The HIRE Bride - Perth Edition
Committing to thousands of dollars on a single dress for a single day is a lot to wrap your
Samantha Wynne
head around! In previous posts I have talked about cheaper alternatives to buying a brand new wedding dress as well as a collection of dresses for under $1,500 - However, do you still want that special feeling of a beautifully made wedding dress but just not wanting to pay for it? Or, are you mindful of the environment and looking for a more sustainable option for your wedding? Try hiring it instead!
Pros
- Cost. Sometimes a fraction of what a normal dress would be.
- No need to worry or sort out storage/selling after the wedding day
- No lead time. As the dress is already available you won't need to wait months for it to come in.
- More economically sustainable
- Less variety which can be a good thing. Will possibly be easier to make a decision.
Cons
- Sometimes they can be a bit more on the pricier side, depending where you go.
- More care will need to be taken on the day eg, staining, wear and tear etc.
- Not as big of a variety
- Sentimentality. You wont be able to wear it again, pass it down or preserve.
- The perfect fit may not be achievable as a lot of places don't allow temporary alterations.
So what is the deal with hiring a wedding dress? How can we do it? What about alterations? Lets go through each store and have a look at the offerings:
Samantha Wynne - 1/190 Scarborough Beach Road, Mount Hawthorn
A Perth bridal icon, Samantha Wynne now offers their customers the option to hire some of their gowns. Not only the Samantha Wynne brand but also a collection of Pronovias gowns as well.
The prices range from $300 (mini dress) all the way up to $1,500. The dresses come in all different shapes, silhouettes, textures and most importantly sizes! Sizing goes from a US4 to an 18.
The best thing about it is that you can go in and try the gowns on to make sure you choice is the correct one for you! Samantha Wynne hiring service also includes dry cleaning to ensure that every bride will get a fresh, good quality gown for their day.
Le Vow Bridal - 2 Ivanhoe Street, Morley
Located in Morley, Le Vow's hire collection has gone from 10 gowns to a massive 40 gowns available. Le Vow are one of the few stores that offers packages instead of individual dress prices. For example, to hire a gown for less than 3 hours it will be $200-$350, 3-12 hours $450 - $550 and any longer than 12 hours starts from $550.
They also have an add-on section where you can include services such as photography, makeup and hair (you could smash out your entire wedding in one website!)
The size of these gowns range from a size 4 to a size 14.
The hiring service is available in store so you will need to make an appointment where a bridal consultant will take you through your options.
Zolotas Australia Bridal - 359 Hay Street, Subiaco
Want to live out your beautiful boho dreams but not for the price tag that comes along with it? Zolotas in Subiaco are now offering hire of a selection of their exclusive range of handmade, Greek vintage bohemian gowns. With their normal prices ranging up to about $7,000, you can hire your dream dress for a flat rate fee of $1,500. The selection of dresses range from sizes 6 to 18.
The price is on a higher scale but it does include minor alterations (hem, length) and hire for a whole 7 days which is really great because it means you won't have to rush around the day after your wedding trying to get you dress back to the boutique.
Much like the other boutiques, you will still get a whole bridal consultation as you normally would when purchasing your gown.
Deciding on renting a dress not only is great for the environment and the economy but is also perfect for the brides not wanting to or not fussed on spending the money on purchasing a wedding gown. Obviously there are risks involved and would definitely advise to read through your contracts and terms and conditions very thoroughly before choosing to go down this path. So would you consider renting a wedding gown?
