ASK THE EXPERT: Couture in a Crunch?

Question: Our dream venue has an open date about 18 months from now — or two months from now. We’d really like to take the closer one, rather than wait more than a year, but I’m wondering — will I have to give up having a couture gown? Or is two months enough time to get one in and fitted and ready to go?

[sidebar]Answer: Relax, dear bride — you may be able to get hitched on the quick and still have your dream dress: “Most couture bridal gowns take at least four months for delivery,” says Pattie Lamantia, owner and president of The Wedding Shoppe in Wayne. But that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you’re crunched for time. Turns out many designers — from Monique Lhuillier to Carolina Herrera — offer special rush cuts to accommodate the needs of brides on a deadline, for an additional fee. And there’s actually one more option, says Lamantia: “If you happen to be a sample size, we, along with most couture salons, can sell you a sample and alter it within a week.”