Buy Or Rent: What Is The Actual Cost Of A Wedding Gown?
2021-03-23

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If you’re reading this, chances are your big date has already been set and plans are underway. As you experience both excitement and stress in equal measure, you’d also face a couple of difficult decisions to make. While seemingly small compared to the bigger picture, you come across a dilemma: should I buy a wedding dress or opt for gown rental?

Indeed, cost seems to be the biggest factor here. However, as a once in a lifetime event and milestone, it is hard to draw the line between what is worth or unnecessary in terms of wedding expenses. Other than that, the decision of purchasing a wedding gown appears to only fall on the shoulder of the bride-to-be.

But fret not, we’re here to tell you that it’s not a zero-sum game; you can don the beautiful wedding dress you’ve been eyeing without breaking the bank! Here’s a list of guidelines that will help you to make a deceivingly easy decision.

1. Priorities Agreed Upon by You and Your Partner

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Precisely because the wedding gown is donned on only by the bride (and for a single occasion, at that), it can be difficult for the couple to decide whether to invest in a gown. Not only that, but there’s also the concern of how much money to allocate for the gown’s budget.

As such, the couple needs to sit down and carefully discuss the wedding budget, right down to its nitty-gritty components. This will allow them to make, or rather pre-empt, themselves for the challenging monetary issues – what should be prioritised within the expenditure? In terms of financial margins, how much can be compromised?

Only when these larger concerns are ironed out, then can the couple collaboratively arrive at a consensus: whether to purchase or rent the wedding dress.

2. Functionality of the Wedding Gown (Post-Wedding)

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Wedding gowns are essential for pre-wedding photoshoots and the wedding itself. Brides-to-be often flock to find the unique, beautiful and perfect dress for themselves. Hence, brides and couples often neglect to consider the gown’s function after the big day.

Hence, before the purchase or rental, it is best to consider if you would like to keep the dress for other purposes. Some couples make plans to do another wedding photoshoot after marriage, perhaps five or ten years after — a post-wedding shoot if you will. In this case, the bride would be more obliged to purchase a wedding dress since it’ll still serve a purpose after the wedding.

For storage, maintenance of the dress is another valid concern to address. As time passes, the dress will inevitably collect dust and become wrinkled. Moreover, the wedding dress might yellow with time due to the breakdown of its whitening agent. In order to prevent this, one can prolong the white dye lifespan by caring and washing it frequently. Additionally, depending on the delicateness of the wedding dress’ material, sending it for a dry cleaning session before its next use might be in order.

3. Sentimentality

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Apart from all the aforementioned practical aspects, it’s also important to process and understand the emotional perspective involved. After all, a wedding is a blissful occasion that typically only happens once in a lifetime. Hence, enjoying the experience is essential for you and your partner.

As a bride-to-be, is obtaining the perfect dress important to you? Does it excite you incredibly to go dress-shopping? If so, without a doubt, purchasing a dress would bring you immense happiness and thus, gratify your partner as well.

Sentimental value is also found in passing your wedding gown on to the next generation. This is a tradition for many cultures, where the daughter inherits her mother’s wedding gown. If this tradition resonates with you, it would be worthwhile browsing through the collections of beautiful wedding gowns offered by Singapore’s bridal shops. As you search for your ideal wedding dress, remember: Take your time and don’t rush the process — finding the perfect one requires patience and discernment.

Conclusion

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Attaining a wedding gown is a common wedding woe for the soon-to-be-married couple. This is why managing your wedding expenses and having an open discussion with your partner on which areas are essential — like conferring sentimental value — and which other areas can be compromised, is crucial to the wedding planning.

For more tips on addressing all your wedding planning woes, head over and fill in this form for our wedding-planning experts to assist you.

A wedding, right down to each detail, can be challenging to plan. But have no fear, seeking help from professionals can ease your load and bring you closer to your ideal wedding.