Designer Wedding Gowns

I think it is every girl's dream to wear a couture wedding gown. I'm not one of those girls who have dreamt of their wedding day since they were little girls but even I know.. wedding gown = Vera Wang. Now that I am older and have been a recent bride, I have found so many other deliciously gorgeous couture wedding gowns. The kind that cost more than an arm and a leg. Still, it is nice to browse to get an idea of the type of gown you eventually want to get and if you can actually get one of these beauties, more kudos to you.

(Pictures of gowns from respective websites or from The Knot)


Vera Wang

Available at:
The Link Wedding
Lower Lobby, Shangri-La Hotel
Orange Grove Road
Singapore 258350
Tel: 65-6235-4648












Monique Lhuillier
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

Available at:
Australia
Helen Rodrigues
7211 Ben Boyd Rd.
Neutral Bay NSW
Tel: 612-9904-5700

Hong Kong
Harvey Nichols
The Landmark
Hong Kong
Tel: 852-3695-3388
and

Central Weddings
The Landmark
Hong Kong
Tel: 852-2869-8666

Japan
Epoca
Tokyo
Tel: 813-3573-3417

and

Hatsuko Endo Weddings
Ginza, Tokyo
Tel: 813-3563-1411

Also available in Korea, Taiwan, UAE etc


Carolina Herrera
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

Available at:
Hong Kong
Central Weddings and Occasions
Shop B31A The Landmark
15 Queen's Road Central, Central
Hong Kong
Tel 852-2869-8666

Japan
Hatsuko Endo
Tokyo
Tel: 03-3567-9358
and



Juno
6-16 Reisenmachi, Hakata-ku
Tel: 812-003-(092)263-6073



Jim Hjelm
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

No store information











Melissa Sweet
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

Available at:
Hong Kong
White Bridal Couture
14/F, 1 Lan Kwai Fong
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: 852-25213288











Reem Acra

Available at:
The Link Wedding
Lower Lobby, Shangri-La Hotel
Orange Grove Road
Singapore 258350
Tel: 65-6235-4648











Oscar de la Renta
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

Available at:
Hong Kong
Joyce Boutique
18 Queen's Road
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: 852-2810-1120










Justina McCaffrey
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

No store details
















Badgley Mischka
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

No store details
















Amsale
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

No store details
















Jenny Lee
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

Available at:
Hong Kong
Central Weddings and Occasions

Shop B31A, The Landmark

Central, Hong Kong
Tel: 852-2869-8666

Japan
Brilliant Bride

4-8-4 Yamato-dori, Chuo-ku
Kobe
Tel: 81-78-261-2015


Maggie Sottero
(Not available in Singapore or Malaysia)

Available at:
Australia
Dressense
90 Karimbla Road

Miranda, NSW 2228
Tel: 02-9540-5433

Bridal Secrets
Level 1 60 Macquarie Street
Parramatta, NSW 2150
Tel: 02-9635-3311

Jenny & Gerry's Bridal House
1st Floor 54-58 Payneham Road
Stepney, S.A. 5069
Tel: 08-8362-1049

Abbey Bridal
2nd Floor, Dymocks Building
428 George Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: 02-9233-5106

Bride's Selection
142 Northwood St.
West Leederville, W.A. 6007
Tel: 08-9381-9600

Dion for Brides
109 Cambridge St.
West Leederville, W.A. 6007
Tel: 08-9388-8222

Hotel Banquet Checklist

I am a big fan of checklists. It helps me organize my thoughts besides acting as a reminder.

I think the 3 main determining factors are:
1. Cost
2. Type of event
3. Number of guests (most hotel venues required you to have a minimum number of confirmed guests to use their ballroom and this can differ quite greatly)

This is my checklist (modified) for when we were scouting for the venue for our wedding banquet:

1. Location
1.1. Within city?
1.2. Accessibility?

2. Banquet room
2.1. Size of room (width, depth, ceiling height)
2.2. Obstructions in room?
2.3. Position of stage versus route of bridal march-in
2.4. Windows?

3. Food/Beverages
3.1. Review of food? Quality/Quantity/Menu
3.2. Menu
3.3. Drinks included? (Free-flow softdrinks and mixers/ beer/ wine/ cocktails/ corkage)
3.4. Drinks menu
3.5. Pre-dinner tid-bits (canapes, fondue, breads, chips, nuts...)
3.6. Desserts/ Cake

4. Service
4.1. Number of service staff
4.2. Plated service?
4.3. Frequency of plate change

5. Decorations
5.1. Themes?
5.2. Centrepieces and other decoration
5.3. Stage backdrop?
5.4. Linen
5.5. China/silverware
5.6. Seat covers?

