Millions of women, girls, and possibly forced and unforced men tune in to watch TLC's Say Yes to The Dress. Even though I don't work at the famous Kleinfeld's in New York City I do have the pleasure of working as a consultant in a small bridal boutique in Pennsylvania. Everyone thinks my job is magical well let me tell you it isn't tulle and bling all the time. You deal with real people with real problems and a real bunch of emotions. This is someones biggest day of their life and you have to play therapist while also getting someone the dress of their dreams.

When a bride walks into an appointment you don't know the baggage she comes with. You don't anything so you have to build a rapport or a relationship with them. Remind them that you are always on their side. You ask her what she wants in a dress and the budget. Say Yes to The Dress fools its viewers people do not go past there budget, usually ever. Budgets are very important and people get very angry very fast if you if you break them. But once you have these basics down you can start the appointment.

Next while simultaneously picking out dresses you must decode the entourage. Who is who? Who is on the brides side and who isn't? Who is the most important in the decision? You need to get to know the entourage better than you know yourself without being obvious. The entourage makes or breaks appointments by making or breaking the bride.

Now that you have an idea of the people you are working for now you try on the dresses. I always ask what the bride is most excited to put on because remember this is about her and not about the people in her entourage. Once you bring her out you take a step back and keep learning about that entourage. See if they are nice or mean or just overall critical. Once you find the mean and critical ones you start befriending them along with the bride. You need to know why they are critical and what needs to happen to get that critical human on your side. Remember you have no idea the issues going on between an entourage so tread lightly.

Once you and the bride start thinking a dress might be the one put it on her again and dress her up this time. Trust me if you put a veil on people go nuts. Of course there may be someone waiting to tear this dress apart so before you go meet the entourage tell her that she looks beautiful and ask her if she can picture herself in this dress on the day. When she gets out there and everyone sees that she is happy it is time to say those 5 words.

At the end of the day making a bride happy is worth the crazy things you go through during the appointment. Of course 9 out of 10 appointments are like the one I just explained but that 1 is on a whole different level of crazy.