'Momzilla' Berates Bride-to-Be

March 10, 2009— -- Searching for the perfect wedding dress is supposed to be a magical experience that women fantasize about from a young age. But when the bride is receiving insults from an overbearing mother, the dream becomes a nightmare.

Bridezillas, please step aside -- "Momzilla" is on the loose.

Watch the story on "What Would You Do?" Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.

Tensions can run high during the often-stressful time before a wedding, leading to clashes between mothers and daughters, and Momzillas are not an uncommon sight, according to Ronnie Rothstein, CEO and owner of Kleinfeld Bridal in Manhattan.

"We get Momzilla here every week," Rothstein said. "When a mother comes in with a bride, you see all of the good and bad in the relationships."

ABC News wanted to see how people would react to an over-the-top Momzilla berating her thin daughter in one of Manhattan's exclusive wedding salons. As a bride-to-be modeled her dream dress, Momzilla went on a verbal rampage.

In the middle of the salon at Kleinfeld Bridal, Maria Regina, an actress hired by ABC News, yelled at another actress who played the part of her bride-to-be daughter.

"I'm paying for the dress, I think I have a right to tell you what this dress looks like!" Regina shouted. "Is that understood? I'm just telling you the truth. Don't you want to hear what I have to say?"

The reactions to the mother and daughter were varied, with most people showing sympathies to the bride while unwilling to confront the overbearing mom.

According to Colgate University psychology professor Carrie Keating, emotional outbursts are the core makings of a true Momzilla.

"It's an over-controlling, overly anxious, overly narcissistic, demanding mother of the bride who seems for some reason determined to ruin her daughter's day," said Keating.

According to Keating, change is the primary cause of the discord.

"There is oftentimes conflict because the relationship between mothers and daughters is changing," said Keating. "And the moms themselves are requiring some attention -- what about them? They, in fact, are the ones in a sense, being left behind."