Wedding dress shopping is an experience that’s a mixed bag of feelings – exciting, overwhelming, emotional and a whole lot of fun. You’ll be asking yourself a bunch of questions like when should I start looking? Where should I go first? And should I buy the one I like even if it’s a year early? Here are some answers.

One year to go

Starting wedding dress shopping earlier than one year before the wedding will likely be a waste of time. Trends change, and so might your taste and shape, so we suggest starting roughly a year before saying your I dos.

Start by setting a budget, which is hard in itself, because with all the beautiful dresses you’ll see and try on, you’ll want to exceed your budget at the cost of finding ‘the one’. While we can’t say that we blame you, try not to get carried away, as your dress is one part of a whole, elaborate affair, and it doesn’t stop at the dress – there are the shoes, veil, accessories, underwear and jewellery to consider.

Do you research, and figure out what you might and might not like, keeping in mind the location of the wedding, time of year, and what silhouette might best suit your shape. A heavy, structured gown will weigh you down at a beach side wedding, while a lightweight, floaty dress might get lost in a grand ballroom. Create a scrap book, Pinterest board or whatever floats your boat, and start saving your ideas, but remember to keep an open mind. All too often, lots of ideas end up being confusing rather than helpful, and after trying some dresses on, you might be surprised to see that what you like on is not what caught your eye in magazines.

8 months to go

By this point, you should be concluding the purchase of your dress with your supplier of choice, giving you enough time to schedule alterations, which could take weeks of work if the bridal shop is busy with back to back weddings.

After trying on lots of dresses, your gut is probably telling you which dress is THE dress. And though you might find it difficult to believe that now, you’ll realise it when you find the perfect fit. You’ll be required to place a deposit for the dress, which generally amounts to half of the full amount, and make sure all the information they jot down or stipulate in a contract is correct before leaving the shop.

Be sure to ask when your gown should be arriving and any other information which you want and need to know about, such as the costs of alterations – a wedding gown rarely ever comes cheap, so you want to make sure you’re making a well-rounded decision before parting with your money.

4 to 6 months to go

With your wedding dress picked and bought, you should be shopping around for your very important under-the-dress essentials, be they a strapless bra, support bra, form fitting pants, seamless underwear, tights or stockings.

You should also be picking your veil, which should complement the style of your dress and bought or borrowed with the dress in mind. There are plenty of styles to choose from and this, together with your accessories and shoes, should be sorted out at least 4 months before the wedding. Consider the time of year and height of heel in mind when looking for shoes – you need to feel confident, but also be comfortable.

3 months to go

You’ll likely have around two to three fittings, and at this point, you should be having your first. Take everything that’s been bought with you, meaning your underwear, veil, shoes and accessories, to see a complete look that is as close to your final bridal look as possible. If you haven’t bought your shoes yet, take something with a similar heel height so that the seamstress can gauge the length of your dress hem.

During this fitting, the major alterations will be made, including taking in the bodice, adding sleeves, any pinning and tucking. Take the opportunity to move around in your dress to make sure you’re comfortable and flexible, and take some deep breaths to ensure it’s not too tight around the waist.

One month to go

This would be a good time to have your second, and potentially last fitting depending on the extent of the changes required, unless you request another one closer to the date. Bear in mind that requesting another fitting two weeks before the wedding is risky, and chances are alterations will be rushed or not done in time. Best to check with the seamstress at your wedding shop of choice to make sure it’s doable. And, when at home, practice walking around in your wedding shoes to break them in.

One week to go

The countdown has well and truly begun, and once you dress has been collected – check it first to make sure everything is as you want it to be – you’ll need to find a safe place to store it, away from humidity, excessive heat and prying eyes. Keep it in a breathable bag, and by itself – any accessories including the veil should be kept in the same place, but separate to the dress, to avoid any fabric or beading from snagging. Keep an emergency kit handy, with safety pins, tape, needle and thread, for when you’re actually getting dressed on your wedding day. Schedule around 30 minutes to get ready, and enjoy every moment!