If you don't think you'll ever stumble upon the dress of your dreams in stores or you've envisioned a combo of other dresses you've seen on Pinterest, it might be a sign you want to go the custom wedding gown route. If you're going to commission a designer to make your dress, you'll want to know a few key things before working together. Take note of these 5 tips before designing a custom wedding dress.
1. You'll Be Seeing More Dollar Signs
If you're going to go custom, expect to eyeball a heftier price tag than if you had bought something off the rack. You'll find yourself paying for things on an a la carte basis and even having a tough time estimating what the cost will be before diving into the design process.

2. Say Yes to Getting Hands On
You may come to the design table with a few photos or ideas for dresses, but ultimately that won't be enough for someone to design the dress of your dreams. You'll want to be present throughout the dress making process so that everyone involved fully understands your vision.


3. Try Not to Make Too Many New Changes
The temptation to make changes every step of the way may cloud your mind as your dress is being designed, and that's okay. Just be aware that you'll have to fork over even more cash, not to mention time, to make that happen.


4. It Won't Be Picture Perfect
No matter how many vision boards you have for what you want your dress to look like, it may not be 100% perfect and look exactly like the dress you imagined. Instead, be open to creating something with your designer that perhaps you didn't fully plan ahead of time.


5. Expect a Lot of Fittings
You'll attend more fittings for your dress than usual, so make sure you leave time in your schedule before the wedding for these appointments.