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You know what happened at this year's Lovesick Expo in Seattle? I met THE Chrissy Wai-Ching Leung of Wai-Ching Studios. Not only did she make my very specific dream come true when she gave Ariel and I matching designer unitards, but she's also been making Offbeat Bride readers' dress dreams come to life for years and years.
Wai-Ching dresses are so dreamy that I sometimes forget they're FOR REAL, so I was all a-flutter when I saw them in real life, all lined up, in the prettiest raw silk rainbow I've ever seen.
These dresses may look like fantasies, but I assure you they're real, they're just as gorgeous in real life, and you can totally hook yourself up with one for your wedding. Let's get a Wai-Ching reality check with real brides, real experiences, and really awesome dresses…
What was the real-life Wai-Ching ordering process like?
I sent her my measurements and a few months later the dress arrived, even more beautiful than the photographs (you don't get a full sense of the real texture of the fabric from the pictures). It fit so perfectly that I didn't have to make a single alteration.It honestly would have been a different wedding without this dress. It sounds strange to say, but somehow it brought the day together–a beautiful, personal, authentic center from which everything else radiated.
-Jenny K. (Northampton, MA)
What about the whole pricing situation?
“I highly recommend Wai Ching for your formal wear needs. I can't believe how well my dress turned out and that I got a one-of-a-kind dress that didn't cost more (and in many cases less) than the off-the-rack wedding gowns. (Pinch me!)”
-Bethany H. (Oakland, CA)
“The price is amazing for the works of art she creates. Considering what I probably would have been willing to spend on a wedding dress, she saved me a good $250-$350. In addition to all that, Chrissy was a friendly and accommodating person to work with. Everybody including my groom and myself LOVED my dress.”
-Adrienne K. (Seattle, WA)
What about wearing that work of art at your actual wedding?
“It was so beautiful, and SO comfortable. At two in the morning, having been on my feet all day, and dancing most of the night, I was still perfectly comfortable in the dress! It in no way required “maintenance” in the way that some dresses do — I didn't have to worry about it sliding down or looking weird at all the whole day.” -L S.
We all learned something today, besides the fact that Ariel and I look amazing in unitards. We learned that Wai-Ching dresses are not just the stuff of dreams and legend… they're the stuff your wedding dress is going to be made from. Now take all that good learnin' and go make your Wai-Ching dreams a reality.
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About the Author: Megan Finley Horowitz
When Megan's not writing, traveling, and sleeping, she's eating like the fate of the world depends on it. (You're welcome, world!) You can snoop into her personal life over on her website The Dash and Dine!
These dresses are amazing!!! The first one is definitely my favorite, but I love how unique each one is.
They’re pretty, but the hip measurements max out at 46″. That’s too bad.
Caitlin- nope! That may be what’s listed on her website but I encourage you to reach out to her. My sis-in-law had a Wai-Ching dress, as did her bridesmaids, and she and at least one of the maids had waist measurements larger than 46″.
Thanks to Offbeat Bride, I discovered Chrissy’s amazing dresses, and I should receive mine in a month!! Overly excited! She is adorable and the prices are very good considering what it is, definitely cheaper than most of the bridal gowns I tried and felt so uncomfortable in. I was able to add a beautiful shawl to fit with the dress and still be in my budget!
I was a bridesmaid at my brother’s wedding, and my sis-in-law and myself and the two other bridesmaids wore Wai-Ching. We’re all plus size, of very different body shapes, and we weren’t finding ANYTHING off the rack that looked even okay on all three of us (let alone awesome on the bride). We rain into Chrissy at the Lovesick Expo in 2014 and were surprised at how reasonable her prices were (I think I paid $500 for a custom-made, fits-like-a-glove, floor-length A-line made with hand-dyed silk, and a special chiffon neckline with cap sleeves that transition to sleeveless, empire-waist ties, and just the right amount of boning to make me look panther-sleek). Plus, she was upbeat, encouraging, and excited during the entire process. Honestly, just walking through her studio and looking at ALL of the gorgeous, colorful dresses was a paradise. I can’t tell you how many compliments myself and the other ‘maids (and the bride!) got on our dresses. And the other maids and I use our dresses for other functions, because they’re too pretty to put in a closet. I highly recommend her, and will probably be using Wai-Ching for my own bridal gown next year.
Forgot to add that we actually did three fittings/measurings with Chrissy, because we were all so concerned with fit on our larger, curvier frames (plus, the MoH was coming in from out of town). There was no extra charge for the extra attention, and Chrissy took pics (at our request), made recommendations for fit, and went out of her way to address the various body-conscious concerns of us 4.
Pretty! Thank to Offbeatbride, offer the best dress to us.