Divisoria in Manila, Philippines is the ultimate refuge for the harassed bride on a budget. Even if it is unconsidered “unglamorous,” the truth of the matter is that even the most famous designers and couturiers go here for their raw materials and other supplies.

A walk down Divi will easily cut your wedding expenses in half. What you can find here: souvenirs, wedding giveaways, wedding accessories like necklaces, and of course ready-made wedding dresses for as low as 2K (about $40) , bridal entourage gowns for as low as 800 pesos (about $18) – all of them come in different sizes already. If you have your own style, the Divisoria tailors will customize the gowns for you, just be sure to give them the magazine clipping or photocopy of the image.

This is what I did when I had my daughters’ flower girls’ gowns done by a shop in Yangco Building, a place dedicated to wedding dresses and supplies in Divisoria. I just printed the picture I saw on the internet. I was happy with the outcome, although I remember being worried because the shop was so delayed in their promise to deliver. So one tip when you avail of the made-to-order services of the Divisoria shops: allow for lead time in delivery because they might be attending to a lot of clients. Anyway, I was really happy with how my daughters’ gown turned out. They certainly looked lovely, don’t you think?

You will just have to arm yourself with patience and persistence when you go to Divisoria. The Yangco Building (or Yangco Market) in Ilaya Street seems to be a popular destination. The buiding seems to be dominated by the gown-makers of Pandi, Bulacan. They offer gowns and dresses for all members of the wedding entourage, including Barong Tagalog for the males. The clothes can be made from native materials like jusi, santana, and pina.

I kept two business cards of the suppliers, and you may call them for reference. Be sure to canvass for the best (nay cheapest) suppliers

Jireh Bridal Boutique
Pasilio V 23 Yangco Building
791 Ilaya St. Divisoria
Tel. No. 245-0860
0916-4791932

Jonalyn and Larry Bridal Boutique
Pasilio V 18 Yangco Building
Mobile Phone Nos. 0927-6033840
09194123770

If even celebrities are cutting down on cost, there’s no reason why ordinary mortals like you and I can’t. The times simply call for it. Am sure budget brides will reason out that all the moolah spent on a one-day affair is better allotted for big-ticket priorities after the wedding, such as a house or car downpayment and saving up for when the baby comes.

It’s all a matter of spending creatively. Here are some ways to do this before the Big day:

1. Comparison shop between suppliers. Do not be afraid to engage in some dirty leg work or conduct serious research which may be via the internet or plainly asking your friends for referrals. I assure you this makes a difference, rather than relying on what you hear on TV or read in magazines.

2. Do-It-Yourself. DIY, the magic word in wedding preparations. There are a lot of aspects of the wedding preps which you can designate for DIY such as the invites and giveaways. Pool together the talents of your friends and families. This can save you as much as 40 per cent.

3. Tap volunteers among your circle. If you have talented friends, kindly request them to do the singing and emceeing jobs or do the styling for your wedding venue.

4. Haggle hard with your suppliers. If business is bad because of the crisis, they should be able to compromise on a few things. Even a 10 per cent discount goes a long way, or at least ask for more freebies to throw in with your package. The people in charge of the lights and sounds during our wedding gave us free use of their bubble machine which added a fun element to our reception entrance.

5. Attend wedding fairs and related events. This is where suppliers give discounts and irresistible offers like make-up trials, food tastings and free rooms for your honeymoon if you book them on the day.

There are of course countless other tips and pointers. Knowledge is power. This is so far the most important lesson in wedding planning. Write down all your negotiables and non-negotiables when it comes to cost and see how it gets you a long way, in a significant way.:D

If you’re based in Manila, Baclaran should be a familiar name. The Redemptorist Church is the refuge of faithful devotees of the Our Lady of the Most Perpetual Help. This place is also the ultimate bargain shopper’s haven. Its market is not only the ordinary fashionista, but people looking for costumes, members of the entourage of the yearly May Santacruzan, and yes…. brides and the whole wedding party!

There are a number of wedding stores in Baclaran but the most established is Rosy’s Bridal Center. So popular is Manang Rosy that her clients include some of the Philippines’ actors and actresses. She is assisted in the store by her son Ogie and a number of helpers.

I visited this store during the wedding preps and the prices were simply unbelievable. There was a sale during that time and I even tried on a wedding gown for P2,000, LOL.

What’s amazing about Rosy’s is that you can have a new gown made and buy it, or have a new gown made and charge it as “rental.” Obviously with the latter, you cannot keep the gown but you will be charged cheaper. Prices at Rosy’s start at 2K and as low as P500 for the entourage dresses.

From what I saw, Rosy’s is perfect for those looking for rentals of their wedding gown, suits or tux for the groom, flower girls’ frilly frocks and bridesmaids’ dresses or gowns. Of course you can have a new one made anytime too, and Ogie will happily design it for you. The only drawback I saw was that their fabrics or clothing swatches were limited. You will have to go with the popular colors or your wedding motif will not be followed.

Rosita Bamba, Proprietress
Rosy’s Bridal Center
1489 & 1491 Redemptorist Rd.
Baclaran, Paranaque City
Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone No: 8321616
Telefax: 8310929