When to Start Shopping for Your Wedding Dress Give yourself ample time to plan- generally the rule of thumb is that you need to order your gown at least six months before your wedding. So you should ideally start shopping for your gown nine months or more before your wedding. (If you don't have this much time, it's okay, just budget for some rush charges).
Plan Ahead Take a few minutes to think about what you want. It will be helpful when you enter the maze of wedding dresses out there to know what your budget is, any details that are essential (i.e. I must have a full skirt, or my arms must be covered), and an idea of how traditional you want your dress to be. After all, if really a teal pantsuit would work best for you, it's probably not worth your time to sort through racks of flouncy white gowns.
Be Comfortable! On your wedding day, you'll want to look great, but you'll also want to be comfortable- it will be hard to dance and laugh (not to mention posing for all those pictures) if you're tugging your dress up or have boning jutting into your ribs.
First- consider which wedding dress is most appropriate to your day – for example, consider a shorter tea-length or cocktail length dress for a beach wedding. If you're the type who likes to dance with her hands in the air, and anticipates doing the limbo, perhaps a strapless dress is not the one for you. Look for wedding dresses with removable sleeves or straps to give you the widest range of options.
A Dress that Fits Your Body Well Think about your body type and what kinds of dresses generally look good on you. Take a look at what you regularly wear that makes you feel confident and beautiful, and then look for a wedding dress with similar lines. If a friend is making your wedding dress, ensure that you have agreed on a fitting schedule and chances to make adjustments. If you're looking for a bargain at a sample sale, or discount outlet, you should budget money for taking the dress to a good tailor. Many designers will ask for three fittings, and will closely tailor your wedding dress to fit you.
Saving Money on Your Wedding Dress If money is an issue, remember that the most expensive kind of dress is not necessarily the best kind. Many brides find a bridesmaids dress in white or off-white that works perfectly, and is hundreds of dollars cheaper. There are thousands of dresses to be had at sample sales, thrift stores, and ebay. Consider taking pictures from magazines to a friend who sews or seamstress and getting a price quote. If you choose to make your own dress, don't delay. The sooner you finish it, the sooner you'll be able to attend to the many other details of your wedding.
Source: http://weddings.about.com/cs/dresses/a/dresses.htm
