You can call/text any bridal store and a stylist will assist you via text. Also, make sure you wear seamless nude underwear. Be ready and comfortable with the stylist seeing you naked when helping you into the dress. They see countless naked women all day long, they do not care or notice if your armpits aren’t shaven or your nipples are lopsided. It’s kind of like being at the doctors office. You can try doing it yourself but they will need to help you at some point and it’ll help the process go faster if you just allow them. Personally, I also suggest putting effort into how you look (do hair/makeup if that’s your thing) because it’ll help you envision yourself on your wedding day better than showing up with greasy hair. Then make sure you have the stylist take photos and videos of you. I suggest you stand and they take a 360 video of you - it’s super helpful to see it in motion. When you’re in an appointment for only 1.5 hours, it’s easy to completely forget so the photos are all you have to look back on. Appointments can go by super quick so prioritize your time. Be 100% honest and don’t be scared of hurting the stylists feelings - they’re just there to sell you a dress. If you put something on and you immediately know it’s not for you, take it off - don’t waste time! You should never try and convince yourself of a dress. On the flip side, be super open to just trying something on. Even if it’s something you would never expect to like or doesn’t look good on a hanger - sometimes you go in thinking you like one look or silhouette and then you go a complete 180 and you don’t know until you put it on. If you like sleek silouhettes, try the big dress!! Be open to the stylists suggestions too! It doesn’t hurt to try. Finally, the most important thing is comfort and practicality. Ask questions about the gown you are trying on - if you're trying on an off shoulder gown, you might get caught up in the moment about how good it looks, but is it a deal breaker if you can't fully raise your arms? How does the gown with long train bustle? Yes, it's pretty when you walk down the aisle but do you want to deal with a bustle on your wedding day? Yes the beading on your dress is striking but is it going to give you a rash when your arm rubs against it all night? All things to consider. Being comfortable is KEY. You do not want to be thinking about your wedding gown on your wedding day. I’ve been to almost every NYC bridal show room and the best ones by far, in terms of luxury experience, have been Carolina Herrera and Danielle Frankel. Herrera discontinued their bridal but doesn’t sound like your style anyways. If you like DFS, you should check out Happy Isles for vintage. Vivienne Westwood, Wiederhoeft, CINQ, BHLDN as well. And remember, there is a lot of compromising in wedding planning but your gown shouldn’t be one! Good luck! Lmk if you have any other questions! More on reddit.com

Kleinfeld, Lovely Bride, Lotus, Wedding Atelier (at higher end), The White Gown Remember that alterations could be ~$1K when planning your budget. More on reddit.com

Just a heads up that NJ doesn’t have clothing sales tax…close enough to NYC if you’re looking to save a few hundred dollars More on reddit.com