How to wear leather – get the celebrity look with our top 5 biker inspired hero buys

If you want to look like a Disney princess, steer clear of Gypsy Bride gowns and instead hunt out a chic A-line number that flows smoothly from your waist. More Kate Middleton than Katie Price, for example

p>

Wedding dresses require a lot of material, and good fabric, like silk and lace, is expensive. That's why so many budget gowns use polyester to keep costs down - but nothing looks cheaper than swathing yourself in cheap material. Ditch the big gown drenched in fake lace and swap it for a simpler one made of the good-quality stuff

p>

Before buying a sample sale or second-hand dress, check the gown very carefully for any damage — and if there's anything that can’t easily be fixed, put it back. Some brides end up spending hundreds in alterations to fix what’s wrong with the sample when they could’ve found a similar brand new dress for not much more money

Wedding gown sizes typically run one or two sizes smaller than street clothes, so try not to get hung up on the number. Do not fixate on the actual size but instead on how your measurements compare to the particular line on the specific designer’s size chart - and don't order a dress that's too small with the intention of losing weight before the big day. It's best to play it safe and order one that fits your current body. Any dress can be taken in, typically up to four sizes without affecting the look of the dress, but most can only be let out one full size — if that

Always ensure you leave enough in your dress budget to have alterations made, particularly around the bust area; it'll look far more elegant to have a cheaper dress that fits like a glove than an ill-fitting designer gown

Try not to get caught up in the trend of the moment, but instead focus on your personal style and what flatters you most - you will feel more comfortable, and heaps more elegant, if you stick to what your know

A long, gorgeous wedding dress with a fancy hem is to die for. Just remember that the top of your dress is what people will notice most — and what will show up in most wedding pictures. If you don't usually go strapless for big parties, now is not the time to start; keep your bust supported and yourself feeling glam with an elegant halterneck, spaghetti straps or sleeves

You may like lace, ruffles, bows, petticoats, tutus and rhinestones - but they're not all going to work on one dress. Try to focus on one main decorative statement across your entire dress or to let parts of your dress go unadorned, since doing so will make your whole look feel more balanced

Even an expensive white dress will end up looking cheap if it's as shiny as a white sateen bed sheet. Instead, go for matte - simpler, softer and much more elegant

Rhinestones and crystals may seem a good idea in principle, but they can end up looking a little OTT, cheap and stuck on - especially if they're too bulky. With wedding dresses, less is definitely more

Your dress wants to do all the talking, not your jewellery. Pick one statement piece (maybe a tiara or a necklace) and ditch the rest

p>