How much should I budget for an "off the peg" gown?

For some idea of the prices you could pay in the UK, an off-the-peg wedding dress from a UK high street shop could, set you back anything up to around £400. A middle-of-the-range designer wedding dress could cost between £300 and £1500, and haute couture and other designer dresses can cost thousands of pounds. One important thing to bear in mind is that if you don't tell people, nobody will know what you spent on your wedding dress, shoes or accessories - so budget for what you can afford. You will certainly be able to find something suitable in every price range, and it is best to set off with a budget in mind so you don't accidentally try on and fall in love with a designer number that completely breaks the bank.

Increasingly, high street stores are producing good quality bridal outfits off the peg. These are usually considerably cheaper than the wedding dresses in bridal boutiques, but are often no less beautiful. An advantage here is that the stores often stock the dress in all sizes so you can try on the correct size for you before buying. Also, there is no waiting period for the dress to be made, unless you need to order a size that has run out, so these dresses can be bought much closer to your actual wedding date. This is handy if you are having a short engagement or are planning to change size in the months leading up to the big day. It is important to check the dress that you buy for any damage it might have sustained while being tried on in the shop.

Having seen and tried on a sample dress in the shop your measurements will be taken and sent to the manufacturers. At this stage it is usual to pay a non-refundable deposit of around £500 or half of the dress's value, with the balance due on collection.

Made to order does NOT mean made to measure, you order a standard size which (unless you are lucky) will then need to be altered to fit you perfectly. It is always worth asking the shop about the cost of alterations before you order as this can substantially increase the cost of your outfit.

The lead times on wedding dresses can vary dramatically, but most shops will tell you that you need to order six months ahead of your wedding day in order to allow 2-3 months for it to be made and shipped and then additional time for it to be altered to fit you. Rush orders are usually possible, but only save a few weeks and typically cost an additional £50.

If you are planning to lose weight for your wedding, it is worth trying to do this before you need to order your dress as most shops will not allow you to order a size that is smaller than your current size, this is because it is usually much easier to take in a dress that is too big than let out one that is too small.

It is not uncommon for brides to change their mind about the dress between ordering and collection, or to have gained too much weight to wear the dress ordered. If you have only recently ordered, you may be lucky. Some boutiques submit batches of orders to the manufacturers and your order may not have got that far yet. Once the order is with the dress manufacturer it is almost impossible to cancel or adjust it unless you are changing it for a different dress from the same manufacturer.

Although you are contracted to pay for the dress in full, many boutiques will be happy to keep the dress to sell in their next sample sale, but you will not get your non-refundable deposit back.

Alternatively, considering paying the balance and offering the dress on eBay - this season's dresses in perfect condition sell easily.