5 things to think about when you go wedding gown shopping
Being a newly-engaged bride, one of the biggest concern I had was finding the perfect dress for the big day. Apart from the fact that I'm really petite (think US 0, UK 2-4), and vertically challenged, the fact that I was quite the budget bride didn't make things any better.
During this wedding gown hunt, I've done so many research online, asked other brides and mutual friends and eventually found my dress. Having visited 12 bridal shops of all nature - home-based, big rental outlets, MTM etc., I do have some personal getaways from this.
Here are some things to consider when you're wedding gown hunting:
1. Work out your parameters
Of course, all bridal shops have some sort of bundle deal to give a "good deal". But really, you need to think about what you really want first. How many dresses do you need? A white gown, a kua and an evening gown? Will you need rental for the groom's outfit as well? Before you step in into a bridal shop and get swarmed with options, think about what you really need first to make sure you are not paying for unnecessary items.
2. Ala-carte or package deal?
Is it really cheaper to take up a bridal shop package with everything included - gowns, suit, florals, makeup artist, photogaphy and videography? The answer is yes, and no. One thing for sure, is that it saves you a lot of hassle in terms of coordinating. At times, it may also be cheaper than finding separate vendors. But, what is important to ask yourself is, is the quality up to my standards? Do ask for portfolios before committing yourself to the package. Are you willing to save money to make do with vendors that are sub-standards? Also, if the price is right, do they have the dresses you like? If choices are limited and you don't see anything you like, I do recommend that you move on to another place.
3. Home-based or bridal shops?
As a budget bride myself, I've been to a mixture of both, and I dare say that home-based ones can be really equally professional like big bridal shops like the ones along Tanjong Pagar. I was actually ready to settle on a home-based place, if I had not already found my dress before I went back for the second time. One thing for sure is, home-based bridal shops tend to be a little limited in terms of designs. But if you are able to find what you like there, it is surely a good bargain if you go to the right place. Generally from my experience, home-based bridal gown range from $476 to $1000. The ones with brick-and-mortar shops range from $700 and above.
4. Should I rent the dress or buy it?
Some may argue that this is a no-brainer question, and that we should definitely just rent it since we are only going to wear once in our lifetime. Despite being a budget bride, I think it really depends. BTB need to note that the intricate lace designs are usually at the bottom of the dress. What this means is, if you are petite like me, the bridal shop might be unwilling to sew it in for you, to fit your height, and instead recommend that you wear really high heels/platforms. Another concern is, this may limit your wedding dress style and they are only able to do minor alterations. A-line and ballgown dresses are quite easy to find in gown rental shops, but if you are looking for sheath, mermaid, or trumpet, it might be challenging to find one that fits you perfectly if you just want to rent it.
Also, look out for gown clearance sales where rental shops sell their old collections at low prices - this could mean dress that are marked at $199 - $800. This was how I eventually got my dress, and by owning the dress, it meant that I could cut off the excess fabric and shorten the dress to fit my height, meaning i could actually stick to my original plan of wearing a pair of sneakers!
5. Should i bring an entourage when i go gown-shopping?
It really depends on you! If you have been an avid fan of Say yes to the dress, you might think that you need an entire entourage to be present with you. For me, I personally think that the first few shops I go to, I would prefer to have only my other half with me. Especially if you are not very sure of the dress style yet, take the first two shops to try other different style and narrow down your options. This is to make sure that your decisions won't be swayed by your entourage, and you end up with a crowd-pleasing decision, yet not something you want. Your other half is also important to give you an objective opinion, and ensure that you won't be influenced by the sales lady (sharing from personally experience) or feel bad about rejecting the nice sales person.
So here's 5 things to consider when you are shopping for your perfect dress!
Happy shopping!
During this wedding gown hunt, I've done so many research online, asked other brides and mutual friends and eventually found my dress. Having visited 12 bridal shops of all nature - home-based, big rental outlets, MTM etc., I do have some personal getaways from this.
Here are some things to consider when you're wedding gown hunting:
1. Work out your parameters
Of course, all bridal shops have some sort of bundle deal to give a "good deal". But really, you need to think about what you really want first. How many dresses do you need? A white gown, a kua and an evening gown? Will you need rental for the groom's outfit as well? Before you step in into a bridal shop and get swarmed with options, think about what you really need first to make sure you are not paying for unnecessary items.
2. Ala-carte or package deal?
Is it really cheaper to take up a bridal shop package with everything included - gowns, suit, florals, makeup artist, photogaphy and videography? The answer is yes, and no. One thing for sure, is that it saves you a lot of hassle in terms of coordinating. At times, it may also be cheaper than finding separate vendors. But, what is important to ask yourself is, is the quality up to my standards? Do ask for portfolios before committing yourself to the package. Are you willing to save money to make do with vendors that are sub-standards? Also, if the price is right, do they have the dresses you like? If choices are limited and you don't see anything you like, I do recommend that you move on to another place.
3. Home-based or bridal shops?
As a budget bride myself, I've been to a mixture of both, and I dare say that home-based ones can be really equally professional like big bridal shops like the ones along Tanjong Pagar. I was actually ready to settle on a home-based place, if I had not already found my dress before I went back for the second time. One thing for sure is, home-based bridal shops tend to be a little limited in terms of designs. But if you are able to find what you like there, it is surely a good bargain if you go to the right place. Generally from my experience, home-based bridal gown range from $476 to $1000. The ones with brick-and-mortar shops range from $700 and above.
4. Should I rent the dress or buy it?
Some may argue that this is a no-brainer question, and that we should definitely just rent it since we are only going to wear once in our lifetime. Despite being a budget bride, I think it really depends. BTB need to note that the intricate lace designs are usually at the bottom of the dress. What this means is, if you are petite like me, the bridal shop might be unwilling to sew it in for you, to fit your height, and instead recommend that you wear really high heels/platforms. Another concern is, this may limit your wedding dress style and they are only able to do minor alterations. A-line and ballgown dresses are quite easy to find in gown rental shops, but if you are looking for sheath, mermaid, or trumpet, it might be challenging to find one that fits you perfectly if you just want to rent it.
Also, look out for gown clearance sales where rental shops sell their old collections at low prices - this could mean dress that are marked at $199 - $800. This was how I eventually got my dress, and by owning the dress, it meant that I could cut off the excess fabric and shorten the dress to fit my height, meaning i could actually stick to my original plan of wearing a pair of sneakers!
5. Should i bring an entourage when i go gown-shopping?
It really depends on you! If you have been an avid fan of Say yes to the dress, you might think that you need an entire entourage to be present with you. For me, I personally think that the first few shops I go to, I would prefer to have only my other half with me. Especially if you are not very sure of the dress style yet, take the first two shops to try other different style and narrow down your options. This is to make sure that your decisions won't be swayed by your entourage, and you end up with a crowd-pleasing decision, yet not something you want. Your other half is also important to give you an objective opinion, and ensure that you won't be influenced by the sales lady (sharing from personally experience) or feel bad about rejecting the nice sales person.
So here's 5 things to consider when you are shopping for your perfect dress!
Happy shopping!
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