BUY A WEDDING DRESS ON A BUDGET
A wedding dress is one of those things you just have to get on that very special day. And yes, although we know that once you hear those wedding bells it will also mean that it’s time to get that fire lighter you chucked in your kitchen drawer and burning a hole in your favourite wallet, fret not! With the following tips (and of course your persistence) you can get that special wedding dress for that special day without considering buying a new wallet at the same time.
SHOP ONLINE
Ok this is a no brainer, shopping online has more options, lower cost for vendor which translate to more cost savings for you and competitive landscape allows for more competitive pricing. Well this option only applies if you have a little more time available on your hand and could wait for the delivery time. You can join online wedding forums such as WeddingForum.sg to get suggestions or from other bride-to-be’s. There are a lot of bargain offers online which can save you a lot of money. Nowadays, you can even custom make your wedding dress from a online wedding store based in a country other than Singapore.
BARGAIN HUNTING
There is no need to be embarrassed to wait for a sale event to shop for your wedding dress in Singapore. If you are ever tempted to be ashamed, just think of the money you can save for your honeymoon or that new car you have always wanted. Some bridal shops hold sale periodically or even offer sample sales. This is a good opportunity to find a value for money wedding dress as many shops try to get rid of all their off season stock. However, do note that they might not offer you fitting rooms depending on the venue of the sale. So, be prepared to wear a swimsuit or something tight fitting so that you can feel free to fit it in front of other people. Sometimes, you can even negotiate and lower that price further.
REFURBISHED WEDDING DRESS
There are some merits to buying a second hand wedding dress that eludes most people. It makes sense to buy a wedding dress that are worn only once at fraction of the original price when it is still in good shape. You might want to refrain from purchasing second hand wedding dress directly from the previous owner as you might be wasting time with all the quality check meet ups. A better way is to shop at a middle man/consignment store because they will have their own quality checks and filtering processes. This will save some time and increase the chance of getting a better deal. Even though this might be common sense, but always check the original price of the wedding dress (to make sure it is really a fraction of the price) and take note of any stains or smell.
NON-TRADITIONAL WEDDING DRESS
This is the time to defy conventional wisdom. Who says it is wrong in buying a non-traditional wedding dress. Brides who are open enough to think out of the box ends up saving a lot of money on a wedding dress. There are department stores that sell white and ivory dresses with different hem level that can be worn for many different occasions, including weddings. You don’t even have to tell anyone where you got the wedding dress.
RELATIVES ANYONE?
If you are planning your wedding on a budget, try asking you relatives or even your friends if you can loan their wedding dress. Just like a graduation gown, their wedding dresses are tucked away into the deep recesses of their wardrobe and have never seen the light of day ever since their wedding day. Be sure to seek the permission from the owner if you are considering any alterations to the wedding dress.
RENT
It has become more common in todays age to rent your wedding dress for your big day. After all, renting is definitely much cheaper than buying. You could rent a wedding dress on your actual day and then return it the day after. To sweeten the deal, the rental price may be low enough to allow you to wear designer wedding dresses even on a shoestring budget. After all, the whole idea of renting out wedding dress will enable the rental store get its money back.
HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER
Wedding planners are specialist and they are expected to know everything that there about the local wedding industry. Consider hiring a freelance wedding planner to keep cost in check. A great thing about hiring such a professional is the fact that he or she can tap on their vast network and will be able to direct you to where all the good deals are. For that alone, you have a better chance to find the most value for money wedding dress possible. Check out our blog post on the pros and cons of hiring a wedding planner.
STRICTLY STICK TO YOUR BUDGET
What else is there to say, stick to your budget! Plan it through and document your budget on a piece of paper because you are more likely to stick to it if it is in black and white. Be sure to factor in all the miscellaneous costs such as accessories, alterations, transport and cleaning in your overall wedding dress budget.
Get the most out of your budget by enquiring early. Enjoy our $300 early bird discount here!