It's a truth generally acknowledged that a bride and her wedding dress are pretty much, inseparable. Sometimes a bride thinks about her dress so much that she doesn't spare a thought on anything else. Bridal salons answer this very dilemma and are now one of the things that a bride first should seek after saying 'yes.' Today we present you with this piece on bridal salons that exposes the dos and don'ts of bridal salon picking, best bridal salons in Indonesia, and how to easily cut expenses on bridal salons.

But, first things first, what exactly is a bridal salon?

What is a Bridal Salon?
The word bridal salon is actually associated with two different types of businesses: stores that sell and/or rent wedding apparels and the works or beauty salons that specialize in providing beauty services for brides and other wedding-related members like bridesmaids, flower girls, etc. Before we go further in the discussion, we will first focus on the prior type of business so that to save you from confusion.

Bridal salons usually provide more than just services related to wedding dress renting or buying. They normally come with bridal makeup, bridesmaids' dresses and makeup, also photography services. Some even venture to provide car rentals and wedding cake for their clients. The main goal is to become a one-stop solution for brides, providing practicality and convenience.

The Dos and Don'ts of Bridal Salon Picking

Now that you know what a bridal salon is, the next thing to do is pick the perfect vendors so that you can determine which ones will cater your wedding day. As we all know, this is never an easy job. Fret not for we have simplified the bridal vendor picking process with these dos and don'ts for you to follow.

Do: your research
First and foremost, do your research. This is probably the most boring task, but believe us this an important part to the whole process. Determine your budget to narrow down your list of vendors very easily. Next, find out what you want to have for your wedding. Lamiik Bridal strongly weighs this one step by saying, "As each bridal salon provides different kinds of dresses, it's important to know what kind of look you want, then base your vendor picks on that." After that, study more about the vendors. What's their style and price range? What kind of services do they provide? Are they strategically located, etc.

Don't: put sky as your limit
Still in relation to the point above, don't be extravagant with your budget limit. The research you have done will be pointless if you keep compromising your limits. We'll give you an example. Say you wanted to have a Vera Wang dress, but the dress is out of your budget. Don't compromise on your budget limit just because it's the brand you desire. Chances are, you would spend a lot more if you continue to do this. It's not that you're not allowed to splurge; the act of compromising itself is what will be a disadvantage later on.

Don't: forget that service counts
Keep in mind that building a good relationship with vendors is a must. If you wish to have a pleasant experience with your vendors then do consider their hospitality and your chemistry level. Don't just easily say yes to a vendor that has a popular name with lack of good service. Hiring a bridal salon would most probably mean that you will be helped a lot by this one vendor, so make sure that you choose the right one or you wouldn't have that pleasant sail down the altar.

Do: background check on the vendor of your choice

Don't get easily tempted by the brands or low prices a bridal salon offers. Before saying yes to anything, do thorough background check on the vendors of your choice. Study their policies, look at their reviews. Also pay attention how their business is going so far, are they giving out low prices due to an impending business closure? You can also ask around. According to Lamiik Bridal, nothing is more trustworthy than word-of-mouth. Ask someone you know for their recommended vendors or ask their opinions about the vendor you've chosen.

Do: ask to view samples
Always ask to view samples of their previous work. Don't just rely on pictures, see it, feel it and judge it yourself.

Don't: Put brand over quality
Let's say you finally have your hands on one Galia Lahav dress on a very low price. But the dress has some holes on it, and the fabric is already very feeble that it is easily torn apart. Don't risk it and just go for a better quality dress. Renovating the designer dress will perhaps cost you more than just buying or renting a new one altogether.

Do: Shop at the right time
Some bridal salons give out discounts at a certain period of time, so make sure you book at the right time. You can try booking in wedding fairs (that's where the discounts are at, to 50% off sometimes), or during the off-season.

10 Awesome Bridal Salons in Indonesia
On the slider below are 10 bridal salons all over Indonesia that are extremely credible and can help you with your wedding planning process. We will cover about their services, price range, and style; who knows perhaps one of them will be your pick?

How to Shave your Budget at the Bridal Salons

After taking in all the advices and taking a tour around some of the most famous bridal salons around the country, last thing you need to know is how you can save expenses when it comes to bridal salons. Sure they cover a lot of stuff, but that doesn't mean you have to spend unnecessarily. Read carefully to see how you can get the necessities without being a big spender.

Rent, rather than buying
Buying is always going to cost more than renting. For wedding dresses, if it's not a mandatory, you can always opt to rent instead of to buy. Unless you're going to pass it down as a heritage to your daughter, you'd most probably only wear the dress for that one night, especially if your dress is the ball gown type. By renting, you can save a lot more, and potentially saving yourself from the hassle of storing and maintaining your wedding dress for years to come.

Consider secondhand or classic dresses
Consider going for the older collection instead of the new arrivals. It's most probable that after the new collection comes in, the previous ones will be cheaper, and it is a good idea to save some costs. Do keep in mind that going with the previous collections doesn't mean that you will be an out-of-style bride. A tip is to stick to timeless pieces, meaning that even after a long time the wedding has passed, the dress (and you wearing it) will still look poised and pretty.

Find package deals rather than separate deals
It's likely that package deals will be cheaper and more convenient. So if you can, stick to the package deals that the bridal salon offers. If you get the dress from the salon, and get the makeup and hair done elsewhere, you'll most probably pay for more in total.

Re-consider optionals and add-ons
After picking a package deal, your vendors will most likely offer some optional add-ons to your package. Sometimes the deals are so good that you'd be tempted. For the sake of budget-saving, you should carefully re-consider these deals. If it's something supplementary or secondary to your wedding concept, then don't spend. If it's actually a good deal on something primary, then by all means do take it.

Go for the smaller package
When in doubt, always opt for the smaller package deal. In a sense, the bigger package might be more appealing as it gives a lot more. But smaller packages will be better in terms of use, meaning that there's no way it will go to waste. Try working your way with a smaller package deal, and then add your necessities as needed. Choosing the bigger package upfront might result in a great excess, and a waste of money.

Negotiate, negotiate, and negotiate
Lastly, always negotiate. Do note that negotiating is an art, meaning that it requires skill. Don't enrage your vendors by asking for a 50% cut off the offered price, which would be disrespectful. Ask for extras or bonuses to be added to your package and do so nicely. Never force them to go with your preferred price, ask politely. Another reason why relationship with vendors are important, some vendors will be more willing to give you extras if the couple has good chemistry with them and is pleasant or friendly.