Yesterday I spent the afternoon at a private event at Bella Rosa Bridal in Richmond. Phylis, the resident Bella Rosa bridal expert, had some great tips for gown shopping.

Shop with a budget in mind. Your wedding gown budget should include alterations and accessories. To be safe, budget about $500 for alterations. The most common alterations are hems and bustles – most every gown needs both.

Allow 14-16 weeks for your gown to ship. You should also allow another four to six weeks for alterations. If you’re having your bridal portrait taken before your event, back your timing out from that date.

Create your own swatch with ribbon. If you can’t get a swatch of your gown’s fabric (not all designers provide swatches), Phylis recommends getting two or three colors of ribbon and bringing them along with you at your fitting. You can find a color match between your gown and one of the pieces ribbon, so you’ll have a “swatch” to take to design meetings.

Make sure someone else knows how to bustle. Once your gown has been altered, take a friend, your planner or your mom with you to learn how to bustle your gown and how to tie any bows or sashes.

{image via The Brides Guide}