Rating:
5 stars - Excellent
4 stars - Very Good
3 stars - Average
2 stars - Sloppy Service
1 star - Poor Service
The wedding gown is probably the most expensive piece of 
clothing that a woman will ever wear. It will be worn only once and yet it will be the most unforgettable one. The wedding couturier plays a vital role in making the dream wedding come true as she will be the one to make my dream wedding gown. I consulted five couturier shops before finally deciding on one.
clothing that a woman will ever wear. It will be worn only once and yet it will be the most unforgettable one. The wedding couturier plays a vital role in making the dream wedding come true as she will be the one to make my dream wedding gown. I consulted five couturier shops before finally deciding on one. Merlene J. Marcelo Couture
Thumbs Up
Merlene personally interacts with each of her clients. From consultation, to five fittings (yes I had five!), pick up of the gown, she was there in all of them considering that our wedding falls on peak season and she has a lot of clients. During consultation, I showed her pictures of what I have in mind for my gown and she made it even better. She even offered to provide me sketches for the entourage even though we told her that we will have it done elsewhere. During fittings, she has staff assisting me but she supervises them and looks at evey detail of the gown making sure it was perfectly executed.
My favorite part about going to her shop are the fitting rooms. As a bride, I always feels like a princess and her fitting rooms surely makes me feel like one with big mirrors, chandeliers and a platform where you stand and can see the overall effect of the gown. There are different sizes of the fitting rooms. There are big fitting rooms perfect for the entire entourage and there are smaller ones like I used to have, big enough for just one client.
In terms of value for money, I initially found her quote quite high. When she provided me the sketch of how she envisions my gown, I was wowed and worried at the same time. I was wowed because of the additions she had in mind to make my gown elegant despite its simplicity and worried because I know that it will definitely exceed our budget. But as soon as I told her our budget, she offered for a reasonable compromise. Despite the price being not her original quote, the quality of my gown did not suffer. She provided me the same imported quality of silk satin and french laces, and the same artistry on the smallest of details. I'm very happy with the outcome of my gown. I must say it is a worth every peso spent.
Thumbs Down
Since only my bridal gown was made from her shop, and not the entire entourage, I was not qualified to avail of her staff's assistance on my actual wedding day. But to compensate for it, they gladly thought and explained to my maid of honor the details and technicality of my gown during my last fitting.
Parking is limited in the area. If you're a working bride who is only available during weekends to attend to wedding details, it is always better to go there first thing in the morning most especially if you will bring the entire entourage. There are only about 4 parking slots and since her shop is located in a busy street, getting an alternative parking slot is quite tricky. Overall Rating: 4 stars
Overall I'm very happy with Merlene and her staff's service. It is definitely worth every peso spent. Of course it is not comparable to the prices that divisoria or smalltime dressmakers can offer. But if like me you do not know any good couturier and does not want to take chances on the outcome of your wedding gown, Merlene is definitely a good choice.
Contact Details:
Merlene J. Marcelo Couture
http://www.merlenemarcelo.com/ (I was even featured in her french lace brides!)
9681 Kamagong St., San Antonio Village, Makati City
(632)345 6900
mdesignware@gmail.com
