What’s as important as choosing the wedding venue, finding the perfect gown and hiring quality vendors? It is choosing the bridal boutique that has the best chemistry with you!

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After all, there are many pit stops during the wedding process and you definitely want to stay at a stop for the shortest time possible! You don’t want to feel that your wedding is going into the danger zone. Instead, a bridal boutique should comprise a league of experienced bridal consultants who are geared with the right answers and mindset to give you a peace of mind!

In fact, every question should be answered with concise yet informative responses. Nobody appreciates ambiguity!

To ensure that you are fully protected and provided with value’s worth, fire these 8 questions and gauge if the bridal boutique has the capacity to handle your requirements and needs!

What will happen if I have to cancel my services due to unprecedented circumstances?

Of course, this, ideally, should not happen! However, circumstances can be very unpredictable. Hence, this question is imperative to ensuring that the bridal boutique has a protocol to follow when this happens.

Having said that, you should not try to expect to have a full refund, ESPECIALLY if you have completed some of the services stated in the signed package!

Will there be any last minute changes in the packages I have signed for?

The reason why this is important is because you want to ensure that the package you might be signing up for are not prone to any major changes.

Imagine being promised with 2 Swarovski-beaded gowns, a diamond tiara and a majestic carriage (this is just a joke. It is slightly impossible to have all these elements, especially the majestic carriage and don’t forget the cost! #slogforlife) and suddenly your bridal consultant informs you that you can only choose 1 gown made of plastic bags, a broken tiara made of broken twigs and a bicycle!

That’s what you should never put yourself through because you deserve to be given what you were promised with! After all, it is your wedding and you probably gravitated towards a certain bridal package because it fits your needs. This brings us to the next point.

Do you have a signed contract?

If there is no signed contract or invoice, you better get yourself prepared to run as far as possible! Doesn’t matter whether you haven’t exercised in the longest time, because the next statement below will scare you so much that you will somehow have the energy to break into a sprint. Why is this so?

Let’s put it this way: No signed contract = No liability.

Although a verbal agreement is a contract, it is not as reliable. I mean, do you remember the exact words your boss told you just a few hours ago? If you do, we commend and salute you wholeheartedly.

With a signed contract, your bridal boutique cannot run away from their responsibilities since the terms and conditions are clearly stated in the contract! Without a signed contract, it means they can afford to shrug their shoulders and abandon you (sounds too scary to be true but it happens) when you want to clarify certain matters with them!

You need to read the terms and conditions before you sign the contract. Listen to what your bridal consultant says and read them against the contract you are presented with. Don’t be lazy for the moment and then regret it for a life time!

What different kinds of services do you provide?

This is to get a rough idea of what the bridal boutique offers. Do they provide the services you require such as ROM, pre-wedding photography and/or actual day photography? On top of that, do they have make-up services and provide any kind of accessories?

This question is good to gauge the kind of services they provide. Do note that not all bridal boutiques provide every single service you can think of! So don’t be too quick to shun a bridal boutique when they do not provide all the services you can think of.

What’s more important is for you to know what you prioritise, and based on that, you will be better at shortlisting the boutiques that can cater to your requirements!

What are the possible additional costs on top of the package?

This is very important because you want to know what to expect to receive from the desired packages! You don’t want to miss out on some hidden costs that are waiting to pounce you!

For example:

• Are there additional costs for renting a gown from a certain selection?
• Do you need to top up your package if you are interested in upgrading your wedding album?
• Is there a limited number of photography locations to go to?
• Does rental of accessories require a sum of money?

This may sound mundane but truthfully, most couples who miss out on such details will stand to incur a lot more costs! Money matters are sensitive and sometimes it seems very kiasu to bombard your consultant with many questions. However, you should remember that a wedding is once in a lifetime and we are sure that you wouldn’t want to recall your wedding as the event you spent unnecessary money on!

How do I pay for the package?

You need to consider whether you will be making payment by Credit card, Nets or Cash. Furthermore, every company accepts different cards and it is good practice to know what cards they accept. This might be important for those who want to achieve points through spending money with a certain card (e.g OCBC, POSB, etc).

What is the payment schedule like?

At some bridal boutiques, payment must be made in full or in half, depending on the services rendered. Also, this is a great time to ask if you are able to pay by installments!

If I confirm the package, what should I start on now?

This question tests on whether your bridal consultant is professional and knowledgeable on estimating the time frame!

If your bridal consultant gives you that blank look, chances are you will be seeing that same look throughout your wedding planning, and each consecutive look will exponentially increase your mountain of worries and doubts (what if he/she forgets about your wedding?! Luck will not be enough.)!

After asking these 8 questions, you will more or less get an idea of how the bridal boutique functions.

The best way to know whether the bridal boutique is a great fit is based on your instincts. If you hear the red alarm in your brain ringing a lot louder than usual, then it is time to pack your bags, get your legs ready and run as far as possible!

Visit La Belle Couture page to find out more about Peiru’s work.

_{This post was originally published on La Belle Couture blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.}

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