Consider your underwear and shoes when choosing your wedding dress. Wear them to your fittings, as dramatic underwear like a basque will change your body shape considerably. You need your wedding shoes on to get the dress length right.

Shop well in advance of your wedding day and you may be able to pick up an end-of-season bargain.

If you’re having designer wedding dresses made, make the most of the dressmaker’s specialist knowledge and allow yourself to be guided on choice of fabric and style.

If you dress has a long train, make sure it’s detachable so you can dispense with it after the ceremony.

The Dress

This is one aspect of wedding planning that should be sheer pleasure! If you have no idea what you want, look at every picture you can find in wedding magazines, newspapers and on the internet. Then decide on your budget and whether you’re going to buy a dress (new or second hand), hire one or have one made. Allow plenty of time for shopping around – and take an honest friend with you!

Opinions count

Most girls feel they should take their mum or future mother-in-law dress shopping, but if she has a certain idea of how you should look (or how she’d like you to look) on your wedding day, things can get a little tricky.

Take someone you can trust to give you an honest opinion and who wants you to be happy on your wedding day.

There’s nothing worse than seeing a girl in a dress she feels uncomfortable wearing, with her mum or friends bullying her to purchase it. If you don’t feel comfortable in a gown, you’ll lack confidence on your wedding day and it will show. The bottom line is that you want to look and feel fabulous.

Another tip when dress shopping is to take along different types of underwear – a strapless and halter bra, as well as a G-string. Dresses always look better when you’re wearing the right garments underneath.

People are meant to have a good time at weddings. That said, there’s never been a wedding I’ve been to where someone didn’t drink too much alcohol. They either end up dancing like a lunatic, slurring their speech, starting a fight, or throwing up. Aside from the dancing, do you really want to be that person? Keep in mind, it’s a wedding. That means that whatever you do will be remembered by the bride and groom forever.

Out of respect for the bride and groom, you should always set a drink limit for yourself prior to attending the wedding. This will also be more effective if you have a partner so you can keep track of how much each other are drinking.

Limit the liquor and you can keep it fun.