Six months, four fittings and one extremely patient tailor later, here is everything we wish someone had told us before the first appointment.

Start earlier than you think you need to

A custom lehenga takes three to four months to make, and that is before alterations. Booking early also means you are choosing from the full fabric range instead of whatever happens to be left.

Sit down, walk, and raise your arms

Try every outfit the way you will actually wear it. Sit in it. Climb a step. Reach up as if you were putting a garland over someone. A silhouette that looks perfect standing still can be impossible to move in, and you have a long night of dancing ahead of you.

Weight matters more than anyone admits. Heavy zardozi looks extraordinary in photographs and feels like a great deal by hour six. If you love the heavier work, consider a lighter second outfit for the reception.

Bring the shoes and the jewellery

Hem length is decided by your heels, and a neckline only works once you see it beside the necklace you are actually going to wear. Take both to the final fitting and you will avoid the only alteration that cannot be rushed.