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I don't have any personal experience but I used to have clothes made for me when I was a kid when my family and I lived in a country similar to Vietnam. Stuff for school plays and the such. I think getting someone to be there in person helps a lot to get what you want. It's a lot harder to pretend that something got lost in communication when you're actually speaking to the seamstress in person as opposed to those Chinese bridal gown makers on the internet, make sense?
However reading a lot about various brides who've gotten dresses made overseas makes me generally cautious about the entire thing. Sometimes it comes out great, sometimes it doesn't. It's up to you if you want to take the risk - do you have a backup plan if the dresses don't end up to plan?
I have a friendly seamstress here in the UK where i was thinking of getting them made, but fabric and man-hours adds up and I'd still be looking around the £250-£300 mark for 5 dresses (50 quid each still isn't bad, but we're saving everywhere we can as I have another year of postgrad after the wedding, and we're saving for a deposit so we don't have to live in military housing for longer than neccessary). My thought atm is to get all of them made one size up, then get them altered by the lovely seamstress friend in the UK if they aren't fitting well, because my only 2 issues are size and quality and BM K can take care of the quality thing as she'll be there in person. My mum got her BIL to get her wedding dress made in Korea and it turned out really well... still not quite sure though.
Hmm, personally I'd just go with the UK seamstress. But I'm a bit like that. I like to be able to handle things like this in person. And at 50quid a dress it's really not that bad. But I know where you're coming from on the financial aspect (especially as we've only JUST come out of the recession... apparently).
The thing with ordering the dresses a size up is that the seamstresses in Vietnam probably don't work that way. More than likely they'll only work off exact measurements. So that's something to consider. Of course if your girls are all, say a size 12 you can get approximate measurements for a size 14 dress and go from there.
Have you looked at the bridesmaid departments at John Lewis and BHS? Or even Monsoon? Or is there a very definite look that you want to go for with your bridal party?
I've looked allover the high street but the only place I've really liked anything in is coast!! (and it's EXPENSIVE as you probably know, I just clicked you're also a UK bride- I'm being fairly slow on the uptake!) I really want A-line below the knee dresses in 5 different green-blue shades, so nowhere on the high street is really ticking those boxes. It's between the seamstress and Vietnam, and I'm still really torn- I'm a bit of a control freak but of all the BMs I'm glad it's BM K going out there, she was my housemate for 3 years and we have really similar tastes, so it's tempting to trust her and save the money... AARGH!
When is she going out to Vietnam? I'd try looking at some places now, especially with their new spring/summer collections out you might find more dresses closer to what you want!
Hehe, actually I got my wedding dress from Coast. But I know what you mean! For the high street it's a bit on the pricey side! I'm guessing you're paying for the dresses as well?
I think if you really want to go with the Vietnam route to save the cash then do it - but try to set aside enough time between getting the dresses back and your wedding so that if you need to get alterations/different dresses then you've got time :)
My friend had got all her dresses and ao dais made in Vietnam when they went on a mini honeymoon before the wedding. It just depends on what tailors they use to how the quality is. but they had really great dresses and ao dais made from whomever they used.
She goes in may for 6 weeks so we'd still have time for a backup plan, it's more of a money for a backup plan issue!! I think I'll go for a wander to a properly BIG shopping centre and see what I see now that spring/summer is in (good point thank you littlemissmoo) and then decide in May what I want to do if I haven't found anything!! But if there's anyone on the boards who has done this and has any feedback on it please please let me know!
If she's going herself I'd definately give it a try.
In Hoi An, the "tailoring city of Vietnam", you should expect to pay perhaps 15-20$ for a costum made knee-long dress. PM me for recommendations on good tailors (and bad ones, too) if you're interested.
Good luck with the project.
I went to Vietnam last summer and had a lot of clothing made. I'm very happy with almost everything. It was very well priced, and I was extremely pleased with the fabric selection.
My advice would be to get a sense of how well your friend can judge construction and fabric quality. If she has a good sense of it, go for it. If she can't tell the difference between silk and polyester, she may come home with $5 dresses that won't breathe.
In my experience, though, Vietnamese people are extremely honest. I've traveled all over the world (Africa, India, China, Middle East, Europe, South America, etc.) and I found Vietnamese people to be the most honest.
Hoi An is lovely and that is the place to go. So jealous, I want to go back so bad!
I'll PM you back as soon as I find my scrapbook from our travels - I'm quite sure that I kept the tailor's business cards somewhere!
Regarding telling the difference between silk and the fake stuff - get the tailor to hand you a tread from the garment and set it on fire using a lighter. If it burns "clean" and just disappeares it's silk, but if it curls up, turns black and smells badly it isn't. I do however agree with monitajb - Vietnamese people are very honest, and in Hoi An there's so much competition between tailors that they just can't afford to ruin their own reputation.
I went to Viet Nam a few years ago and everything I had made was awesome. The people were so nice to work with. I would go for it if your friend is there. I would also have a back up plan just in case.
If you get them in we would love to see pics!!!!
@ danish Student: great tip!
I certainly don't want to imply that anyone will try to pull one over you, but picking out dresses there is like walking into a fabric explosion! You wouldn't want your BM to fall in love with a fabric, find out it will be cheap, and fail to communicate perfectly (it happens) that she needs silk.
I should also add that lots of restaurants and hotels have wireless there, so if she brings a phone that has a camera and is internet enabled, or she brings a laptop, the two of you should be able to communicate well.
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Has anyone had BM dresses made abroad? I've heard horror stories but also heard really great things, and one of my BMs is going to Vietnam for her dental elective in May, and has offered to take a pattern and fabric swatches from me and get my 5 BM dresses made out there. Now we have similar tastes and I really trust her judgement on stuff- she knows the fabrics I want etc, but I just though I'd check here and see what people's experience was. We[re on a pretty tight budget, so the potential saving here is really tempting!