What girl wouldn't want to go and try on dresses ages in advance of her wedding! You have to have the best dress that suits you and to do that you have to try loads on ... besides, how much fun!
I ended up going to check out dresses and try on different styles in October 2008 and I don't get married until March 2010 - to be honest, we hadn't even set a date, I was just super excited about trying some dresses on! lol! Anyway, the styles that I thought I'd maybe go for seriously didn't look good and were totally not suitable for a destination wedding ... So I say, go for it, have a nosey in the shops now, who knows you might pick up a bargain! At least you won't be stressed, you have plenty of time to shop around and find that dress which is perfect for you!
Good Luck xx