Your wedding dress countdown

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

From budget to future use (if any), here are the key things to consider when making a decision on your wedding dress.

Your wedding dress budget -- how much will you spend?

The average amount spent on a wedding dress is approaching £1000. A high street store off-the-peg dress, bought in the sales, can cost considerably less, and of course a couture dress will cost considerably more. Supermarket chains are even offering off-the-peg dresses for under £100.

Although some brides strike lucky and find the dress of their dreams at a reduced price, many more overspend the budget in this area. Whenever you set a budget, always factor in 10 per cent for overspends -- but then try and stick to this outer limit. Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for the wedding dress and for the bridesmaids’ dresses. Nowadays, however, more bridesmaids pay for their own, which gives them more say in what they wear. Whatever your arrangements, they need to be agreed in advance.

Will your wedding dress fit the theme?

The trend for weddings is for their overall design to become ever more coordinated and themed. Although it’s by no means a requirement, usually the style of the dress matches the style of the wedding. After all, if you're a minimalist girl at heart, you're likely to regret going for the pink Cinderella outfit when the rest of your wedding is stark black and white. Plus you'll probably want the bridesmaids to wear similar styles of dress.

Should you hire a wedding dress?

Specialist hire shops offer an extensive range to suit all pockets. However, you’ll need to check all the details before making your booking. Will your chosen dress be available on the day, cleaned and ready to collect? Does the hire cost cover the entire 24-hour period? Does the dress have to be cleaned before it is returned (very expensive)?

Religious requirements

Something to bear in mind -- some people may be offended if they turn up at, say, a wedding in a cathedral to see the bride in a short, off-the-shoulder number.