Your wedding gown is one of the most important things that you will ever purchase. To be sure, it is the most emotionally charged purchase of your life; not only is it the most that you will ever spend on one piece of clothing, but it has to make you feel like the most beautiful woman in the world! This is a tall order for one gown, and to make sure that the entire experience of finding and ordering your dream dress is as happy as possible, here are my top 10 tips for choosing a gown

1. Do not shop with an entourage. You don’t want everyone’s opinion – just one or two people for support is fine.
2. When you do hit the streets for your dress, make sure that you are wearing the right shoes, it is very difficult to imagine what the dress will look like if you are wearing trainers or jandles. Also if you are intending to wear your hair up for the wedding, put your hair up in a similar style, while trying on dresses.
3. Once you have chosen your gown and have ordered it, don’t keep shopping for gowns, you’ll only confuse & second guess yourself
4. Alterations are not normally included in the price of a gown, so ask for a quote for any required alterations right up front.
5. You do not have to buy all of your accessories at the same time as the gown. Some bridal shops have reasonable prices on their veils and bridal jewelry, but may have a limited variety.
6. Order your gown at least six months before your wedding. Many take as long as four or five months to be delivered, and you need to allow time for alterations, as well.
7. Wedding gown sizing is not the same as regular dress sizing. This is one the best reasons to make sure that you are working with a knowledgeable bridal shop rather than trying to order from a dodgy discounter that cannot help you order your gown in the proper size for the best fit.
8. Work with a bridal shop that has a good reputation. Ask others in the industry, as to whether they have any good or bad feedback about a particular bridal shop. Nothing can ruin a wedding like a bridal shop that does not deliver the dress on time!
9. Photographs are generally not permitted of a gown until after you have ordered it, so leave your camera at home when gown shopping. There are simply too many knock-offs being made for a designer to risk having someone take a picture to copy a dress. Once you have placed your deposit, the shop should be more than happy to permit pictures for mom or friends who were not with you.
10. You don't have to go crazy, but also don't be afraid to splurge a little on a wedding gown that melts your heart. I have seen many cases of brides who were disappointed after they settled on a less expensive dress that they did not truly love, and no brides who were sorry to have treated themselves to the wedding gown of their dreams.