Famed bridal consultant Keasha Rigsby heads to Toronto for new Slice series

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TORONTO – Renowned American bridal consultant Keasha Rigsby of “Say Yes to the Dress” fame figures she’s cried at least 50 times on the job.

“Oh my gosh, I could start crying now,” she said during an interview in her recently opened swank Toronto bridal boutique that’s featured in the new series “Keasha’s Perfect Dress,” debuting Tuesday on Slice.

“But something just comes over me, you know what I mean? When that girl … and her mom embrace — maybe I’m the mom for the day, and then I embrace her — it’s such a precious moment in time, you know what I mean? I’m sorry, I’m going to cry now! Aaa!” she squealed as tears formed in her eyes.

“But yeah … this whole bridal thing, it just takes you to another place.”

The amicable Rigsby (a.k.a. “the dress whisperer” to her staff) was a consultant with the esteemed Kleinfeld Bridal salon in New York City for 10 years. She was also a popular personality on five seasons of TLC’s “Say Yes To The Dress” and has worked at Saks Fifth Avenue and Perry Ellis.

One of the most memorable bridal consultations of her career involved a survivor of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, who was in a wheelchair after undergoing 37 surgeries. Rigsby had to lift the client out of her chair and hold her up so she could put on her gown and see herself in the mirror at Kleinfeld.

“For me to be able to lift her, embrace her and let her see herself as the most beautiful girl ever, it’s just here in my heart and it will never ever leave me,” said Rigsby, tearing up again.

The New York-based retail expert said she was approached about launching her own TV series in Toronto and she agreed because she already had a solid Canadian client base (about 37 per cent of the consultation requests she gets have been from Canada).

In “Keasha’s Perfect Dress,” Rigsby helps brides on this side of the border find their dream gowns for their big day.

“When a bride first comes in, I’m already undressing her,” she said with a laugh as she explained her consultation process, which involves listening intently to the client’s dress desires and showing her “what she sees herself in, even if it’s something bad.”

These days many brides see themselves in a “fit and flare” gown, which Rigsby said looks like “the A-line and the mermaid (dress styles) got together and had a baby.”

And “everyone wants a sweetheart neckline but not everyone can pull it off,” she noted.

“The sweetheart is really made for the Cs and the Ds,” Rigsby added with a laugh, referring to bra sizes.

Many clients are also requesting replicas of Pippa Middleton’s maid of honour dress.

“Kate Middleton, she was a breath of fresh air. I loved her dress, personally,” said Rigsby.

“But most of the brides loved Pippa’s dress. That is the request that just goes on and on.”

Rigsby estimates about 20 per cent of her brides have requested two gowns for their big day — one for the ceremony and another for the reception — but it’s not something she recommends.

“This is your special day, wear the dress. … I had a bride that said to me, ‘You know, Keasha, you were so right. I should have stayed with my dress. I felt like I didn’t have it on.'”

Rigsby’s other tips for brides-to-be who are looking for a dress include saving money for it (“You’ll be surprised how much these things can cost, I’m not kidding you,” she said) and not giving in to pressure from their consultant who has to fill a sales quota.

“I’m going to tell you the secret: we all have goals that we have to make, OK, you don’t know that. We have numbers that we must meet every month — every consultant, OK. Don’t let her pressure you into a dress, especially if you don’t like it.

“And don’t let a consultant try three dresses on you, go out and have a smoke, come back,” she added.

“No, request a different consultant, because this day is one of most important days of your life and if you’re not comfortable in a dress and you want to go and think about it, maybe … then don’t buy it that day, go sleep on it.”

Rigsby said her biggest tip for choosing a wedding gown is “less is more,” noting one American bride who didn’t heed that advice ended up spending a whopping $32,000 on her dress.

“The more stuff she wanted, the more the price went up, and if you start changing a dress and doing this and doing that to the dress, it’s really not your dress.

“You should put it on and not want to change not one thing about your wedding dress.”

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