If you're looking for Vera Wang, you probably won't find it here. You can however, settle for her…read moremuch cheaper sister, Fera Wong (just kidding, not a real thing). Chinese knock-offs get a bad rap, but why the hell should you spend CAD $200 on your bridesmaid's dress when she'll only wear it once and it's probably ugly anyway?? Golden Plaza is the place to suppress those wedding budget anxieties with a little strategic spending.
Going in for a walk is an experience in itself. Your eyes will get assaulted with all types of colours and sparkles that span 4 floors...and it's overwhelmingly glorious. I've been here on multiple shopping/pick up trips and I will always love coming back. I won't lie, some of the styles are less couture and more your Chinese auntie's version of couture. But look hard and you will find some really exciting stuff at unbelievable prices.
Custom ballgown dresses seem to hover around the CAD $500-$1000+ range depending on what you want. You can get simple chiffon/tulle dresses for your wedding party at $60-$100 easily. If you're an online shopper, you might get lucky on Taobao, but I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for and the prices ended up being similar anyway. Talking face to face with the shop owner and being able to pick out colour, style, and material was the way to go.
Other than dresses for every occasion at every price point, they've got a million varieties of shoes (customizable), real and fake jewelry, decorations, suits, photo studios, print shops...anything wedding related, they got it. You can't take photos of anything though, so bring a friend for consultation. Customized dresses take a few weeks to complete.
We all know anything wedding related is suddenly inflated beyond belief, so places like Golden Plaza are a godsend. You might not want to get a wedding dress here, but what about 5 bridesmaid dresses? Bring in a picture of a $600 Jimmy Choo shoe, lower your quality expectations, and get it done for 1/10 the price. Remember, the essence of Chinese knock-offs is that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". And, of course, arguing your way to a bargain!
My recommended stores:
Lung Fung Night Dressing Co. (龍鳳店晚裝公司), Tel: 2390 7650
Pure Love Wedding, Tel: 2696 9833, facebook.com/purelovewedding
(70/100) - 2017