Custom made vs ready made brides maid/wedding gown/guest outfit

1trainer1

Hi,

I am just looking to find out people's views with regards to why they buy ready made wedding/brides maid dresses/wedding outfit and not have have them custom made and the reverse.

I am doing some research for my final project at college.

Thank you in advance for your post.

trying_2_b_good

Ready made is cheaper (high street, obviously not couture!) and less hassle in my opinion. Take the girls to Debenhams, they try on, find it and it's done. Same with wedding dresses.

Rightly or wrongly, my perception is that custom made comes with a high price tag (I'm thinking over £150 for a bridesmaid dress vs £75 high street)

But the main reason that I wouldn't is fear! The designers know what materials and styles work best, not me. Also, what is in my head may not equal what comes from the dress makers hard work. I wouldn't want to be disappointed with the final product (which you can't just take back for a refund!)

Hope that helps

wanchai_2

trying_2_b_good wrote: »

Ready made is cheaper (high street, obviously not couture!) and less hassle in my opinion. Take the girls to Debenhams, they try on, find it and it's done. Same with wedding dresses.

Rightly or wrongly, my perception is that custom made comes with a high price tag (I'm thinking over £150 for a bridesmaid dress vs £75 high street)

But the main reason that I wouldn't is fear! The designers know what materials and styles work best, not me. Also, what is in my head may not equal what comes from the dress makers hard work. I wouldn't want to be disappointed with the final product (which you can't just take back for a refund!)

Hope that helps

This is my view as well!!!

I am currently trying to decide whether to have a dress made as I have found my dream dress in a shop and it's £1,300! The DM could make it for about half that amount. But I am afraid that it will turn out all wrong. :eek: The DM is not a mind reader iykwim, and I might not communicate what I want clearly enough.

fawny

Hi,

Ok from the otherside, I'm having mine custom made. There are a few reasons for this, 1) I need a destination style dress & i've found it hard to find many in the shops, I been to several & i've been lucky if they had one.

2) I spoke to a DM & showed her some of the designs I liked & we have come up with something that looks great & it's at least half the cost of ones I've seen in the shops.

3) If it's custom made it's made to measure eps for me, not just coming into the shop for a standard size 10 & then having to be altered to make it fit right.

lovecake

I am having my dress made too. My reasons are -
1) There was nothing even remotely close to what I wanted in the many bridal shops I visited
2) It is actually working out roughly the same cost (or possibly a bit cheaper actually) than all of ones I saw in the shops
3) I won't have to buy a dress and then pay extra have it altered because it will be made exactly to my measurements
4) It is a lovely and very special experience which I am really enjoying and it really makes you feel like a princess ( I didn't enjoy my experiences at the bridal shops)
5) I am confident in my dress maker and her abilities and she has interpreted my ideas perfectly. I am also confident that I know what style and shape will suit me as I tried on plenty in the bridal shops before I went to the dress maker
6) It will be unique and no one else will have the same dress as me
7) I get exactly what I want and don't have to compromise on anything
9) It supports a local small business and is made in the UK - I would rather give my money to a local business than to a bridal shop or high street store where the mark-up on cost is ridiculous and the dresses are made god knows where
10) Having a good relationship with a dress maker is handy as she is also helping with alterations of BM dresses and sourcing cost price petticoats for me.

I think if it was going to cost a lot more I would think twice, but I think that is just a misconception

Hope that helps your project

1trainer1

Thank you all for giving me your opinions on the issue. :T Its been very helpful. :T I hope it goes well for each of you on you big day which ever you choose (custom made/ready made) and you will be happy and stunning.

linedancer123

As long as you dont go to Florintina Dawn in Stockport. Had an outfit made by them, supposed to be made to measure, made to fit more like and not very well at that, Ended up taking inches out of it, so it had some shape.
Useless.

Scotsbride

as a middle ground what about getting high street and then getting the alterred you could get a tailor to add ofr remove strap, slips etc

lil_miss_insanity

I'm having mine custom made as I kept liking different dresses in shops "if only it had this one different thing..." I realised I'd be unlikely to find exactly what I wanted off the peg, and I didn't want to regret the decision.

Plus, I'm only 5'1, so alterations on the giant sizes they make would be an extra £200-300 on top of prices which varied from £1350-£1850 for the styles closest to what I liked. Then there's hoop/petticoat to buy on top.

I'm now getting mine custom made to be a perfect fit (in proportion, rather than cutting the bottom off a dress made for a taller person.) I'm taking all the best elements of the dresses I tried, plus having interchangeable skirts for day/evening, integrated hoop and netting, all for £1280. It's still a massive amount of money, and I won't be able to sell it on very easily, if at all, but it's made to suit me and I won't regret it like I fear I would have picking a compromise dress.