Contrary to what most brides believe, getting a bespoken wedding gown made is easy during the pandemic. It can be done without even setting foot outside of your home!
We interviewed Mark Christopher Yaranon of Mark Yaranon Couture to guide us through the process.
Ideally, you should begin discussing the concept of the wedding gown with the designer approximately 6 months to a year before the wedding. However, some designers like Mark, are willing to accept bespoken wedding gown orders up to a month before the wedding.
With the current COVID-19 pandemic, wedding gown designers can set up meetings with the bride-to-be through various online platforms. Design sketches are sent through email or directly messaged to the bride's social media account.
"How can I be measured if everything is online?"
Designers can send the bride a measurement form, complete with instructions on how to properly take your measurements and record them. After taking your measurements and filling in the form, you can then send the form back to the designer online. The designer will then start constructing your gown.
"What about the fittings?"
Pre-covid, there are usually about 3 fittings for a wedding gown. But these days, fittings are usually reduced to two. The wedding gown is sent to the bride and then sent back by the bride to the designer with her comments. The bride can also schedule an online meeting with the designer to show how the gown looks when worn and discuss any needed alterations.
A groom's 3-piece suit usually requires 2 fittings and a barong set, 1 fitting.
"How much does a wedding gown cost now?"
The prices for bespoken wedding gowns have not changed much during the covid era. This is because materials and labor roughly still cost the same. An average wedding gown costs about ₱ 25,000 to ₱ 35,000. The more elaborate it is, the higher the price increases.
The groom's 3-piece suit (coat, vest, pants) costs about ₱ 15,000 and a 4-piece suit (coat, vest, inner polo, pants) is usually around ₱ 20,000.
The price of barong sets (barong, pants & camisa de chino) depends on the barong's fabric with piña being the most expensive at ₱ 20,000, followed by piña jusi at ₱ 15,000 and jusi at ₱ 10,000 - ₱ 12,000.
"What about payments?"
It is common for wedding gown designers now to offer online payment methods. Be sure to ask about being able to pay online if you intend to have your bespoken wedding gown made without any face to face interaction.
The usual 50 - 60% downpayment still stands. And if your wedding gets postponed because of covid related restrictions or circumstances, you can arrange for a staggered payment term of the balance.
So now that we've outlined how you can have a bespoken wedding gown made during this COVID-19 pandemic, let's take a look at the tips Mark Yaranon shared with us so that your wedding gown will last for years, well beyond this pandemic.
Storing your wedding gown
- After using your wedding gown, hand wash it by soaking it in liquid detergent. Do not use a washing machine in laundering your wedding gown. Do not rub the fabric together. If there is a stain on your gown, lightly brush the stained area using a soft bristled toothbrush. Rinse the gown with water (do not wring it!) and hang to dry.
- You can store your wedding gown by putting it in a garment bag and hanging it in your closet or you can fold it and store in a plastic box.
- This rarely happens, but if your gown's beadwork got damaged during the wedding, you can have it repaired for a minimal fee. Ask your wedding gown designer about wedding gown repair service.
We would like to acknowledge the valuable insights shared by Mark Christopher Yaranon of Mark Yaranon Couture. For bespoken wedding gowns, you can contact him through mobile (09173211499) or email: [email protected]
