Buying wedding dress and rings in the Philippines

[JANETandLYLE 11]

I'd love to hear advice from other VJ members concerning buying Janet's wedding dress and our wedding bands while we are in the Philippines. Would this be a hassle to bring this stuff back to the US? Is it worth the savings, or are we just better off to wait until we are back in the US, and just buy it all here? Any advice is appreciated. We will be marrying in the US within the 90 days. Lyle

Edited October 30, 2009 by JANETandLYLE

[Steve and Nor 0]

I'd love to hear advice from other VJ members concerning buying Janet's wedding dress and our wedding bands while we are in the Philippines. Would this be a hassle to bring this stuff back to the US? Is it worth the savings, or are we just better off to wait until we are back in the US, and just buy it all here? Any advice is appreciated. We will be marrying in the US within the 90 days. Lyle

Hi there,

I think bringing wedding stuff will not be a question at the airport. For me, I think you could save more when you buy the wedding dress here in the Philippines. My Husband and i got married here and I only spent less that a thousand for my dress for the civil wedding.

However I understand, you will be marrying in a church so the dress will be a little more expensive but still will be cheaper compared to buying it from there.

As for the ring, you can find a lot of good deals in the internet. My husband got me a diamond ring for our engagement in the internet. It was so beautiful and not so expensive ( he said) , but very expensive for me already.

Good luck for the coming wedding. May God guide Jannet in living in your place.

[SuperDuper! 230]

The Philippines makes more wedding dresses than anywhere else in the world. THis is why in America, the typical american woman has to get her wedding dress a size or 2 bigger due to wedding dress being modeled after a petite pinay body figure.

My question is, Is it even better to purchase the wedding gown material in Manila, and then find a seamstress to put together a custom fit wedding dress?

[Kevin-n-Merlaine 14]

I was shocked at how inexpensive gowns were there in Tacloban. You'd be much better off going shopping with her THERE as opposed to trying to buy one here. You'll spend 5 times the amount if you buy it here. As for rings, we had our bands made my a jeweler there. They are beautiful rings and they made them in just a few days.

[SuperDuper! 230]

I was shocked at how inexpensive gowns were there in Tacloban. You'd be much better off going shopping with her THERE as opposed to trying to buy one here. You'll spend 5 times the amount if you buy it here. As for rings, we had our bands made my a jeweler there. They are beautiful rings and they made them in just a few days.

So do you think it is cheaper to buy a ready-made dress on Negros Oriental, as opposed to buying the material and then having someone stitch it together?

[Steve and Nor 0]

My question is, Is it even better to purchase the wedding gown material in Manila, and then find a seamstress to put together a custom fit wedding dress?

You mean to also find a seamstress in Manila? Yes, that would be even better as you can present or make your own gown design or tell the seamstress the detailed info about the dress

the way you want it to be sewn. ( That was what I did though mine was just a very simple dress)

[Kevin-n-Merlaine 14]

When you buy the dress they're basically going to take it apart to fit it anyway, but I'm sure you could do it cheaper having it made. Most things there are cheaper that way. Our rings were very reasonable. A problem you're going to have is getting someone to try it on to make sure it's right. Your Filipina bride IS NOT going to put on a wedding gown before the wedding..LOL

[AbbynSheryl 0]

we did everything shopping in manila and it was atleast 5 times cheaper than usa, do it in philippines and bring to usa and u will save lots,

abby n sheryl

[sojen 0]

I bought my wedding dress in the Philippines because it is cheaper but I bought the wedding bands here because I find it cheaper,specially now that some of the jewelry stores are going out of business and so they are slashing down the prices.

[~happyndinlove~ 540]

I'd love to hear advice from other VJ members concerning buying Janet's wedding dress and our wedding bands while we are in the Philippines. Would this be a hassle to bring this stuff back to the US? Is it worth the savings, or are we just better off to wait until we are back in the US, and just buy it all here? Any advice is appreciated. We will be marrying in the US within the 90 days. Lyle

Hi lyle & janet...we would highly recommend you to buy (or order) a wedding ring in Suarez at Mall of Asia for only 3-5 day...they makes beautiful and fantastic wedding/engage rings...

[SuperDuper! 230]

When you buy the dress they're basically going to take it apart to fit it anyway, but I'm sure you could do it cheaper having it made. Most things there are cheaper that way. Our rings were very reasonable. A problem you're going to have is getting someone to try it on to make sure it's right. Your Filipina bride IS NOT going to put on a wedding gown before the wedding..LOL

Then how do the brides get a perfectly fitting dress in all the pics I see. If no one fitted their dress, they would all have the baggy saggy look.

[annaprice 17]

I'd love to hear advice from other VJ members concerning buying Janet's wedding dress and our wedding bands while we are in the Philippines. Would this be a hassle to bring this stuff back to the US? Is it worth the savings, or are we just better off to wait until we are back in the US, and just buy it all here? Any advice is appreciated. We will be marrying in the US within the 90 days. Lyle

it is cheaper to buy here in the philippines. it will save you a LOT

[Kevin-n-Merlaine 14]

When you buy the dress they're basically going to take it apart to fit it anyway, but I'm sure you could do it cheaper having it made. Most things there are cheaper that way. Our rings were very reasonable. A problem you're going to have is getting someone to try it on to make sure it's right. Your Filipina bride IS NOT going to put on a wedding gown before the wedding..LOL

Then how do the brides get a perfectly fitting dress in all the pics I see. If no one fitted their dress, they would all have the baggy saggy look.

I asked the same thing! We wound up unable to have a church wedding so the dress wasn't a problem. Before we found out that there was no way for us to marry in the church, we had gone gown shopping. We went to several different stores and found several different dresses that she liked. Finally she found "the one" and the ladies in the store started helping my sis-in-law (Janette) put it on?!? I asked them why Merlaine wasn't putting the dress on and every woman standing there looked at me like I was nuts!! I was then told that it was verrrry taboo for the bride to put the dress on before her wedding day!! She said they would just find someone close to her size to fit it too. I don't know if it's different in other provinces or cities, but I know there was no way she was putting that gown on! LOL

[Tito Jorge 0]

You're going to save money buying in the Philippines ... and no problem bringing them back to the U.S. ...

Just dont try to bring back 25 wedding gowns and you will be OK!

-- George

[XR600SM 0]

My fiancee had her gown custom made in Cebu. She had no problems trying it on as long as I'm not seeing her in it. I bought the rings here. Mine was cheap because I prefer durable metals to precious metals. Her's is platinum, and I don't recall seeing platinum in the Philippines in the malls. It's even rare in my hometown because of the cost.

Edited October 30, 2009 by XR600SM