6. Giveaway/Others
6.1. Hotel room
6.2. Cake
6.3. Champagne
6.4. Giveaway items
6.5. Invitations
6.6. Parking
6.7. Rooms for helpers
6.8. Rooms for out of town guests
6.9. AV equipment (projector, technician, microphone, amplifiers...)
6.10. Bridal march-in ideas
6.11. Food presentation
6.12. Room for tea ceremony (including tea set?)
6.13. Others

7. COST

The package standard would most likely include:
- One (or two) nights stay at the hotel with breakfast
- Supper for 2 after the ceremony
- Wedding invitation cards (not inclusive of printing) for 60 - 70% of confirmed number
- Free-flow soft drinks and mixes
- Centerpiece and floral stands
- Seat covers
- Dummy cake with real top tier
- Champagne or sparkling wine for "champagne pouring"
- Door gift item
- Chocolates or fruit cake
- Complimentary car park vouchers for 20 - 30% of confirmed number of guests
- Complimentary food tasting of selected menu for 8 - 10 persons

Slightly better deals also comes with
- 1-barrel of beer
- Waiver of corkage for wine and/or hard liquor
- Complimentary wine depending of number of tables confirmed

You can try to negotiate for:
1. Free flow beer/wine
2. More hotel nights stay (especially if they are only offering 1)
3. 100% invitation cards
4. Better giveaway item
5. Waiver of corkage
6. Free-table (especially if you are signing at a bridal show) if you are booking a lot of tables
7. Room for helpers
8. Change some items in the menu for a slightly more expensive option
9. Better/more flowers in the decor
10. Some tidbit items for your pre-dinner drinks

Another word of advice, contact the hotels yourself to get a quote. Often, if you get the quotes second hand, you cannot really be sure it is the most updated. You should also go and view the venues you have shortlisted (bearing in mind that most venues have a minimum number of guests prior to confirmation). It is sometimes the small things that matter like, how you are treated by the wedding coordinator or how the room smelt like the first time you enter (I've viewed a room where they hadn't aired it after an event and it stanked of stale beer/wine). Of course, it also boils down to your budget. But that's another post.

Outdoor Weddings

I personally think that an outdoor solemnization ceremony is the most beautiful (worrying about the possibility of rain and combating the heat not withstanding).

Because of the two reasons mentioned, outdoor weddings/solemnizations are not very popular but with these venues you might just change your mind.

Raffles Hotel- The Lawn

I've already mentioned this before but it's worth repeating. The Lawn at Raffles Hotel is elegant, sophisticated. Oh so lovely (and posh too). The downside, it's the lawn so not the best place to be wearing high heels.

Singapore Art Museum

Although technically not an outdoor venue, the Art Museum (formerly St Joseph's Institution) has a lovely glassed in venue (The Glass Hall) that has an outdoor-ish feel even though you enjoy the comforts of conditioned air. They also have another beautiful beautiful venue for weddings - The Auditorium. But that's not on the list because it is not an outdoor venue or even close to it.

Botanical Garden

I think when people say "park" or "garden" in Singapore, the only thing that comes to mind is Singapore Botanical Gardens. And they have a pretty wedding venue to boot.

Fort Canning Park

On top of being a favourite for pre-wedding photography, Fort Canning Park is also a lovely wedding solemnization venue. There are plenty of "venues" within the park that you can choose from. Of course, you can also "cheat" and go for The Legends at Fort Canning.

Mandai Orchid Garden

I found this when I was trying to look for photos of the Orchid Garden. I think although it is beautiful, the location would put some people off. Still, compared to hotel solemnizations, the cost of having such a lovely outdoor venue is lower and you can use the "extra" to rent transport to the venue.

Any of the other NParks parks

There are so many to choose from. Take your pick.

Singapore Zoological Gardens

Nature also equals animal? Exotic, unique? Animal prints as well as actual animals. A definitely wow-er. You also don't have to do it outdoors per se. They also have other "indoor" venues like the Forest Lodge.

Mount Faber

Fantastic views. I think Faber Rock is a great outdoor wedding with a view.

Sentosa

A beautiful sunset would be a fantastic backdrop for a wedding. In Singapore, my choice of the best beach would be in Sentosa. If you don't want the hassle of arranging for a tent etc. You can also choose to have it on the beach at any of the hotels in Sentosa. Rasa Sentosa seems to be a popular venue for beach weddings.

There are of course, many other venues such as public beaches, marinas/yacht clubs, chalets (my opinion on this would be ew but it is a cheap option and if you are good at decorating, it might be a good idea), at home in your own garden (if you are lucky enough to have a large garden), hotel poolsides... Outdoor venues are only limited by your imagination. A friend of mine (not in Singapore) got married in a public park and it was beautiful. There were people who were at the park who just joined in the celebration - one even provided impromptu music for the bridal march. Lovely!