Romeo finally popped the question and put the ring on your finger. Congratulations, you're engaged! But before you settle into the romantic routine of annoying each other to death, you have to deal with a more pressing problem: What are you going to wear? Here's the answer: a wedding dress. Shoes would be nice, too.

OK, OK, so you could use a little more guidance. Lucky for you that you found us, because with our advice, you'll look back at your wedding photos and say to yourself, "Gosh, I wish I looked that beautiful at my first wedding."

1. SET A BUDGET

Your intended husband may be in the hole for buying you the Rock of Gibraltar that some call an engagement ring. Don't feel so bad. The diamond, as the commercial says, is forever. The wedding gown that you are about to buy lasts for eight hours, tops. Then it spends eternity in storage until your daughter gets married. Rest assured you can get the dress of your dreams at a price that doesn't break the bank.

So how much will it cost? Most people choose to buy a bridal gown that costs in the range of $1200 to $2500. Then throw in these costs:

  • Alterations
$300
  • Veil
$400
  • Accessories like gloves and shoes
at least $100

Now your entire wedding ensemble has ballooned up to at least $2000 and often $3500+. As if you need more bad news, a 50% deposit for the dress is usually required, and the balance must be paid before your first fitting. Some bridal salons suggest the bride-to-be begin saving once she is engaged, but we suggest you begin saving in the fourth grade.

An unfortunate reality is that not every blushing bride can afford the Vera Wang wedding special, so the first step to buying a wedding gown is to plan a budget for the entire wedding that includes a maximum allowance for your dress. Then work backwards and let the end justify the means. Unless 1) you're loaded, 2) your fiancé is a top Wall Street executive or 3) you just knocked over a bank, we recommend that you get a more traditional, well-known wedding gown from an affordable designer. What most people don't realize that it's not the cost of a dress that makes it look nice, but rather, how you carry yourself in that dress. Besides, most bridal salons can take a picture of a designer dress and replicate it for one-third of the cost.

Along with the budget comes the concern of where you should buy the dress. All you have to do is look through the Yellow Pages and find some boutiques near you. Another good source of information is your friends who recently got married and looked fabulous. But whatever you do, you must comparison shop. Bring your ideas to the boutique and see what kind of prices they have.