The one question every bride-to-be should ask when buying a wedding dress

Finding the perfect wedding dress can be a daunting prospect for any bride-to-be.

With dozens of styles, colours and fabrics on offer, many women can find it difficult to know where to start.

And once they do settle on a design they like, anxious shoppers can find themselves swept up in the excitement and pay without pausing to work out the finer details.

Now a wedding dress shop owner has revealed the one question that all women should ask while browsing to ensure they are not stung by hidden costs, reports the Daily Mail.

Speaking to Cosmopolitan.com, Kate Halfpenny, of Halfpenny London, said all brides-to-be should double check whether alterations are included in the price.

If they are not, they should be sure to negotiate an amount early on in the process to avoid paying over-the-odds later on.

She also advised brides-to-be to leave plenty of time for the gown to be made, or risk incurring additional costs.

Kate said: "Some designers that are from other counties need at least six months to put your dress into production. You also might pay rush fees on dresses ordered less than three months before your wedding."

Earlier this year Brides Magazine revealed that the average gown costs $2,575.

This article was first published on Daily Mail and is republished here with permission.