PLANNING a wedding in the current economic climate can be an expensive affair.

But thank goodness for wedding fairs, like this weekend's The New Paper Wedding Planner at Suntec City.

This is the place to go if you want to shop around.

Ask for packages, because these will help you save, like the Korean Romance package from White Link.

Or look around for wedding gowns. Many of them do not cost the earth.

White Link has gorgeous gowns under $2,000.

The New Paper New Face 2008 finalists Lim Zee Hui and Foong Wen Jia are wearing gowns from White Link's Butterfly collection.

These feature details such as embroidery, beading, and butterflies on white or ivory gowns.

And for Lydia Yacob, she is wearing a gown from the Grecian Goddess collection, inspired by ancient Greek myths, with draping, empire waistline, soft diaphanous gowns and elongated silhouettes.

If you have shoulders you're proud of, the gowns from Bliss Bridal (worn by Lydia and Wen Jia) are perfect for you. You can get a rental gown there for under $2,500.

Wen Jia's mid-length tail is perfect for an impactful entrance, while Lydia's multi-tiered dress will make you feel like a princess.

• Lydia wearing a gown from Bliss Bridal cut to show off a tiny waist.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Sep 12, 2008.