Melbourne Prewedding Photos

My prewedding shoot in Melbourne was significantly smaller scale compared to the one in Korea. We chose four locations in Australia - St Patrick's Cathedral, Parliament House, Brighton Beach, and Half Moon Bay. I wore two outfits - a white mermaid gown from OneSimpleGown and a casual white dress I got from Taobao via Ezbuy (sign up here and get $10 free voucher!).

Gone are the days when brides mainly depend on bridal studios for gowns and pre-wedding photography. Many brides now choose to go ala-carte, turning to online boutiques to purchase their dream gowns. Besides the comfort and convenience of shopping for gowns online, the main reason is definitely the affordability. Sometimes buying a gown online can be cheaper than renting from a bridal shop. Also, the variety of designs available online is wide and limitless.

But of course, there're also some concerns about purchasing gowns online. Here are some tips!

1) Usage

I recommend getting the actual day gowns from actual bridal shops, because usually the material and workmanship is better and the shop will have professional staff who can ensure the fit for you. Plus, you can try and make sure you really like it before paying. I wouldn't take the risk for such an important day! But I'm all for buying gowns online for prewedding shoots! In photos, any flaw is less likely to be noticed and even if the fit is not perfect, it can be edited. For example, if the fabric creases easily, it would be a disaster if you wear it during your actual day with all the guests present whereas it doesn't matter if it's only for photos as all these can be fixed with photoshop. The low price also means you can afford to get more gowns for your prewedding album!

OneSimpleGown is an online bridal shop based in Malaysia. As there are no rental and staff overheads, the gowns can be purchased at a relatively lower price compared to retail bridal studios! The gowns are all priced in Ringgit, so brides in Singapore can make use of the exchange rate and get a good deal!

2) Know your body shape

Try different types of gowns in bridal shops before attempting to purchase online. Sign up for a basic package at the bridal studio for their actual day gowns. While trying the different gowns, you will more or less know what is flattering for your body shape. Then buy something similar online. Try not to buy unfamiliar cuttings just because it looks good on the model.

There is a wide range of wedding gowns in all forms and colours on OneSimpleGown - mermaid, evening, and ball gowns; Off shoulder, long sleeves, plus size, etc. I had such a difficulty time deciding on one! You can filter the type and sort by price to easily narrow down your options. There are also accessories to complete the look. If you are hiring a freelance photographer, you may want to purchase 2-3 gowns to complete an album!

For me, I know that I look better in sweetheart bustier ballgowns but I had similar pieces for my Korea album already so I decided to go for something different. Afterall, I'm only going to use it for photos and I think the design I chose is also quite safe. Thank goodness the gown looked quite nice on me!

3) Check the measurements! When in doubt, purchase a size up and then alter accordingly.

I have a bigger bottom so to be safe, I took a bigger size and then used clips to tighten the loose areas. Generally non-zipper gowns can fit different body shapes easily by adjusting the ribbon at the back.

Alternatively OneSimpleGown has customization options so you just have to submit your measurements and the gown will be altered accordingly for the right fit! No need to worry about wasting money on an unwearable gown!

4) Purchase from a local shop that speaks your language. Make sure that you are able to find the contact information and do ask the staff some questions before purchasing to gauge if the owner is reliable.

Instead of making such a big purchase from a shop in a far away country with staff that doesn't speak English, OneSimpleGown's helpful staff is always readily available to answer questions about the fit, material, and style. They also have plenty of reviews by past satisfied customers so I know they are legit.

5) Remember to check the refund policy, shipping fee and duration!

OneSimpleGown.com guarantees the condition by checking every gown before delivery to customer. For deliveries to Malaysia and Singapore, it usually takes around 10-14 days.

I wanted to share some photos of the pretty gowns here but there are just too many. Enter the site to check out for yourself - OneSimpleGown!

I'm really glad I chose this piece! Something different from the other gowns in my album :)