Shopping and Negotiating a Bridal Package

Going through the trouble of tedious planning, searching among a sea of people in wedding fairs, bargaining, negotiating frantically for some extra items or discounts off a bridal shop package is not for everyone. But if you are up for it, here are some tips.
[Wedding Acronyms]

1. Determine the items you want

When negotiating the best deal, focus on the things you really need. Try to put your bargaining effort in good use.

Pick only the things that matter, don’t try to target everything. Example pick from: 

• Total package price
• Number of poses/ photos, size of album/ frame photo, Jimui photos
• The price to get back all soft copies
• The option to use all the gowns in the shop including the exclusive ones
• Number of wedding, evening, traditional gowns/ suits for PS and AD
• PG of your choice
• MUA of your choice

Others/ freebies:

MV DVD (behind-the-scene video), Mini album, Bunting, Calendar, Guest book, Photo frame, Magazine that contains your pre-wedding pictures, Car decor for AD, Fresh flower hand bouquet

For a sample of a regular bridal shop package details, click here.

Framed photo and album in ideal size	Jimui photos	Kua (traditional Chinese Gown)
Free gift such as Bunting	Check out the BS gown collection	Shop at crowded Bridal Fair for discounts

2. Go through the list of bridal shops and find the BS with best reviews if possible. I have done some research for quite a number of bridal shops, just click on the individual BS in the list to read the more detailed post which contains reviews and photos of actual brides. Also go over their website, FB Page briefly and try Google – it always works. From the reviews/ comments you can sometimes estimate their price range.

3. Pick about 10 shops that fit the bill (in terms of reviews, budget, BS business model, location). Then screen their photos thoroughly for quality of photography, makeup, hair, accessories, gowns, and if you like the style.

4. Select about 3-5 shops with the photos that you attract you (or more if budget is your concern and you are unsure of the pricing, it’s up to you) for a series of more in depth research. Try to do this prior to a bridal fair because generally you can get a bigger discount on the packages during those fairs. Sometimes the discounts start a few days leading up to the expo. For the list of BS that are going to participate visit the expo’s official website for example: http://www.klpj.com.my. If the attire, gowns, suits are your priority, I’ll advise you to drop by the shops to scan the collection beforehand.

At the bridal fair go straight to the booths you have selected (If you are not a crowded expo person, do this in the bridal shop itself), interact with the SA, inquire about the package with the MUA, PG, gowns of your choice. At this point the pressure to sign-up would build up as most SAs are trained to entice you with their marketing gimmicks. Don’t give in just yet, what you have to do is take note of the details for comparison purpose. You can refer to Sample Checklist below. The BS will not give you the brochures with package details.

5. With the data all laid out in a spreadsheet, it is easier to compare and choose according to your budget and wants. Every BS has defined the details in each package of say RM2988, RM3988, RM4988… The SA has the authority to give a discount or throw in more freebies or stuffs to a certain extent. If possible, don’t show too much interest, being somewhat indifferent about the offer provides you a better bargaining power. Insist on your stand during negotiation. Don’t target everything, focus on the things you have selected in Step 1.

Checklist for you to compare the attributes of each bridal shop and the package it offers (Click to enlarge). Give a scoring of 1-10 for example for you to keep track.