A wedding is all about the dress

For the "white" wedding, the easy part is setting the date and deciding on a list of guests to invite. Then the hard work begins. Apart from being a special event sentimentally, your wedding day could be one of the most expensive days of your life.

According to Amanda Cunningham of The Wedding Expo: "The average spend for a (South African) wedding is in the region of R150 000. With more than 200 000 weddings a year, that is more than R30-billion spend."

For most brides-to-be, it is the wedding dress that takes up the most time, thought and planning. And rightly so.

You have options. Firstly, you could borrow your mother's dress or buy something from a chain store. But you'll probably be looking for a gown of your own or something more special than what you could find at chain stores.

It is the dress that makes the bride feel comfortable and confident on her big day. And when the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren gaze lovingly at photographs of your wedding, it is the dress they will be talking about.

You can buy a dress from a specialised wedding boutique, such as the soon-to-be opened Pronovias in Sandton, which wedding dresses brides in 75 countries. A family company, Pronovias started as a speciality bridal service for Catalonia's high-society brides in the 1800s. It still offers a specialised shopping experience.

Once you've tried on a variety of ready-to-wear dresses, ranging from R10000 to R200000, and chosen your dream design, the dress is ordered from Spain and made to size.

Another option is to have a dress designed especially for you. A couturier, working with you on a design and fabrics, can create a masterpiece for your special day. Biji Couture offers such a service. A gown specially made for you can range from R15000 to R90000.

Once the day is over you'll hold onto the dress for a while. You might decide to keep it for your daughter. Or you could follow the "trash the dress" trend and have a photographer record the process of destroying your wedding dress to create art.

Or you could put your dress up for sale on Gumtree and save the money for nappies.

For more info about Pronovias visit www.pronovias.com or call 011-784-2000. To contact Biji Couture, call 011-784-7946 or visit www.bijicouture.com

The Wedding Expo cures planning stress:

FEELING overwhelmed by your big day? Don't be; the stress and the family fights are all part of what we love about a wedding. The stress is valid. You have to organise a venue, catering, invitations, flowers, the cake, the dress and a photographer. But there is no need to panic. Help is at hand. This weekend The Wedding Expo, a perfect place to find wedding planning advice and ideas, takes place in Johannesburg. Over 300 exhibitors - designers, caterers, lodges, florists, make-up houses, venues, cake makers, catering, and more - have got stands at the expo. Two wedding fashion shows daily are dedicated to South African Designer Couture (11am and 2pm) and two shows are dedicated to Retail Wedding Dresses (noon and 3p