When it comes to the material, he says fabrics of the season are tulle, corded cotton laces and silk satin organzas, while satin-backed crepes are making an occasional appearance in the form of sexy bias cut sheaths. He adds fitted bodices with a multilayered skirt 'are also very hot'.

While thousands of people get married in Hong Kong every year, Cheng has noticed an increase in destination weddings. 'I seem to be getting a lot of these, so wedding gowns need to travel well. Even if we do wide ball-gown silhouettes, we use horsehair bindings instead of the traditional tulle petticoat as they tend to be cumbersome and heavy,' he says.

According to Dorian Ho, design and managing director at Doriano International, many Hong Kong brides will be wearing a classic A-line dress with fitted bodice and three-dimensional tulle flower embroidery or crystal beading details. And for the princess look, Ho say tulle ball gowns are a hit among brides.

What happens when you don't have a model-like hour-glass shape? Ho offers tips for different body shapes: slim or boyish bodies should not choose something too slim and body hugging, instead don a ball gown shape that will make you look more balanced and feminine; pear-shaped bodies should choose a strapless ball gown that will cover the bottom part of the body and focuses on the top part; top-heavy brides may pick something with a fitted bodice to emphasise the waist; tall brides have the most options as they can suit most styles from sheaths to A-line and full ball gown; and A-lines may work well for short brides.

The choice of venue should also play an important part in the style of the dress. 'Definitely the choice of venue influences the style of the gown. Every time I custom-make [a dress], I would first ask about the wedding venue,' Ho says. 'If the bride is getting married in a church, the bride should choose a more classic style with a bit of train. If the bride is getting married at a beach or garden, she will need something very soft, very light and it could also be very fashionable.'

At Central Weddings and Occasions, manager Winnie Fung says today's wedding dresses are less poufy and have less of a meringue look. 'Before it was all about lace, but now it's more organic with unfinished touches,' Fung says. 'People are creating details by folding fabric or creating origami from it.'

Another trend is using different fabrics on the same gown, such as lace on top of organza and tulle, Fung explains. 'It creates a more interesting look.'

With a dizzying array of wedding gowns available in boutiques, magazines and online, some women turn to A-list designers for inspiration.

Fung says most brides-to-be fall into two categories: those who like Vera Wang - clean lines, sophisticated and elegant, or Monique Lhuillier, who has a fairy-tale, romantic look. 'These two are the trend leaders, they have different personalities and cater to different clientele ... If you want the girlie and enchanted look, Monique specialises in lace. But for organic and unfinished touches, then Vera is your girl,' she advises.

As many brides can attest, the more you look, the more wedding dresses you will find. 'I think the gown search can go on forever. There is always going to be a new collection and a prettier dress. Make sure to leave time for alteration, [the dress] can be pretty but if it doesn't fit well, then it's just not the perfect dress, it has to be perfectly fitted to you.'