Of Brides and Budgets

I really do NOT have to document all my wedding stuff here, but I have benefited immensely from the various online articles and blog entries in my bride-to-be learning experience. So, by blogging about my experience, I hope that other people can benefit from it too, given that most online articles feature Western weddings (still helpful, but may not take into consideration the constraints Malaysians face). I think it's helpful to know a thing or two about weddings and how much to spend on them, unless you're marrying into a really rich family and the cost is not an issue.

I'm what you might call a budget bride - that is, I'm trying to keep things within a budget of below 10k. Okay, more like around 7k. I still remember Sonia exclaiming in astonishment about a certain couple's wedding because it cost around 7k, and at that time, I wasn't very sure how to react. 7k seemed like a HUGE number. Sonia told me it was highly economical for weddings, though, and ever since then, I've been aiming to keep my wedding below 7k. =P I'll let you know if I succeed, it's a bit too early to tell now.

It was only after planning my own wedding that I realized how expensive weddings could be. Bridal studio wedding packages start from 2k (for less renowned studios) onwards, and that only covers the outfits, makeup, car decorations, and pre-wedding photoshoot. Speaking of pre-wedding photoshoots - ugh, tacky. Perhaps all the sample albums I've seen are of Chinese couples dressed up in formal wear and posing against a (heavily edited) dramatic backdrop, and that just does NOT appeal to me. I've been to a few bridal studios in Kuching, and I guess that's the norm for Chinese couples. The catch with packages is that they always include the pre-wedding photoshoot (this is where the bulk of the money comes from, I guess). Therefore, I decided not to sign up for a package. After all, I've also heard about instances where bridal studios hike up the price and cheat their customers through the fine print and add-ons - and if there's something I absolutely detest, it's being cheated where a huge sum of money is concerned. Also, a bridal studio with the perfect package within your budget may not have your dream dress, or the kind of pre-wedding photoshoot photos you want. Kinda hard to get everything you want, and that's why some people end up spending quite a lot on their wedding.

Because I did not sign up for a package, now I have to settle the little bits and pieces myself. I'll just rent a gown that I like from a studio (the normal range will be within RM350-1000, depending on how fancy your gown is or which bridal studio you go to). Don't be fooled though, certain bridal studios may charge 2k to settle your outfits and corsages and car decorations and hand bouquet, but there MAY be certain dresses that you have to pay extra for (because their package is only valid for some older, not so pretty dresses). Hence, there's a risk that you might have to pay more. That's why it's crucial to go through the contract thoroughly, put things in black and white, and don't be afraid to interrogate them about their policies. Advice from other bloggers, of course, because I didn't sign up for a package myself. =P

One thing that I'm splurging on is the actual day photographer. I want nice, artistic photos of the wedding, and that is something a friend with a DSLR may not be able to deliver. I've surveyed different photographers, and generally speaking, Chinese photographers tend to charge twice the amount compared to Malay photographers. I'm not being racist here, just noticing a trend. So, instead of flocking to well-known and reputable photographers, perhaps you should take your time and go through some photographers on Facebook - you may discover some affordable gems that suit your style. I can't say too much for now, because I haven't gotten my photographs yet (duh), but I like what I've seen of the photographer's portfolio, and because I took a budget package, I'm only spending a little over 2k for the actual day coverage and an outdoor photoshoot afterwards, 40 prints, a sticky album and a DVD of all the photos, inclusive of flying him over to Kuching. That suits me just fine because I wouldn't know what to do with a bulky photobook, and I really do prefer to store stuff in softcopy form where they don't take up space. =) Oh and be sure to book your photographer early - they can be fully booked like a year in advance. =.=

Miscellaneous stuff can add up to quite a bit, and that includes tokens of appreciation for people who help out during your wedding, the hotel room, wedding invitations and stationery, flowers, the light reception and door gifts (if you want this). Wedding invitations might cost a bomb if you buy them ready-made, so it really helps to have a bridesmaid DIY them for you (Thanks Amy!). I don't really know how much printing companies charge for normal printing, but it'll still probably be cheaper than buying a huge pack of ready-made cards. One quotation I received from a printing company was "RM 50 for designing the wedding card, and 1.50/pc inclusive of pink envelope". This probably varies with the weight and size of the card, and the type of printing you want, but it's still not too bad...considering you aren't inviting the whole of Kuching to your wedding, that is. So I'm thinking, if you design the wedding card yourself and just pay them for the printing, you might be able to save quite a bit. I'm still not very sure about this point, though.  Just be prepared to fork out another 2k (at least!) for all these things. 

I'll stop here for now and discuss the rest later because this post is already so long. I hope this helps whoever comes across this and is trying to have a cost-effective wedding (I'm not even sure it's really cost effective, but I guess it is, relatively speaking).

(Disclaimer : This bride is doing away with the traditional wedding dinner, door gifts, the games that Chinese couples play in the morning when the groom comes to get the bride, and the pre-wedding photoshoot. All prices are stated as of 13th November 2013, and are subject to change along with the sands of time.)