Off-the-Rack vs. Custom Wedding Dresses: Pros and Cons

Feeling nervous and stressed while choosing the perfect wedding dress for your big day? Don’t worry, we got your back! We know how hard it can be to make decisions as a bride. Read on to learn the difference between an off-the-rack vs custom wedding dress so you can pick the right choice for your dream wedding!

What is an off-the-rack wedding dress?

Off-the-rack wedding dresses, meaning pre-made dresses, are available for immediate rental in the wedding shops. There are many different sizes, designs, and styles to choose from.

Usually, brides who are clueless as to what type of gown designs they’d prefer will go for off-the-rack wedding gowns as they can simply choose one of the designs from the designer.

Besides that, brides who wish to rent their gown for a once-in-a-lifetime event and don’t prefer to keep the gown will go for off-the-rack wedding dresses. Another reason why brides go for off-the-rack wedding dresses is due to their tight wedding schedule.

What is a custom wedding dress?

A custom wedding dress is made to order based on the bride’s preferences and body measurements. The bride has to let the tailor measure her body and she is free to choose the type of material, colour, or silhouette.

Brides who already have an idea of their dream wedding gown would go for a custom wedding dress. Most of the time, these brides already know their ideal type of material, colour and cutting.

If brides have already checked out the off-the-rack wedding dresses at bridal boutiques and nothing seems to catch their eye, they’ll decide to go ahead with a custom wedding dress instead. A fun fact on why some brides choose a custom wedding dress would be based on their culture where brides are encouraged to wear a new gown on their wedding day and keep it in their closets once the ceremony is over.

Pros of an off-the-rack wedding dress

1. More Affordable

Compared to a custom wedding dress, the overall cost of off-the-rack wedding dresses is typically less expensive as they require less effort since these dresses are made to fit general body sizes and shapes. The designers don’t have to specifically source for a certain material to design the dress as well. Thus, suitable for brides seeking affordable options and on a tight budget.

2. Quick and Fast Purchase

There is absolutely no waiting time with off-the-rack wedding dresses! The only thing you need to wait for would be trying on each wedding dress to find the perfect fit. Besides that, once you’ve got your wedding dress, you can rent them on the spot. This would be especially useful for brides who are running on a tight deadline and whose wedding date is very close.

3. Wide variety of gown designs

Off-the-rack wedding dresses offer a wide variety of options. You are able to select the latest trend based on our designer’s launch. There are many different silhouettes, sizes, colours and designs. Brides can explore all available options and choose the one they like the most.

Cons of an off-the-rack wedding dress

1. Not Brand New

Your off-the-rack wedding dress might have been worn by other brides before so it’s not considered new.

2. Limited Design Changes

Brides can’t modify the dress to alter the design as it’s fixed. So, brides have to stick to the original design by the designer.

3. Cutting Issues

You can’t get the exact perfect fit when it comes to off-the-rack wedding dresses as it’s made to fit general body shapes and sizes. For instance, the neckline and waistline will be different for every bride. If your body isn’t proportioned the usual way, then it might be difficult to find one that fits.

4. Can’t Keep The Gown

Brides can’t keep the off-the-rack wedding dresses once the wedding ceremony ends. The wedding gowns have to be returned to the bridal boutiques.

Pros of a custom wedding dress

1. Design Flexibility

With custom wedding dresses, brides can design the entire dress according to how they want it to be. Brides can pick the material, colour – basically any aspect of the design.

2. True to Size

A custom wedding dress is usually designed according to the exact measurements of the bride’s body. This ensures that the wedding dress fits perfectly on the bride and makes her feel comfortable within her skin.

3. Brand New Gown

A custom wedding dress hasn’t been worn by any other brides. This makes them all brand new.

4. Uniquely Yours

Of course, a custom wedding dress will be customised according to what the bride wants – including the fabric, design and colour. This means that the bride will have full control over how her wedding dress should be and no other bride will have the same design.

Cons of a custom wedding dress

1. Higher Price

Custom wedding dresses are more expensive as they are customised according to the bride’s needs and requirements. Hence, more effort is required to design the wedding dress due to the designer needing to source materials, sew them together, and make revisions or alternatives if necessary.

2. Long Waiting Time

Brides won’t be able to receive their wedding dress immediately as certain procedures are required such as consultation, fittings and revisions until the brides are satisfied with their wedding dress.

3. Taking a Risk

Essentially, brides are taking a risk since they wouldn’t know the outcome once it’s been fully designed. Brides wouldn’t know if the wedding gown would fit perfectly based on their body shape as well.

How to pick the right wedding dress?

If you’re curious about how to pick the right wedding dress, there are several factors to consider such as:

• Body Type: Brides should know what their body type is to choose the appropriate wedding dress that’s suitable for them.
• Style Preference: Each bride has their own wedding dress style that they prefer so it’s best to know the exact style such as traditional or classic style.
• Wedding Theme: The bride has to take into consideration the overall wedding theme as well such as formal, casual or outdoor/indoor.

Conclusion

With that being said, we hope you will find your ideal wedding dress! Consider all of your options and preferences before choosing the right one. If you’re looking to rent a wedding dress, feel free to check out Labelle Couture’s exclusive bridal gown collections! Rest assured you’ll be able to find something that captures your attention!