If the dress of your dreams isn’t one you think you’ll find in stores or is a dress that’s a combo of a couple of other dresses you’ve seen on Pinterest, you may decide to go the custom route. But if you’re going to commission a designer to make your dress, you’ll want to know a couple of key things before working together. Take note of these 6 things to know before designing a custom wedding dress.

 

1. You’ll Be Seeing More Dollar Signs

If you’re going to go custom, expect to eyeball a hefty price tag that you perhaps could have avoided if you bought something off the rack. You’ll find yourself paying for things on an a la carte bases and even having a tough time estimating what the cost will be before diving into the design process.

 

2. Say Yes to Getting Hands On

You may come to the design table with a few photos or ideas for dresses, but ultimately that won’t be enough for someone to design the dress of your dreams. You’ll want to be present throughout the dress making process so that everyone involved fully understands your vision.

 

3. Try Not to Make Too Many New Changes

The temptation to keep on making changes every step of the way may cloud your mind as your dress is being designed, and that’s okay. Just be aware that you’ll have to fork over even more cash to make that happen and you may need to count in extra time for your dress to be made.

 

4. It Won’t Be Picture Perfect

No matter how many vision boards you have for what you want your dress to look like, it may not be 100% perfect and look exactly like the dress you imagined. Instead, be open to creating something with your designer that perhaps you didn’t fully plan ahead of time.

 

5. Expect a Lot of Fittings

You’ll attend more fittings for your dress than usual, so make sure you leave time in your schedule before the wedding for these appointments.

 

6. You’ll Need Buffer Time

Give yourself as much pre-wedding time as possible for your dress to be made so you’re not in a rush to try it on the week before the wedding to make sure it fits and looks okay. If you’re going to do the custom route, be sure to start as early as possible.