Planning a wedding in Kenya is a process that entails many decisions from choosing a venue and a caterer to selecting a wedding gown that suits you. In most cases, hiring a wedding dress would be a good option for a bride who cannot afford to buy the gown.
Choosing a wedding dress to hire is not just about liking the style; there are many other factors to think about including fitting, duration of the rental, package included, what to do if it gets damaged, and the terms of the venue where you are going to wear it.
From a ballroom wedding in Nairobi to a garden wedding in Naivasha, all of these tips will help you select a rental gown that will bring you less trouble.
Why Renting Wedding Dress in Kenya is Booming
Hiring a wedding dress is a good way to balance between having a good budget for your wedding dress and enjoying different designs.
Value for money: Buying a designer wedding gown is rather costly especially if you do not expect to wear it any other time but on your wedding day. This way, hiring enables you to have more money to spend on other wedding expenses like photographs and decoration.
Availability of more styles: Boutiques for wedding dresses can provide different types of styles and fabrics to choose from, and even different designers as well.
Reduced space to keep the dress after the wedding day: A hired wedding dress can be easily returned after the agreed duration, leaving no need for storage of your wedding dress.
The 3 Positive Pillars: Best Practices for Hiring Your Dream Gown
Here are three best practices that have proven successful in ensuring that your wedding experience is a great one.
1. Plan Ahead
There are specific times in Kenya that are considered peak wedding periods, which include December, April and during long holiday breaks. With all the amazing, most desired dress styles flying off the shelves very fast, you need to start planning early enough.
Actionable Tip: Make it a point to visit boutiques 3 to 6 months prior to the wedding day. This gives you enough time to get your dream dress without rushing and allows the tailor enough time to make alterations on your dress.
2. Think About Your Theme and Venue
Whereas a heavy structured satiny ball gown looks absolutely marvelous in the big hotels’ ballrooms in Nairobi, it can be absolutely impractical and cumbersome at the beach breeze in Diani or the garden weddings in Naivasha/Karen.
Actionable Tip: Take note of the theme and venue in terms of weather and terrain conditions. Chiffon, organza, and tulle fabric will prove to be very comfortable for outdoors and are light.
3. Factor in Comprehensive Package Inclusions
All rental contracts are not made alike. When comparing the cost of rentals among various bridal shops in Nairobi, take note of the contents of the hire fee. Does the petticoat, hoop skirt, veil, dry cleaning, and alterations come with it?
Actionable Tip: Always get a written list of all the items that would be included in the package so as to avoid any hidden charges.
The 4 Negative Traps to Avoid When Renting
The most organized bride can make the same rental mistakes. Here are some of the major errors to avoid in order not to jeopardize yourself.
1. Overlooking Important Details Regarding Damages Policy
It can be raining unexpectedly and ruining the hem of the dress with Nairobi soil, or guests’ shoes may accidentally cause tearing on the dance floor. In any case, you should know how to act.
Actionable tip: Read carefully the boutique’s policy about damages and security deposit. Find out in advance what actions are taken in case of small stains or severe fabric damage.
2. Prioritizing Fashion Over Comfort
Any bride can get mesmerized with her wedding dress. Sure, it may seem beautiful when it’s hanging on the hanger or in the picture. But once she actually wears it and finds herself wearing something heavy weighing twenty pounds or something that pinches her ribs, she is bound to be uncomfortable at the receptions.
Actionable tip: Walk, sit down, lift your hands, and do a spin in the fitting room. Do not forget: you should dance comfortably at your receptions!
3. Forgetting Innerwear and Shoe Height
The fit and final length of the gown can be affected by your undergarments and shoes. Trying on a dress without wearing anything beneath it or with sneakers on will completely mess up the measurements taken by the tailor.
Actionable Tip: Your final fitting should be done using your shapewear, strapless bra, and shoes (or at least same heel height) that you will wear on your wedding day.
4. Panicked Last-Minute Dress Alterations
In Nairobi, there are times when life becomes chaotic due to traffic or even schedule problems. Last-minute dress alteration will cause stress to the highest degree.
Actionable Tip: Do your dress fittings not later than two weeks before the wedding day.
What to Expect from Professional Bridal Boutiques in Kenya
It is not only about the fabric used to make that perfect dress but the experience too. A high-end bridal shop creates an oasis of sorts away from the madness of organizing a wedding.
At a reputable salon like Lumi Events, one expects to be served with discreet and customized fitting sessions, stylistic suggestions based on one’s figure, and clear and honest prices. Lumi Events prides itself in being a dependable partner to all the elegant Kenyan brides that need our services.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are alterations included in the price of renting the dress? Usually, the price of alterations is included in the rent price. It is important to make sure about that before signing any papers regarding your rental package.
2. What should happen if my wedding dress gets damaged or stained in the wedding? Some rental boutiques require a refundable security deposit, while others may have different damage or cancellation policies. But the damage of the dress will be tolerated only if it is minor.
3. Can alterations be done to the dress if it is hired? It is not possible to make any alterations to the hired wedding dresses in most cases. Here are several methods through which wedding dresses can be personalized using the use of accessories.
4. Will I have to arrange for dry cleaning before returning the dress? Well-known bridal houses like Lumi Events provide professional dry cleaning along with rental of the dress.
Finding Your Dream Look
It will be easy to find a gown for hire in Kenya when you have the right things to look out for. Begin looking early, select a dress that matches your venue, verify your size and find out what is included in the hiring package.
The most important thing, however, is that you read through the terms and conditions of the hiring agreement. It can save you from some nasty surprises regarding deposit, damage, alterations, cleaning and returning.
Want to choose a wedding dress already? Reach out to Lumi Events to see their bridal wear selections.
