Let's start broad!  Go online and download some images to spark your ideas. There are tons and tons of dresses out there. Try to start picking out aspects that you like the most. For example, perhaps you see a train on a particular dress that looks especially nice to you. Maybe you like the cut of another. if you have a higher budget, you can look for designers that are creating dresses to your taste.

Unfortunately, it's true. At least when planning an event as large as a wedding, how you go about it depends completely on what your budget looks like. Which means the next thing you need to do is sit down with your fiance, your parents, his parents, and/or anyone else who is contributing to the party and decide just how much you want to spend on the wedding and a dress.

Figuring out your finances may seem mundane and frustrating, but actually it's quite liberating. If you know what you can and can't afford, going into a shop is a lot less daunting. All of a sudden, instead of choosing from thousends of dresses, you're only perusing the fifty that are around the price you're looking for.

After budget, next you want to consider your own figure. This is not a subject many women enjoy contemplating but it is very necessary to finding the perfect gown. What kind of cut usually flatters you? Do you have a full figure and need some support? Do you have a slim waist and want a tighter fit to show it off? Do you prefer straps or strapless? All of these things should be taken into consideration. For me, a small figure meant looking for something with straps that didn't over burden me with fabric.

Next, consider the kinds of fabrics you prefer. Do you like the delicate lace or the rich satin. When you are getting married has a lot to do with what fabric you end up choosing. A winter wedding may do better in heavy velvets while a summer wedding might be nice with light weight silks or lace.

Go back to the images you looked up online.  What preferences did you have in those pictures? Start writing down or at least keeping in mind what it is you want to look at when you begin going to stores. 

Now for the fun part! It's time to start looking for dress shops. I started out with David's Bridal (the link to the website it above) to see how some of the cuts I'd enjoyed online would look on my figure. I quickly found that my petite stature didn't do very well with heavy silks and satins. This is not the time to buy, this is the time to try on as many dresses as possible. I found that the staff there was very helpful and for a higher budget, the dresses were very nice. I, however, was on a smaller budget and merely used the exbidition to scout for ideas.  Any number of other bridal shops can be used to start your search.  David's is only one of the largest chains.

Now it's time to start bargain hunting in earnest.  Sales and small boutiques are your best bet.  Since you've already seen what you like and what fits your frame, you can go through sales racks much more efficiently and find a dress that fits both your taste and your budget!