Wedding Gown Advice Budget First Consideration

Dear Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee,

My daughter just got engaged and hasn't set a date for the wedding. But, I'm thinking ahead and wondering about her wedding gown, as I know that needs to be ordered 6 months in advance. Any special suggestions about what we should be thinking about now?

Signed,

Gown Decisions

Dear Gown Decisions,

Yes, while the bridal gown should be ordered six months in advance, the search for the dress should begin much earlier.

The number one consideration is budget. Wedding Gowns can cost anywhere from a hundred to thousands of dollars. Having a budget limit in mind will help sort through the literally thousands of wedding dresses available. Some useful tips for selecting a wedding gown are as follows:

1. Have a budget in mind. Generally, the wedding gown can cost from 5% to 10% of the total wedding budget.

2. Look through bride magazines and the Internet to get an idea of what is appealing.

3. Take only 1-2 people along when trying on gowns to help choose. Too many friends along will provide too many different opinions.

4. Pay with a credit card, never with cash. If something goes awry with the transaction, you have the credit card company to help with the dispute.