Tag Archives: Say Yes to the Dress Canada

Say Yes to the Dress Canada returns with tears and dress triumphs

Much of television is the equivalent of comfort food: you sit down, tune in and know what you’re going to get. Such is the case with Say Yes to the Dress Canada, returning for Season 2 on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT with back-to-back episodes on W Network.

The franchise once again spotlights Canadian ladies from different backgrounds and personal stories with the same goal: to find the perfect dress for her wedding day. As it was in the debut season, Rachelle Pollari of Amanda-Lina’s Sposa Boutique in Toronto and her team of experts aid the gals and their families and friends in finding the perfect frock. The only change from Season 1 is that fashion director Joseph Spencer is out in favour of Tyrel, who helps put the finishing touches on each sale.

Say Yes to the Dress Canada has always been a tear-filled affair and Wednesday’s return is no different; the second episode spotlights bride-to-be Heather, who lost her mother at 17; and Ashley, whose mom skipped out when she was young, leaving John a single father. Several misses threaten to throw everything into disarray.

The genius of Say Yes to the Dress Canada continues to be the ability to tell meaningful stories about these brides and their families while seeking out the perfect frock within the constraints of a 22-minute runtime. By the end of each segment you feel like you know these ladies and wish you’d gotten an invite to their big day.

Coming up later this season: the stories surrounding a wedding officiant, a divorce lawyer, athletes and a lesbian couple. And the franchise features one of its own tying the knot, as consultant Dimitra comes in for a fitting and has the wedding of her dreams with her coworkers cheering her on.

Say Yes to the Dress Canada airs Wednesdays at 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on W Network.

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Say Yes to the Dress Canada returns for Season 2

From a media release:

Corus Entertainment’s W Network kicks off the new year with a brand-new season of Say Yes to the Dress Canada. Season 2 features bigger budgets, more designers and lots of new dresses as wide-eyed brides from across Canada shop for their dream wedding dress to match their style, image and budget. Say Yes to the Dress Canada Season 2 premieres with back-to-back episodes Wednesday, January 6 at 10 p.m. and10:30 p.m. ET/PT on W Network.

Throughout the new season, brides from across the country continue the search for the perfect gown. It’s not always easy with family and friends at their side offering their unfiltered opinions. Filmed at one of Canada’s leading bridal destinations, Amanda-Lina’s Sposa Boutique in Toronto, the series goes behind-the-scenes and uncovers the hurdles every staff member faces to ensure each bride feels happy and beautiful in her dress on one of the most important days of her life.

Say Yes to the Dress Canada brings the heart of the U.S. series north to our beautiful Canadian brides. This season, bridal fashion expert and “bride whisperer” Tyrel joins the series as Fashion Director, alongside bridal boutique owners Sam and Rachelle, seamstress Maria and Amanda-Lina’s team of seasoned bridal consultants.​

This season’s brides include a Raptors Dance Pak performer in a scandalously low back; a feisty divorce lawyer in a fairy-tale gown; a fitness competition athlete keen to show off her buff bod; a romance novelist striving to realize her fantasies; and  follows Say Yes to the Dress Canada’s consultant, Dimitra, as she changes roles to become a bride herself, slips into her gorgeous gown and shares her magical day. This season, Michael Hill Jewellers returns as a lead sponsor of Say Yes to the Dress Canada. Say Yes to the Dress Canada is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with W Network and based on Say Yes to the Dress produced by Half Yard Entertainment for TLC, distributed by Discovery Studios Group.

 

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Canada Says Yes to the Dress

Turns out Canadian ladies love ruching, drop waists, sweetheart and bling on their wedding dresses too. So I learned watching (while checking the spelling of “ruching”) the first two episodes of Say Yes to the Dress Canada, debuting Wednesday on W Network.

And while I may have been surprised by the excitement, tears and drama generated during wedding dress fittings–complete with eye rolls and judgyness from the bride-to-be’s entourage–it wasn’t new to bridal stylist Joseph Spencer.

“The bride is the most important thing,” Spencer explains. “We listen to the bride and get her feeling. We know when she turns in the mirror what she’s feeling in the gown, even though her mother, sister, friend or brother isn’t interested in it or are negative. When a dress is right and they come out, it’s magical. They’re wearing the gown, the gown is not wearing them, they glow and the crying starts.”

Spencer, in the business for over 40 years, and Rachelle Pollari, co-owner of Amanda-Lina’s Sposa Boutique in Woodbridge, Ont., serve as the backbone of Say Yes to the Dress Canada, the series’ advisors and supporters through the girls’ journey to find the perfect frock for their wedding day. W Network’s iteration of the series doesn’t deviate from the U.S. franchise in its structure–future brides seek out the perfect dress and take a twirl in front of family and friends–but Pollari notes one big difference: money.

“There are a lot more girls who have a budget in mind rather than in the U.S.,” Pollari explains. “Price in the U.S. is almost no object. In the U.S. I’ve seen prices from $5,000 to $10,000 to $15,000. We carry that range, but we find the Canadian girl is more conservative and wants to have a dress that looks like $10,000 but cost $1,500.” That can be a challenge for Pollari and her staff, but they try their best to facilitate a bride’s requests, including combining two dresses into one.

“Show me a picture and I’ll make it!” she laughs. The ladies who travel from across the country in Season 1 include Canadian Olympic bobsledder Emily Baadsvik; Sharon, whose 88-year-old matron of honour and grandmother weigh in on her choices; two best friends who shop for dresses together; and a bride who has gone through 50 dresses prior to visiting the Pollari’s boutique.

Wednesday’s first two back-to-back episodes, “Men on Deck” and “Preconceived Notions,” are entertaining fare, the former featuring male friends and family members who weigh in on the brides’ choices while the latter boasts brides who entered the shop thinking they wanted one thing only to waver when it comes to the big decision. The gals all leave after saying “yes” to the dress, ensuring their wedding dreams will come true.

Say Yes to the Dress Canada airs Wednesdays at 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET on W Network.

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Link: Say Yes to the Dress and the glory of frock opera

From John Doyle:

Now me, I haven’t been to a wedding in years. But I do enjoy the bridal shopping experience every week.

It is totally true. On a regular evening when I’ve done the dishes and finished the ironing, I’ll relax with an episode of Say Yes to the Dress. (Sometimes it’s Four Weddings Canada, which is outrageous, simmering with snark, but that’s another story.) The SYTTD franchise is one of reality television’s great triumphs. There’s a genius to it. Continue reading.

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Video: First look at Say Yes to the Dress Canada

From W Network:

It’s the one dress she’s dreamed about her entire life. And everyone has an opinion about it.

Between budget and bling, taffeta and tantrums, not to mention the comments and criticisms of an entourage that can turn any bride’s fantasy into a nightmare, Say Yes to the Dress Canada brings all of the tears, cheers and surprises to the screen, with our own Canadian flair.

Say Yes to the Dress Canada debuts Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 10 p.m. ET on W Network.

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