This is why you shouldn’t order a dress on eBay from China pic.twitter.com/4QkPMUEmoN

— Tweet Like A Girl (@TweetLikeAGirI) May 3, 2014

I can’t help but smile at this Tweet.

Getting married is an event where money would have to be spent. It doesn’t matter that you are getting married in your backyard or wearing your mother’s wedding dress, you will spend some money. But a lot brides often focus all their mind and energy on how little they want to spend on the one day where they get to marry their sweetheart. Everything is on a budget to them. The dress, the flowers, the venue, the photographer… the list goes on.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to re-do alterations just because the bride had decided to take her wedding dress to ‘somewhere cheaper’. Yes, there will always be someone willing to do it cheaper. But almost always, you get what you pay for. In the end, these brides would have to spend more time and money to get the mistake fixed.

Ultimately, you will not remember how much cash you parted with, but how beautiful you looked in your dress, how you cried when you exchanged vows, how happy everyone was. These memories are priceless.

By all means, don’t overspend, but don’t let your ‘budget’ ruin your enjoyment of the whole wedding process. Save on the flowers, splurge on the wedding dress… or whatever works for you. Don’t sweat the small stuff. A relaxed bride is a happy bride. Don’t let the quest to save money cost you.

I guess it’s still not too late to wish everyone a very happy new year. May 2015 bring you even more joy, peace and love.

I know I say it every year, whether it’s on my Facebook page or here, but I really do want to thank all of my brides who have supported me each year, and especially the ones who have blessed me with gifts, photos and kind words.

Thank you for taking the time to let me know how your wedding went, for sharing your lovely photos with me and for the most wonderful comments you’ve left on my Facebook page. And again, thank you for trusting me with the most important dress of your life.

Congratulations to all who have gotten married, engaged, had new additions to the family, or simply found love in all its shapes and forms. It is my prayer that this year will be even better than the previous one, and may this year be the year of meaningful relationships.