Previously, I wrote an article on my wedding gown fitting experience at BQueens. Then I decided to share it on SG Budget brides facebook and I was surprised that it garnered some negative responses about BQueens. Even though there were many positive reviews about this bridal studio, there are also a sea of negative reviews on it. If this bridal studio is really good, then I don’t understand why it also received several negative reviews. Even a personal friend of mine has warned me against them. So I am just glad that I did not went with them but head out to check out two other gown rental studios – Warm Whites and The Gown Connoisseur.
I’m definitely on a budget so I only visit Bridal studios that offer affordable gown rental rates at a price point below $1000. The gown rental rates at Warm Whites is at $400 while at The Gown Connoisseur, it is fixed at $638. Interestingly, both of the studios are located a stone throw away from each other, close to Yio Chu Kang MRT. Hence, if you are planning to visit both studios, you can arrange your appointments with them on the same day.
How’s my gown fitting experiences with them? Let’s start with Warm Whites first.
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Warm Whites
Their studio is located during an Industrial estate and it is surprisingly a really small office and they have barely over thirty gowns. Gown selection is very limited and their gowns sizes range from UK4 to 10. I’m a size UK10 so I can fit into only a few selected gowns. But the lady, who is also the co-owner of this studio, selected really beautiful gowns which I could fit in perfectly.
Simple and Chic Wedding Gown for the Minimalist
I’ve also tried this minimalistic gown which perfectly fits my ideal type of gown for my small wedding. I thought to myself that this satin dress must be it. It’s not over the top and it has pretty lace details at the back of the dress. Also, it is easy to put on and walk in it. This must be it!!!
The whole fitting process was pretty alright. For $400, I think this is probably by far the cheapest gown rental rate I can find for a decent modern wedding dress. The conditions of the gown are all good and I do not notice any signs of wear and tear in the gowns. Besides, Warm Whites is after sustainability so that they only sourced for used gowns from brides or bought off the shelves from bridal shops. They do not design or provide made-to-measure gowns.
Their wedding gown rental rates are inclusive of simple minor alterations if required and cleaning fees. But it excludes delivery fees. That means you will have to arrange head down to collect the gown a couple of days before and return it the next day.
As you can see, their gowns are mostly A-line or mermaid. They do not have the goofy kind of ball gowns so it’s definitely perfect for the minimalistic bride like myself.
I was about to rent the dress from them but after visiting The Gown Connoisseur, I started to waver. Oh, dear. I wish I was less fickle.
The Gown Connoisseur
This is another much-raved about the bridal studio on SG Budget Brides Facebook page. I think this is probably hands-down one of the better bridal studios in Singapore. Not that I’ve been to many bridal studios before but I guess it’s just hard for me to imagine how other bridal studios could beat them in terms of service if their service is already impeccable. They even offered to set up a ZOOM session for you since you can only bring one guest along with you. I brought none, just myself.
Affordable Wedding Gown Rental Pricing
Their studio was also housed within in industrial estate but their showroom and changing rooms are huge. Based on what their consultant told me, they have over 400 wedding gowns in their collection. Their gowns are mostly designed by them and tailored by their own seamstresses.
Their rental rates are fixed at $638 and they are very transparent with their prices. It includes alteration, cleaning and even the gown delivery. If you want a fuss-free wedding gown rental experience, this is it. They deliver the gown to your doorstep and collect it back personally from you. It’s definitely one of the most affordable bridal gown studios in Singapore for quality gowns that actually look really elegant.
By the way, I was told that they will revise their rates starting next year.
They treat every bride-to-be like VIP.
The moment I stepped in, they asked if I wanted some coffee or tea. Then they asked me to fill up a form which asked me about my particulars and gown preferences.
Their studio smells of their signature scent which comes off as rather strong to me when I first entered their studio. I wonder if their staff ever get headaches from sniffing such a strong but pleasant scent. It might be a little put off for those who doesn’t like the scent.
After submitting the e-form on their iPad, my consultant asks me to take a look at the gowns outside their changing rooms and see which are the ones I like. There are probably like two gowns on the rack and at the back of my head, I was thinking if that is all that they have. But it turns out that they store the rest of the gowns in another storeroom.
A Changing Room fit for A Princess
I had my own private changing room which looked really elegant and fancy with the floral wallpaper and chandelier above me. She took out about 3 to 5 gowns each time for me to try. The first few gowns were chosen based on what I’ve requested.
Each time I tried on a gown, the consultant will unzip the dress for me and fans out the dress so that I can just put my legs through and wriggle into the dress. Throughout the whole fitting process, she will make small talks with me to lighten up the atmosphere and make me feel more at ease. That’s a great sale strategy. She also offered to take photos and videos of me in the gowns. Awesome.
I probably tried almost like 10 gowns in one fitting session. But I got to try various types of wedding dresses and discovered which types of wedding dress silhouettes actually suit my body.
A-line Dress
Even their minimalist gowns looked rather grand and all of the gowns I’ve tried on, have got a train. She also got me to wear this sheer lace bridal jacket which is layered on top of the gown.
The bridal jacket cover gives the gown a different outlook and feel. According to the consultant, it is a trendy bridal accessory in Korea as you are able to jazz up a simple gown to make it look more sophisticated.
Mermaid Dress
At BQueens, I was only given mermaid dresses to try on so I thought I would only look good in mermaid dress since my body is towards the curvier side. But after trying on a few mermaid dresses, I finally realise that I actually look really ‘thick’ in them. It just did not look flattering on my pear-shape body.
Mermaid dresses are a no-go for me. I wonder why many brides still go for mermaid dresses when it is so difficult to put on. Or maybe it’s just not the right type of dress for my body shape.
Ball Gown Dresses
Ballgown dresses, on the other hand, looked really flattering on my body. And thankfully, I can fit into most of them. Compared to BQueens, I must say that The Gown Connoisseur consultant is so much better and probably more experienced in selecting the right gown that fits me.
At this point, I was getting a little fatigue from trying all the gowns but the consultant continued to try her best to pick a gown which I really like.
This time, she took a few more ball gown dresses and finally, I met the dress. A dress which looked so flattering on my body and after getting into the dress, I was so inclined to say ‘YES’ to the dress even though it was nowhere close to my idea of a minimalistic wedding dress.
The dress was very fitting and it was so sparkly and glittery. The train was so long that I worried it might sweep across the feet of my guests sitting by the aisle.
If I had a really grand big wedding at a ballroom or some sort, I might go for this wedding gown right away. But in reality, my small initiate wedding has only 20 attendees and it is held in a small restaurant.
The Bridezilla in me emerges once again.
I went home feeling confused. I texted my mom and my close friends to help make a decision for me. But I guess what matters the most is actually whether I feel great in the dress or not.
In the end, I decided to give myself more time to think about it. There’s no rush to make a decision as of yet even though my wedding is just 2 months way.
Besides, there’s one final alternative which I’ve yet to try – buying wedding dresses online from ASOS. (You can watch my ASOS bridal dress review right here!) It’s arriving at my doorstep in about a few days. If I don’t like them, I can send them back and get a refund. I can always head back to either Warm Whites or The Gown Connoisseur. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Pray for me.
*** Updates: In the end, I went with Warm Whites. Comfort is key to me and their gowns are so far close to what I have in mind!
Watch my vlog below!
