6 ways to put your dress to good use!

July 31, 2014

The wedding is over...now what?

This week, we had a bride ask us what the heck she was supposed to do with her wedding gown now that the wedding was over! Put it in a box never to be seen again? Flaunt it on an evening out on the town?

After a couple of minutes thinking, I quickly responded to her plea with a couple of options. And so, sparked this post!

I am sure many of you have no idea what to do with your dress after the wedding so I decided to put together some great options for you!

And we want to hear which is your favorite! Comment below to vote :)

Turn it into Lingerie

Now this is my favorite idea of all time. I just can't get myself to cut up my gown, but you may want to put it to good use ;)

Box it Up!

After a couple of photoshoots in it, I finally got mine preserved and all boxed up! I cannot wait to show my kids and grandkids one day ;)

Display It

Just like you're going to be hanging wedding photos all over your new home together, display your gown...it's almost like a live photo!

Trash the Dress

Why not get some amazing (and unique) photos out of it!

Donate It

Brides Against Breast Cancer takes your used dress and sells it to brides-to-be at highly discounted rates for their wedding day! Not only does a bride get her dream dress at a very low cost, but the sales earnings are donated to programs across the nation for cancer patients, their families, and caregivers!

Now that's what I call an amazing use for your dress!

Sell It Online

Looking to get a little cash back from the purchase? Sell it online!

What are you going to do with your dress after the wedding?

(comment below!)

A Wedding Abroad

July 30, 2014

Many brides dream of holding their wedding in a dreamy and exotic location abroad. There is no wonder why, for places such as tropical Bali, picturesque France and scenic Mexico hold undeniable charms.

However, we know that a large number of brides-to-be feel lost and intimidated at the notion of holding their dream wedding abroad. After all, planning or coordinating a wedding in a location that you are familiar with is no easy task, so arranging one in a destination abroad will only prove to be a greater challenge.

So here’s some handy tips to help you kick-start your (very exciting) destination wedding journey!

1. Budget

This is definitely the least romantic or fun part of a wedding, but it is absolutely essential that you start by planning this aspect first.

You should come up with an estimate of the total sum that you are willing to spend, as well as the amounts that you would like to allocate to different aspects of your wedding. For example, certain couples may want to spend more on the wedding venue, while others prefer to spend more on photography or entertainment.

This may sound rather daunting, but don’t worry! You are just arriving at an estimate, and do not have to stress about the details of the budget at this point in time.

Adjustments and changes will be made along the way, as you carry out further research and discussions with a variety of wedding vendors. However, it helps to have a cost estimate in mind, as it guides you in your search for a wedding venue and vendor services.

2. Wedding Venue

We would like to emphasize that it is best that you finalize this aspect as soon as you can, after you have decided on a wedding destination.

This is so as wedding venues tend to be booked rather quickly in advance by wedding couples. We’ve actually heard of popular wedding venues that have been secured about two years before the day of the wedding!

It may appear strange that you are required to book a wedding venue at a period so far before the actual date of your wedding. However, there are certain wedding venues that serve various purposes. Some venues may be used as a location for vacation rentals (eg. villas), or are also available for other functions (hotel ballrooms). As such, it is best to secure such venues early, as there are many other couples, businesses and users competing for available booking slots.

3. Wedding Planners

It is up to you to decide on a wedding planner before or after you have selected a wedding venue. Certain wedding couples may make bookings for a venue, before engaging a wedding planner to coordinate other aspects of their wedding. In other instances, the couple may source for a venue from suggestions made by the wedding planner.

We have had brides-to-be telling us, ‘Is it necessary to engage a wedding planner? Perhaps I can source for vendors and a venue on my own. What other benefits can a wedding planner bring?’

Well, it is not mandatory to engage a planner. However, we feel that wedding planners help to take away your stress of coordinating a wedding destination abroad, as they provide you with information and assistance in these aspects:

- Introducing professional vendors that they have experience working with
- Helping you coordinate the essentials (legalities, event decoration, food and beverage)
- Consulting on the finer details (event decorations that are suitable for the weather, etc)

4. Other Wedding Essentials

Factors that fall under this category include legalities, photography, hair and makeup, bridal gowns, wedding stationery...and more!

Legalities are definitely a crucial factor for brides and grooms planning to hold a legal wedding abroad. However, certain couples may choose to register their marriage in their home country, and hold their wedding celebrations in a destination abroad. If you plan complete your wedding legalities in a foreign country, it is essential that you contact the embassy, and finalize arrangements for legalities with your wedding planner.

Website

Wedding-Bali.com is an online guide providing information for everything and anything related to getting married in Bali! We also take in all kinds of wedding-related inquiries from our readers, and help to recommend vendors and venues for wedding couples.

Twitter

Facebook

Get the Gown

July 29, 2014

On top of everything else you are going to purchase for your wedding day, your wedding gown is expensive, to say the least. And to think you'll only be wearing it for a total of 10 hours...maybe?
To many, it just seems silly.

So being the person I am and always having to find solutions to every wedding-related "problem" I come across, I sought out for a better solution.

And I found it!

Get the Gown gives you the chance to rent the gown of your dreams and not have to feel silly for spending a ridiculous amount of money on a dress you'll never wear again! So go ahead and check out their site and see if you can find your dream gown today :)

Check it Out

I wanted to get a head start on the research for you, so after taking a look at the site and browsing all of the beautiful gowns, I sat down with Jessica, founder of Get the Gown, to get some of my questions answered...I tried to put myself back into the shoes of a bride and think of the questions you all may have for them!

What if the gown doesn't fit? Can it be exchanged for a new size?

Yes, we can exchange sizes, as long as the requested size is available!

Can I try on the dress beforehand?

Yes, there is a trial period to try on the dress once the bride has received the gown.

Are the gowns custom-altered to my measurements?

The gowns come in standard sizes. Brides have the option of choosing the size based upon the "label size" (what's written on the tag) or the "street size" (what the dress would feel like when worn). We keep records of the specific measurements of our gowns so if a bride wanted to know, she could ask our stylists.

If a bride would like to alter a gown, we allow temporary alterations (i.e. no cutting material) as long as the bride receives written permission from Get The Gown prior to making any alterations.

How many times have the gowns been worn before?

Many of our gowns have actually never been worn before except for our photo shoots (to get the images you see on our site).

Are there payment plans available?

Unfortunately, no. It is a one time payment to rent one of our gowns!

If you are a bride just cringing to purchase a gown that you know you'll never wear again, check them out. You may just find your dream gown...and they offer accessories too!