Wedding attire

These are two very different timelines. A dress from the salon’s own collection can be tried on and altered relatively quickly; one ordered from the maker can take months rather than weeks, and usually needs a deposit up front. Ask at the first fitting which option is available and what the lead time is, because the whole calendar of fittings and alterations follows from it.

Ask how many fittings are included, who does the work and what each alteration costs separately. Ask as well when the last fitting should be, so there is enough time left for a correction if one is needed.

If you want a separate outfit for the civil ceremony, ask what options there are and how long the order and the alterations take. It can be simpler than the one for the wedding itself, and choosing it early helps you put both the cost and the fittings into the plan properly.

Ask whether the price covers the suit alone or the shirt, the shoes, the belt, the tie or bow tie, the cufflinks and the waistcoat as well. Clarify what is sold separately, what can be rented and whether alterations are included. Even a suit bought off the rack usually needs some.

Ask whether you need to come with the shoes you will wear on the day, with the right underwear, or with any other accessory that could affect the fitting. If you want to bring someone for a second opinion, ask whether there is a limit on how many people can come along.

Ask whether you get the garment bag and hanger, how the outfit should be transported and stored, and whether delivery is an option. If any pieces are rented, settle when and how they have to come back after the wedding. If you have several outfits, ask when you can collect them and whether you can take them all at once.