Recently, a friend who lives in New York began looking for her wedding dress. She had left it until the last minute and quickly realised that when it comes to traditional bridal dresses, there is no such thing as a quick fix.

No one could make one in her short time-frame of two months. Fewer still could meet her budget. Eventually she went to Barneys - the city’s chicest department store - and found her dream dress straight off the peg. It was a sleek ivory satin shift creation by Dolce & Gabbana which she paired with a small ivory Forties-style hat.

An increasing number of brides are taking an unorthodox approach to their weddings - buying designer or high street dresses which may not be bridal, but which still fit the bill. And because this summer is truly the season of the little white dress, there has never been a better time to buy.

Think of all those stunning white cutwork and lace dresses at Chloé, the crisp long broderie Anglaise gowns at Michael Kors or the exquisite duchesse satin shifts at Balenciaga.

“There are a lot of women who don’t want to wear a traditional wedding dress,” says Liz Savage, editor of Brides magazine. She adds that the bridal and fashion market are merging more than ever, with designers such as Valentino, Elie Saab and Christian Lacroix including dresses that are perfect for modern brides in their ready-to-wear collections.