Blog

As the end of the year is approaching, we thought to share some of our reflections and also address some Frequently Asked Questions that our customers are interested to know in the running of The BMD Shop. We hope this gives you an insight into our business and also get to know us a little better!

What prompted you to start a business?
This sounds completely crazy but the idea of starting my own business started when I was buying shoes from Pazzion. (http://www.pazzion.com/)

During one of my shopping trips with a girlfriend, we bought in total 7-8 pairs of shoes with the majority of the purchases being mine. Being tall (1.7m) and hence larger feet size for an Asian, it was really hard to buy comfortable and good quality shoes.  That particular shopping trip had awoken something within me. I questioned my consumer behaviour and realized this:

“As long as a brand is able to provide value and solves a certain problem, customers will come your way and in turn help you build a successful business.”

In no way are we related to the owners of Pazzion shoes and kudos to them for making shoes that fit my feet so right!  When I got home to a shocked hubby who is not too happy with my shopping purchases, we sat down and discussed for hours about building something of value that solves a common frustration that people are facing.

After months of brainstorming and conceptualization, we think back to our experiences to find “pain points”. One of our “pain points” was during our Wedding when we were searching for affordable bridesmaid dresses in Singapore. It was almost impossible to find a decent looking bridesmaid dress that is inexpensive and fits my ladies of different sizes when we were planning our wedding.  Hence, The BMD Shop was borned.

Where do you get the dresses from? 
Most of our dresses are specially designed in house and manufactured by factories for our label. To address the problem of bridesmaid dresses that fits a variety of sizes, we have manufactured most of the dresses to fit up to UK16.

Any Challenges so far?
A major challenge we faced was working with reliable factories that are able to produce dresses of excellent quality. We have dropped and changed a few factories that have not being able to deliver consistent products.  There are also factories that do not want to take responsibility and we had to absorb the cost of these products as we do not send out any dress that did not pass our internal quality check.  

Starting a business is not an easy route that many people choose.  The decision to leave my full time job to focus on running The BMD Shop this year was a significant one.  Although faced with many uncertainties, the only way to deal with it was to face my fears and press on.  There is immense satisfaction running our own business and building it from scratch. It is very rewarding seeing messages from customers that are happy with their shopping experience and praise our efficient customer service!

Why Online Shop with showroom? Why no retail space as yet?
We started primarily as an online store and received feedback from brides-to-be that they wish to see the dresses in person i.e to check the actual colour of the dresses to match their wedding theme or for their bridesmaids to try the dresses. Thus, we have recently opened up a showroom (by appointment booking only) to address this.

There is no retail store now as we would like to pass the cost savings from our lean operations to our customers which are reflected in the cost of our dresses.

Any tips for brides-to-be that are searching for bridesmaid dresses?
It is important for brides to do some prior research and discuss with their fiancé the overall colour themes.  After deciding on the overall colour theme(s) for the dresses, think about the fabric of choice for the dresses. Chiffon is the most popular choice due to its light and flowy feel. Lace exudes a feminine vibe whereas satin/taffeta looks more glamorous.  Convertible Dresses made of silky polyester blend is also a big hit due to its versatility and elegance.

Though it’s important to find a dress that fits your ladies and matches your colour theme, do know that it is also impossible to satisfy the demands of every bridesmaid.  Managing your bridesmaids’ expectations on the dress is also crucial as you should ultimately be the decision maker and stand firm on your choice.

We had seen bridesmaids that tried to persuade brides to change the colour theme or pick a completely different style so that it would better suit their skin tone/looks better on them.  Remember that it’s your big day and you do not need to be swayed by the opinions of others!

Any tips for bridesmaids?
Do check out our previous post on “Tips to be a Great Bridesmaid” https://www.thebmdshop.com/bridesmaid-dresses-singapore/index.php?content=29

It’s a great honour to be chosen as a bridesmaid. The bride is showing appreciation in valuing your friendship and entrusting you to help her during her big day! You should also do your part to assist her to ensure that her wedding planning is as stress-free as possible.

On choosing bridesmaid dresses, do watch out for telling signs of the bride’s preference of a certain dress style or colour theme.  

What can we expect from The BMD Shop in 2015?

Did you know that for some of our bestsellers, especially the new colour choices are actually from brides’ feedback? We love interacting with our customers and hear what to add to the collection! So, do let us know your input so that we can consolidate the feedback and consider for future collections.

Thank you everyone for your support in 2014! We will continually work hard to bring in new styles and restock popular designs to fit your wedding theme.
 

Marriage is a major milestone which symbolizes the next phase of spending your life together with your partner. Hence, choosing a Wedding Date early helps a couple to plan their timelines accordingly. We came up with a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help in selecting your wedding date.
 

What are the most 'hot' dates for weddings?  Should I choose them?

In Singaporean culture, for Chinese weddings particularly, some couples would consult a Feng Shui Master that helps to choose an auspicious wedding date by the couple’s Bazi (birthday and time of birth) and looking at the Tong Shu (Chinese Almanac).

Depending on the couple, if they are not required to follow past traditions, they are free to select a meaningful date of their choice. Significant dates would be such as proposal date, date you officially became a couple, first kiss, parent’s wedding anniversary and the list goes on. 

According to the Registry of Marriages website, “Double Date” which is date where Day and Month are the same and Valentine’s Day are most popular.  Below shows the upcoming 'hot' dates for 2015.

If you wish to get married on a “hot” date and like the ease of remembering your Wedding Anniversary, there are probably many couples that have the same mindset. This also means that booking your wedding venue and other wedding vendors needs to be done way in advance to prevent any disappointment. We have also heard from friends that decided to change their wedding date because their preferred wedding venue has no slots available.

Do send out your wedding invitations early to your loved ones as there is a likelihood they might receive a few invitations for such popular dates.
 

What is the most important consideration for choosing the day of the week?

In our opinion, select a day/ time that suits your guests. Saturdays dinners and weekend lunches   are most popular due to the availability of guests and hence the reason why Hotels/ Restaurants mark up their prices. Sunday dinners are less preferred by young parents due to considerations that they need to prepare their children for school (you may expect them to leave by 10pm before all courses are served). For weekday nights, expect to start late as the guests may be held up at work or spend time to doll up prior to attending your big day.

 

 

 

Can I choose to marry during the 7th Lunar Month?

About 4% of the Weddings/ROM in Singapore occurs during the 7th Lunar Month. For couples that have free reign over choice of wedding dates, this would be a good opportunity to secure some discounts from wedding vendors which might accommodate as this is considered their lull period.

Although there are lesser Weddings happening during the 7th Lunar Month, there are still specific days using the Tong Shu that can still be suitable for Weddings.
 

 

Should I choose Public Holidays?

While it may mean that most of your loved ones may not be required to work on that day, some may miss your wedding as they may have planned for their overseas holidays. Associating your wedding to the holidays is good for themed weddings (eg. Easter, National Day, Good Fridays). 

Hope these considerations are useful information for you to start thinking and planning for your big day!