ala carte bridal package?

[keymistress]

hello ladies,

i know many of you are taking up bridal packages from various bridal boutiques, but i have a problem! i'm really fussy and i've taken a liking to different things from all over the place!!! do you think it's advisable to do ala carte and will it cost alot more? what do you think is the appropriate cost for:

- 1 made to measure bridal gown
- 1 made to measure evening gown
- 1 made to measure men's suit and pants
- photography (studio and outdoor)
- makeup (studio and outdoor)

[leafmemories]

Hi keymistress,

we went the ala carte way - didn't sign up with any bridal shops but it definitely costs much more.

we got all our suits and gowns OTR, but spent more on photography, videography and makeup. the total costs of our clothing, makeup and photography runs to more than $7k..

I think you'll have to budget more if you're doing MTM for the gowns?

[sunshineliv]

erm I beg to differ. It really depends on what your budget is like and if you can find cheaper lobangs or not. Also, a-la-carte weddings are good for those who do not want many of the items in the package and they are going to have fuss free wedding. For instance, my friend who had a wedding lunch did not sign package. she bought her gown at a wedding shop sale, hired her own photo and videography, makeup etc and spent less than 2.5k for everything, Her wedding gown was quite nice if you ask me I also had friends who bought 2nd hand gowns from singaporebrides.com forum. It all depends on what you want.

If you spend enough time to look and do ur research, you may be able to get good deals. when I prepared mine, I looked through thousands of threads at singaporebrides.com for all the lobangs on photography, videography and makeup artists. I made my two piece evening wear for about 80 bucks because I bought my bikini top at a wedding shop sale. I can tell u that not all expensive photographers are good because for both my ROM and AD, my photographers were all freelance and relatively affordable ones and I received many compliments about their photos too Although I also bought a package but my package was really the very basic one I adamantly refused to sign on anything more with them.

[miracle]

those who did ala carte weddings before, hope to have some of your inputs.
i'm thinking of going the half ala carte way, which means i will source for the gowns, suits, makeup as a package and photography, videography seperate.
i read the singapore bride forums and they say once the bridal shops get to know you want to get the package but less the photography portion, they will be not willing to entertain u?

so if it really possible to get the package (gowns, suits, makeup and that's it i don't need fanciful stuffs) from the bridal shop only?

[oreocookie]

hello ladies,

i know many of you are taking up bridal packages from various bridal boutiques, but i have a problem! i'm really fussy and i've taken a liking to different things from all over the place!!! do you think it's advisable to do ala carte and will it cost alot more? what do you think is the appropriate cost for:

- 1 made to measure bridal gown
- 1 made to measure evening gown
- 1 made to measure men's suit and pants
- photography (studio and outdoor)
- makeup (studio and outdoor)

hi keymistress,
i did an ala-carte wedding as well, cos i was like you, i didn't like the gowns that were at those typical bridal shops and wanted to oversee everything on my own!

with regards to your queries, here are the rough estimate costs for my items:
- 1 made to measure bridal gown (~$1,000)
- 1 made to measure evening gown (~$1,000)
- 1 made to measure men's suit and pants (~$750)
- photography (studio and outdoor) (i didn't do studio photography, my outdoor engagement photography cost me about $2.5k)
- makeup (studio and outdoor) (makeup for actual day cost me about $450)

hope that helps!

[miracle]

in that case for photography u only have 2 gowns to wear? which is your MTM bridal gown and evening gown.

[nuclear.orange]

i read the singapore bride forums and they say once the bridal shops get to know you want to get the package but less the photography portion, they will be not willing to entertain u?

so if it really possible to get the package (gowns, suits, makeup and that's it i don't need fanciful stuffs) from the bridal shop only?

It is possible....

I walked many bridals shop that don't want to entertain me...till I found one willing to rent me gowns and tux. (not MTM but off the rack)

I think it is very important to tell the bridal shops out right that you are not taking their photography....

Some shops really show us black faces the moment we tell them we don't want their photography.

[miracle]

are you able to list down the shops that are willing to just rent the gowns and suits?

[cherrycoma]

Not all bridal boutiques are out to sell you a package. So far I've been to Silhouette the Atelier, Margaret Brides, My Dream Wedding, Jawn, they don't provide photography services but instead tie-up with affiliate studios to offer some promotion. If you don't like the photographers they tie up with, you're free to choose your own.

I'm close to confirming with Silhouette and I'm only renting 1 WG and MUA services. You can try approaching them, their gowns are really lovely

If you have budget constraint, I can recommend Jawn Happy Ever After, he seems sincere and skilled too, judging by past photos of his brides.

[oreocookie]

in that case for photography u only have 2 gowns to wear? which is your MTM bridal gown and evening gown.

Hi miracle: I assume you're asking me?
For my engagement photoshoot, I wore my MTM bridal gown and other casual dresses and gowns of my own which I did not state above. For my MTM evening gown, I only wore it for my AD banquet halfway throughout the night.

[angiee]

Able to intro any bridal studios willing to rent gowns MTM or OTR? I'm thinking of goin ala-carte too!

[oreocookie]

Hi angiee: i think most bridal studios will, but without signing a package from them, means just renting the gown only, is very expensive. i enquired once before, an ordinary looking gown from a bridal studio along liang seah street, i was quoted $7-800 a day!

[miracle]

do they allow signing the package but minus the photography costs? i understand it will not be too much, maybe they deduct $400 - $500 off?
in this case is it still worth it? i really hate how those photographs look from the bridal shops!

[flyinghoof]

miracle: yeap. some bridal shops allow that, meaning everything excluding photography. maybe will deduct 1k +/- off the package.

[miracle]

great to hear that. when u say some meaning some shops really focus on selling packages and won't even let you minus the photography?
in that case i'm more assured to hear that, because i want to go ala carte but worried i can't find gowns if the bridal shops are very sticky on their package requirements.