You asked what to be aware of when buying a wedding gown. Here are some things to consider:

Does the church or place where you are getting married have any restrictions? This questions is important to think about. If you are getting married in a church, be sure to ask if the church has any standards. Some churches only let you wear a gown whose train can be bustled. In the LDS (Mormon) culture, the gown has to be white - no accent colors or other colors - if it is going to be worn in the Temple.

Then you need to consider other aspects of your environment. Sometimes, if your wedding is outdoors, you might need a shorter train. If your wedding is on a beach, you probably don't want a floor length gown that carries sand. If you are having your wedding in July in someplace hot, you might consider a gown without a lot of peticoat layers.

So think about WHERE you are going to be.

Make sure you set a budget, and only try on gowns in that range. This is a big thing for brides. Only try on gowns you can afford. You would hate to try on a gown you cannot afford, only to fall in love with it. I did this during my wedding dress search and it was a horrible feeling.

Consider where you are buying gowns from. If you are going to a full service shop - like David's Bridal - see if you can go during one of their sales. Also, these shops tend to be able to do everything you need to your gown. So if you are an odd size (petite, extra busty, long waisted), you might consider one of these shops because they have a lot of variety.

If you are a fairly normal size, you can try to buy one on the internet from a retailer or ebay (or something similar). But make sure you have return rights if you don't like it, and that you leave enough time to get it shipped, tried on, and find something else if the gown is not correct.

Try on gowns with your shoes - if at all possible. This will give you the full look of the gown. Sometimes you buy a gown you think is perfect, only to discover that it is an inch too short with those adorable silver heels you love. Take your shoes, or else you will be buying your shoes to match the dress.

It's your wedding day, not a night club. Unless you are getting married in a casino or some other place, make sure that your chest is not popping out of your dress. It is worth it to go up a size and have some tailoring to make sure that you are not too exposed.

Most of all - take people with you. A variety of opinions is best on this important day. Having people with you makes it easier to get in and out of the dresses. It also turns something that can get tedious - take this from a former bride who spent 50+ hours trying on dresses. So having friends with you can make this task fun. However, remember that the most important opinion is yours - but other people can be a good judge when you cannot decide.