‘Say Yes to the Dress’ and Kleinfeld Bridal designer coming to Mt. Lebanon boutique
Wedding dress designer Hayley Paige says that the moment a bride steps into her gown is sacred.
“In a world that’s constantly evolving, that moment remains sacred,” said Paige, who will be at Bridal Beginning in Mt. Lebanon on Thursday. “It transcends trend or extravagance; it’s pure expression. For so many women, this is their couture experience — an emotional exchange that feels almost like a red-carpet moment wrapped in sentiment and soul.”
Helping to create that moment once again is Paige, 40, of Hayley Paige. You might know her from appearances on TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” and as one of the designers at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City. She is back after a five-year hiatus due to a legal battle with a previous employer.
Paige lost the rights to design wedding dresses due to an unpaid noncompete, which also prohibited her from using her own name in any business or commerce, or even from publicly identifying and controlling her personal social media accounts, she said.
In 2024, an appellate court ruled that her previous employer failed to prove ownership of her social media pages. She settled with the previous employer to be able to create again under her name in a bankruptcy court, Paige said.
As part of her return tour, she is visiting bridal shops across the U.S. She chose Bridal Beginning because the store has such a “heart-driven team.”
“They’re true stylists and trusted bridal resources,” Paige said. “They know how to make a bride feel comfortable and beautifully herself. For me, having my collection represented here in Pittsburgh feels incredibly full circle, especially after everything it took to reclaim my name and return to bridal design.”
Pamela Olivo, founder and creative director at Bridal Beginning in Mt. Lebanon, co-owns the shop with her husband, Pat Olivo. They have more than 2,500 dresses and have carried Paige’s designs since she began.
“I hope with all the changes in the world that we never lose this special life moment for brides and the experience of finding the perfect dress,” Pamela Olivo said. “It’s about elevating the experience to find the dress you love.”
Paige said she loves interacting with brides and the people who accompany the bride to a dress shop. She welcomes feedback and reactions to her line. The search for the gown isn’t just about a “say yes to the dress moment,” Paige said.
It’s about the celebration of creative freedom, community, and brides who still believe in a little magic, she said.
While she said she never really envisioned being on television, TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” ended up feeling like a natural extension of what she already does.
“They made it easy to just be myself — to be in the moment with a bride,” Paige said. “For me, it was never about whether she chose a Hayley Paige gown or not; it was about making sure she felt as beautiful and as special as she truly is. That part — being her advocate and her hype woman in real time — was the real magic of it.
”I’m endlessly inspired by the idea that a gown can hold memory, meaning, and transformation all at once.”
Each dress is inspired by her own life. Paige lives in Palm Beach, Fla., with her fiancé, and is designing her own wedding gown.
Her style is offbeat, she said, a juxtaposition of color and texture. A graduate of Cornell University with a degree in fiber science and apparel design, Paige has had a love of fashion since she was 7 years old and wanted to use her grandmother’s Singer sewing machine.
“My gowns are like love letters — stitched with optimism, authenticity, and just a hint of rebellion,” Paige said.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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