RTW to say 'I Do'

I never really believed that wedding dresses have a life after the actual wedding. Unless donated to an anonymous beneficiary or cut up to make pillow stuffing (those tulle petticoats are surprisingly springy), wedding dresses are just bound to sit in a box for the next 25 years or so until daughter goes on a streak of sentimentality and decides she wants to walk down the aisle in what Mom wore two decades prior. And, usually, second-gen bride is in for a huge letdown. I recently unearthed my mother’s wedding dress — a beautiful high-necked piece by Auggie Cordero — and was in for a letdown. She was 20 pounds and five inches thinner than me when she got married; no amount of alterations could save my mawkish intentions of reusing this hand-me-down. Which makes me wonder, how much time, effort and moolah should you really put into your wedding dress?

If you think splurging three months worth of your salary on a dress with a 13-hour lifespan is worthy of a five-year incarceration, or even if you just can’t stand the thought of going for endless fittings (you need a six to eight-month time frame for designer-made gowns) or recoil at the idea of having unlicensed women poking pins so near sensitive body regions, than go and consider the quicker, more affordable off-the-rack option for your walk down the aisle.

These days, buying ready-to-wear for your own wedding is now as chic — and practical — as setting up a donation account to fund your honeymoon (check out www.honeyfund.com). It’s not necessarily true that you don’t get your dream wedding gown unless it’s custom-made and takes half a year to make. Most brides anyway don’t know what they want until it’s put in front of them and, most times, an actual dress is more reassuring than a fancy sketch: you see exactly what you’re getting and can fit on the spot. If alterations are needed, you’re trusted modista is always on hand.

Following the aisle intentions of international retailers such as J.Crew, Ann Taylor and Nicole Miller, fashion house Karimadon is now also selling off-the-rack floor sweepers that still complete the whole dream wedding experience. Mostly made out of shiny duchesse satin or lighter chiffon, these gowns go from sophisticated-vintage (an asymmetric mermaid gown) to elegantly effortless (a cowl-necked column dress). Karimadon’s wedding armory relies on classic silhouettes and minimal details that invite creative accessorizing: maybe a tiara, elbow-length satin gloves or even a capelet over the strapless options. Designed by Karimadon’s in-house team, owner Josie Go assures brides-to-be that each gown comes in limited quantities and are only available in certain Karimadon boutiques, although all boutiques have catalogs where you can order from.

The ultimate clincher: all gowns are priced below P6,000. Imagine what kind of investment you would have made if your daughter is really able to wear it 30 years down the line.

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The bridal collection is available at Karimadon Glorietta and Robinsons Galleria.