Picking a colour

Think about colours: Diamond White does not suit everyone, and there are many tones to soften the look from Ivory through to Buttermilk; there are tones of colour from pink blush, through apricot, lilac and blue. What colour jewellery do you wear, cool silver or warm gold? Will you be wearing pearls? Think about the dress decoration and make sure that you stick to a theme. Tie in colours and styles to the time of year that the wedding will be taking place; consider the venue and whether it will be indoors or outdoors.

Will you need a warm covering, if the weather is cool? If so, you can consider using a long jacket or a fur stole to go on top of the dress, and remove it when you're in the warm. Alternatively, will you need a lightweight dress for those hot days?

Selection:

Start shopping as soon as you set your date. Most designer wedding dresses need to be special ordered. It could take 3 to 6 months for special order or designer wedding dresses to arrive. Order at least six months prior to your reception. This will allow time for fittings, alterations, and coordination. If you decide to have your gown custom made, allow about 6 months since selection of style, fabric and details along with fittings takes time.

Shopping:

To make your day a pleasant and rewarding one, try not to visit too many bridal shops in the same day. When you are fresh, full of energy and enthusiasm, you will be able to make sound judgments. On the other hand, if you come to the store exhausted and unprepared, after trying a few styles you may be confused and find that all the gowns begin to look the same and you may come home toting one of the cheap wedding dresses simply because you were tired! Bring along pictures of wedding gowns you like and be open to discuss your plan and idea with a bridal consultant. It could happen that the gown you like in a picture doesn't look good on you. The bridal consultant will study your figure type and personality to help select the styles that flatter you and suit your budget. Try on all of the dresses the consultant shows you, even if it may not seem like "your style" of dress as most wedding dresses look much better, and different, on you than on the racks. You may want to bring a family member or friend along for a second opinion ..

Purchase

It seems there are now as many WAYS to purchase a bridal gown as there are bridal gowns! Full service salons, internet discounters, warehouses and more are all competing for your business. Regardless of where and how you order a gown, some- things are the same. A sales contract will be required, you will need to select your size, and more...

Overall tips:

Scout local thrift shops for excellent buys. Bridal gowns have been worn only once, so providing they've been professionally cleaned, there's no problem. Designer castoffs cost more, but you could find a real steal for under $100.

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