Shopping for Wedding Gowns? Say Yes to the Dress Designer Pnina Tornai Reveals Who to Invite — and Who Not to

With more than three decades of experience in the fashion industry, the designer and Say yes to the dress star Pnina Tornai has created thousands of custom wedding dresses for brides around the world. Now, the icon is sharing her expert knowledge on how to find the perfect dress and who to bring along.

In an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE, Tornai reflects on her role as a “trendsetter” in the world of wedding style. “It’s nice to see that because at first I have inspiration, and then I create it as well [at the] at the very beginning, it doesn’t really catch on [on] because it takes time for people to absorb it. And then it becomes a trend and then it’s everywhere,” she adds.

“What’s amazing and beautiful about a wedding and what makes it so much fun is that the sky’s the limit,” Tornai continues. “No rules. There are many trends, but everything is acceptable. It depends on what fantasy the bride has, what dream the bride has, and I’m here for that.”

Pnina Tornai.

Zohar Shitrit

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However, one thing Tornai is not “there” for is large groups of people following a bride to find her wedding dress. “The less the better,” she explains. “Because you know that every person you bring with you has their own opinion. And the more opinions there are, the more confusing it is.”

So how does Tornai suggest removing your group? Well, she explains that it’s imperative that brides “bring the people you trust the most and the people you know love you, who really love you and will always advise you the truth.” The designer adds that bringing in people who “just say, ‘Oh, you look great! You look beautiful!'” will not help the bride make an informed decision about her dress.

“I don’t like jealous friends and I don’t like mean moms,” she notes of the types of individuals to be weary of in these circumstances. “They want their daughter to wear what their fantasies were when they got married and they never got to wear it, so now they want their daughter to be in a ball gown full of crystals,” says Tornai.

All this is not to say that wedding dress shopping should be a solo endeavor, as Tornai claims that “other people’s opinions, as long as they more or less match your vision of yourself,” are fine in her eyes.

Alexander Lipkin

“I really think brides should be open-minded,” she said Say yes to the dress says the star. “You should try on as many silhouettes as possible. They should not be fixated on one particular look. Because most brides end up choosing a dress, they fall in love with a dress that has nothing to do with the idea they came with.”

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Tornai, who was born in Israel, recently canceled her “Utopia” fashion show at Bridal Fashion Week 2024 due to the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Scheduled for October 12, Tornai moved the release date to November 2.

“My country, my people, my family and my friends are under attack,” Tornai said in an official statement. “Hamas terrorists killed hundreds of Israelis in cold blood, including women and children in their homes and teenagers at a peace festival.” She called the conflict “heartbreaking and incomprehensible”.

Tornai added: “Just a few weeks ago I decided to call this collection ‘Utopia’ because my heart ached for the suffering, division and hatred I saw in the world and I wanted these works of art to represent my hope for a better world where everyone we love and care for each other. I couldn’t even imagine how fitting that would be.”

Despite the delay, Tornai intends to introduce its new garments to the world. “I will show off my new couture dresses and I will not let terror win,” she said. “I do what I do to bring beauty and love to the world, and that’s more important now than ever. Light will overcome darkness. We dream, we hope, we pray for better days.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education