Your wedding dress countdown

Finding your perfect dress is a big project. Here’s how to plan for it...

Dress timeline

12 months before the big day

• Decide your budget and style and colour of gown.
• Research designers and stockists.
• Consult family and friends.

11 to eight months before

• Make appointments to try on your favourite dresses.
• Research the most appropriate accessories, underwear and shoes.
• Keep a note of which dresses you like best, and the pros and cons of each.

Seven to five months before

• Make the decision, order your gown and pay a deposit.
• Once you have placed an order make sure you take a photo of yourself in the dress so you can remember how you look in it. Try on various accessories with your dress.
• Make sure you take out wedding insurance in case of disaster!

Three weeks before

• Pick up your dress. If the dress is not supplied with a cover, take a cotton duvet to cover it with.
• Find a dry cleaner who specialises in cleaning wedding dresses. Arrange for it to be dropped off after the wedding (preferably while you are on honeymoon).

One week before

• Try on your dress one last time. Resist the temptation to parade around the house in it unless you are absolutely sure there is no dust, sticky fingers or moulting cat to cause any accidents.

The day before

• Remove the cover from your dress and hang up to air (somewhere it won't pick up any smells!)
• Check for creases -- you may need to steam it, depending on the material.

Afterwards

• If you want to have your wedding dress dry-cleaned after, it’s advisable to do so within a few weeks of the wedding. Some companies sell special boxes to preserve your dress so that it will remain in pristine condition for years.

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