You will remember your wedding forever- especially what you wore. But finding the perfect dress does not have to turn into a nightmare of an endless shopping odyssey.

For that perfect wedding dress you will have to do your homework and follow thru.

First plan ahead. If you can, begin your gown search eight months to a year ahead of your wedding date in order to avoid having to compromise on the dress of your dreams. Most gowns are custom made only after they have been ordered. You want to avoid having to place a rush order for your gown. Keep in mind that your bridal consultant will do everything he or she can to accommodate you. Always ask- even your request seems impossible.

Remember: you will need time for at least two fittings as well as choosing dresses for your bridal party. First you will need to select your dress before you choose your bridesmaid’s dresses. This may seem obvious to many, but about 60% of women today select dresses for their bridesmaids before choosing their own. You coordinate bridesmaid’s dresses with the bride’s dress, not the other way around. The bride is the star of the show and should be the one to put her first.

In terms of seeking advice there are several viewpoints. You can choose a committee to inform you of the best choice. The other and simpler way around is to ask one or at the most two people who have honest good taste to help you out. Seeking opinions from too many cooks can spoil the broth. Everyone has their own tastes a and agendas so to speak. Many of these well meaning authorities are simply reliving their fantasy wedding day, an event that never really happened, or at least the way they remember it. Take it easy on yourself. Make life simple. Why make it complex and confusing.

It is best to keep an open mind when you begin to shop for your dress. As is often said you never know. Life can be surprising. When you visit your wedding consultant bring photos – either of friend’s dresses that you admired and as well current styles from photos from bridal magazines. Your bridal consultant can only go on what information that you tell and present to her. Wedding dresses are unlike any other garment type that you have tried on before. The results may be surprising. Flexibility and open mindlessness are the keys. Dress styles that you never thought would appeal and make you fabulous do. However when that one magical dress appears you will know it right away.

Lastly. Flexibility and open mindlessness are the keys. Many women quickly find out that what they thought was their dream dress was not the correct or right for them after all. They have to be flexible – to move onto something else, otherwise they will never find the right and correct dress. Go through the whole gamut – even trying on dresses that you never thought “were you”.

Remember – your wedding day will be “Your Day in the Sun”. “All Those People will be There Just for You.” You will remember your wedding day fore ever- especially the wedding dress that you wore.