The High-Street Bride’s Guide: How to Plan Your Perfect Wedding On A Budget. Samantha Birch

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ there were various visions in gold – from Sue Wong’s elaborately beaded and tightly ruffled chiffon number for under £445 to an utterly jaw-dropping gold V-neck, cowl back Notte by Marchesa stunner for under £430.

      Also featured were a truckload of gorgeous, affordable BCBGMAXAZRIA, some glittering David Meisters and – if you’ve got just a little more to play with – a delicate, empire Badgley Mischka for under £610. There are even videos of a lot of the dresses so you can see them in floor-sweeping action before you order.

       Shop Smart

      There are just a few things to bear in mind when you shop online. theoutnet.com is an established, recognised brand, but there are a lot of cowboys out there hoping to fob you off with a counterfeit that crackles when you walk and costs your whole bridal budget – and possibly your sanity. Don’t buy from sellers you haven’t heard of, or who no-one you know has had positive first-hand experience with.

      Always check the Ts and Cs when spending this amount of money on the web. You don’t want to be stuck with a dress that doesn’t fit because it turns out since it’s sale stock you can’t send it back.

      You may need to get alterations, so you should factor these into the cost before deciding whether to keep your gown. Talk to an experienced, trustworthy seamstress or a bridal boutique that doesn’t mind amending dresses other than their own before you decide it’s the right dress for you.

      If you’re shopping from abroad, keep in mind extra charges – I’ve seen shipping priced at £9.99 and then taxes and duties tacked on at £80. It doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker if you’ve laid eyes on your dream dress at a pinch-yourself price, but it’s hardly pocket change so be careful to budget for it.

      Best for: Brides with a lot of time on their hands. You have to be willing to wait for your dress to arrive, to get in touch with a seamstress for alterations, or to send it back if needs be. With discount sites like THEOUTNET you’ve also got to keep an eye on Twitter or newsletters from your fave site so you can jump in and order your dream dress the minute it goes online – miss them and you could be left with slim pickings when it comes to choice of sizes.

       Hire

      No desire to wrap your W-day dress up in anti-moth paraphernalia and stash it in the attic? Or to try to convince your daughter she wants to wear it on her wedding day in 25 years or so? Go temporary and take all the savings that come with.

       Go Local

      I have a confession to make. For a while before my wedding I daydreamed about a little old lady – probably the cobbler from The Elves and the Shoemaker’s more competent other half – who would take in my dress for me, stitch on a few extra sequins and wipe a little tear from her eye in a grandmotherly way when I finally tried it on.

      If that’s the kind of experience you’re after, you’re not going to get it on the high street. Or at the jaw-dropping online hire place I’m about to wax lyrical about. But you might find it in that friendly neighbourhood bridal boutique I mentioned – as well as that warm, fuzzy feeling of supporting local biz (and not paying the earth for it).

      Although hiring means it’s likely your bridalwear choices will be more limited than if you bought – some fabrics can’t be altered imperceptibly so they won’t be available to rent – you will be able to add super-pretty prom dresses into the mix, and it’s a way of wearing something heart-stopping that also keeps your bank balance the right side of red.

       Wish Want Wear

      Fans of Temperley, Badgley Mischka and Malene Birger, try to hold it together: gowns by these and other designers are available to hire online from Wish Want Wear – from as little as about £50. No, I haven’t missed a nought off – last time I looked Birger-ites could hire a trim, super-cute style with cool, contemporary lace for four days for £50, or eight days for £85.

      Meanwhile, Temperley lovers could get a stunning laser-cut, empire-line, floor-length number for four days for £165 or eight days for £315. Or even an embellished low-back look worth £3,835 for four days for £215 or eight for £415.

      As for Mischka fans, you were looking at a totes-affordable £115 for a ruffle-loving halter neck for four days, or £215 for the same dream-dress for eight.

      This is a site where it’s worth checking out the wedding section (it’s under Occasions, Bridal), but if you’re open to other colours, you can also search gowns by names like Hervé Léger, Just Cavalli, M Missoni, MW Matthew Williamson, See by Chloe and co. according to everything from neckline to sleeve and body type.

      Standout brides and designer addicts can hire their accessories here too – if you’re into statement necklaces and eye-catching clutches, you can often rent names like Erickson Beamon for the price of buying a bling-tastic high-street gem. There are usually – for major label lusters – a few select Chanel by Vintage Heirloom quilted bags too, but you’re unlikely to get them for much under £100, and they tend to be black.

      The need-to-knows at the time of writing: delivery is available next-day, same-day and even on Saturdays; you can pre-book your delivery date in advance; minor spills and damage are covered; returns are free; they do the dry cleaning; they send you a free back-up size with your hire; and they offer a handy try-on service so you can test the fit of up to three dresses for £21.90.

      I’d recommend calling up one of their style advisors before you book anything though – when it’s your wedding, I can’t help feeling it’s best to confirm the availability of your date and size with a human being, rather than an online calendar.

      Best for: Designer divas. Who cares if you don’t get to keep the dress? There’s no room in your cluttered loft anyway. My only hint: brides outside average sizes may struggle – there are gowns in sixes and 18s, but your choice will be more limited than your eights to 12s.

       Couture

      In bridal circles, this tends to mean going to one of the big-name couturiers and spending thousands of pounds having your dress designed and crafted to your exact spec. What I’m suggesting is a less intensive – and expensive – experience that’s perfect if you’ve got a dream dress in your head that doesn’t seem to be on the hangers.

      I’ll be honest: this option is going to take a lot of legwork. You’ll have to Google/Yell.com/Thomson Local dressmakers or seamstresses in your local area, check their reviews online and call them up for prices. Numbers are likely to vary, but in general are cheaper for – you guessed it – shorter, simpler styles.

      Your best bet is to ask around among friends and relatives – maybe even put up a post on Facebook or hit Twitter. You’ll be surprised how many people have taken a prom dress to a tailor in the past or even know someone who makes clothes for a living. For me, working with someone who’s been recommended by a pal you know and trust has got to be a better bet than hoping the reviews you read on that random website weren’t just written by the shop itself.

      Once you get down there, get to know your seamstress before you book anything. Ask to see samples of their previous work, or items they’re СКАЧАТЬ