BY LANJI OUKO
White swans, diamond chandeliers, fresh flowers hanging from the luxurious centrepieces and an acoustic classic band entertaining the guests; one of the most exciting days for any lady is her wedding. From the tender age of 12 years old, believe it or not, girls plan for that special day.
You only get to do it once. Like a funeral, there will be no rehearsal. Give it your best!
Once the love of our lives pop the question, we pretend to start planning the wedding, but the plans have been on deck for close to a decade. Every single detail, from the guest list to seating arrangements, to which iconic artist will perform and sing during the father daughter dance; elaborate, detailed planning.
Meanwhile, the groom imagines all it takes is finding a venue, caterer and a wedding dress. There is no way to downplay this; wedding planning is rocket science. It is a chance to plan what is perceived to be the ‘happiest day of your life’ with not just anyone but ‘the love of your life’.
The groom may have proposed a year ago, but in the bride’s mind, a wedding was destined to happen at some point in her life.
A recent study shows the wedding planning business worldwide is worth over $4billion. Well, think about it, the bouquets, wedding bands, Caterers, venue, florists, and harpist! The longer the list, the weaker the debit card’s metallic chip. The more you swipe those figures, the more intense the headache. On your wedding day, everything costs money, including the man or the lady showing you to your seat at the reception.
“With platforms such as Samantha Bridal or Bella Naija Weddings, it seems very easy to plan your big day, with the assumption, all the information is out there. But it can never be easy as abc, never! You want it to stand out. You want to cherish those memories. You want an event to tell a story of your love for each other, it will never be easy,” says Njeri Gakii of Rusi Décor and Events.
What’s the most important item on the wedding’s to-do list?
The bride’s gown, as envisioned as a young girl, a few old-fashioned ideas are altered in your mid-twenties and finally once the engagement ring is on, ladies finally settle on what to them, is a dream gown fit for a dream wedding.
Wedding gowns range from Sh8, 000 to Sh3, 000, 000 if your taste is inclined to Vera Wang.
As years go by, dresses too run out of fashion, making it a very tricky business to invest in. Most women have the common notion that they will buy extravagant wedding gowns in order for their daughters to inherit, and hopefully wear it to their weddings.
A wedding dress worn in the 80s will most definitely be the least attractive gown in 2023.
The veil, the train, it’s hard to wrap your head round how it will work?
Mrs Jennifer Mutunga, newly married and relocating back to Kenya from Atlanta, USA in 2010 was aching to have a business of her own upon moving back home. As she tried to settle in she realized her beautiful designer wedding dress could not fit in her new closet anymore. Everything seemed squashed right beside it.
The mother of two couldn’t figure the best way to store it until her cousin who was just about to wed, came knocking.
The period between the wedding, and after, Jennifer realized her room was more comfortable and could finally have ample space around the closet. Of course as time went by, the dress was returned and she was back to square one. “Where will I store the gown?” she brainstormed, which was the light bulb moment behind the conception of ‘Dream Gowns’. Jennifer found a niche market. Kenya had no virtual wedding gowns business.
After extensive research, visiting bridal shops in Kenya and abroad, she realized a couple of recurring consequences. Gowns were either overpriced, out of stock, out of fashion or extremely dusty because anyway, who was buying at that price?
Jennifer pragmatically figured a way to curb the headache of breaking the bank for an event running for less than 12 hours. Dream Gowns ideology is centred on educating young brides to enjoy quality, designer wedding gowns, without going overboard with their budget.
Every bride deserves to feel like a queen, and Dream Gowns is the one stop shop for the entire bridal package. A quaint, beautifully decorated store in Adams Arcade Mini Village. Once there, warm fuzzy slippers greet you, right at the front door, with the refreshing aroma of roses. The exquisite handcrafted wallpaper and antique furniture immediately confirm you are in great hands.
The customer care and after sale services at the bridal shop should be replicated in other service industries in Kenya.
Established in 2015, Dream Gowns Rentals serves the needs of all brides. After further travelling the world to shop and find out how certain businesses were run for example in China and the US, she cut herself a niche. With the support of dedicated staff, Mrs Mutunga has managed to dress a huge number of Kenyan women, including public figures like politicians and local Kenyan celebrities.
Initially the first store was in residential house where, with the support of her loving husband, she found it convenient and central. However, it began to feel invasive as the company expanded and more brides popped in for fittings.
The current location was convenient and central for all her clients to access using taxi or public means.
Dream Gowns hire out wedding dresses, evening gowns, prom dresses and has in the past dressed a number of corporates during award ceremonies.
With capital of about 250,000 she managed to buy a few gowns and tested the market. The gowns were all expensive and in season and on her successful trial she decided to go all out and set shop.
Very focussed to do her craft, Jenifer is not keen to stock bridesmaid’s dresses and flower girls, therefore she is a master of the wedding gowns. However, a number of wedding planners have approached her to begin stoking men’s tuxedos, which is a project she is currently exploiting.
Being a passion business, she pays close attention to key details of her gowns, especially the expensive handcrafted pieces.
Upon signing the contract and leaving a deposit, one of the main clauses in her agreement is the client is not allowed to clean, wash or dry-clean the gowns. The company prefers to receive the gowns after wearing in order to ensure they wash them as required to avoid any losses or damage to the gowns.
The wedding gown connoisseur who is an inspiration unconsciously draws women by her likeable personality and has gradually become a household name. “She personally and chats with her clients using personal experiences, which keeps her clients coming back,” says a young lady who was at the store during the interview.
Another tick is the range of plus size gowns due to the fact that Jennifer identified most brands always neglect the needs of plus size brides, making it harder for them to find well fitting gowns. Additionally she has also tapped in to the market of expectant brides.
The quality, craftsmanship and price of the gowns are commendable as they start from Sh25, 000 upward.
What most people seem not to realize is the fact that a wedding is a luxury and quite often, young couples begin their married life in debt trying to pay off debts. Expenses are incurred to have a luxurious and extravagant wedding, hence the hostile debate on why fundraisers for weddings and flashy baby showers as a growing culture must be nipped in the bud.
