How long do I really need to find a dress?

Knottie1445357138.defunct635834028239190458

Hey, I'm getting married Nov. 2016 and for several reasons I won't be able to start dress shopping until July 2016. Will I still have a lot of choices? I'd only like to spend $600 to $800 ideally so does that put me out of the custom made dress game anyway? I don't mind buying off the rack but I would like to have a lot of options. Thanks!

downtondiva

Based on my experience, you will probably not be able to get a custom made dress in time for your wedding if you start shopping only a few months before, at least without paying a huge rush fee. I ordered my dress in February for an October wedding, and the dress arrived in August. Keep in mind, of course, that custom made dresses are also going to require alterations, which can take time. 

Based on your timeline and budget, you probably are better off going the off the rack route, and you'll still be able to get a dress you love that way. Either way, even if you're not going to go shopping for a while, I'd recommend starting to take a look online to see what kind of dresses you like, so you can save yourself some time and stress once you start trying things on.

CMGragain

Custom dress market?  What do you mean by this?  A custom dress might cost $20,000.  I don't know anyone who had one.
Dresses sold is most bridal shops are produced in the designers factories in China.  They are made to standard sizes.  They are not custom made.  When you order your dress, it will be made in the size you specify.  This usually takes about 5 to 7 months.  You must then have it altered to "custom fit" you.
The exception is David's Bridal.  They have their dresses made up in advance in their Chinese factories, so they can often deliver them in less time.  No matter which designer name is on the dress, if you buy it from David's Bridal, it is manufactured by them.  There is no middle man.  This is one way they keep heir prices budget friendly.  Because they have their dresses made up in advance, they will have clearance dresses in their shops and on their website.  They are one of the few websites where you can safely order and return if it isn't right.  Read the fine print before you order.  You will always have more choices at David's Bridal if you are in a hurry to get your dress. 
They also will have previous season discontinued sample gowns at most bridal shops.  Some will have issues, some will not.  The size selection is usually limited.  This is how I bought my own gown, years ago.
Looking at pictures on the internet is fun, but do not focus on one particular gown.  Most brides who think they found their dream dress online are disappointed with how it actually looks on them in person.  Keep yourself open to different styles.  The more open you are, the better your chances of finding your dress at a great price.

C525

^^ all this.

and there is no harm in going to Davids Bridal and trying on a few dresses in your price range...

and try on all styles, even though your heart may be set on one style.

Most brides (including me) ended up purchasing a dress i never thought id look good in/ never wanted to try on. You'll surprise yourself.  Its better to be ahead of schedule than scrambling in the months leading up to your wedding, you have enough things to worry about.

Not sure if this even an option, but maybe Davids Bridal can order the dress for you and you can start paying for it later on? 

GlamQueenBride

You can't start shopping for the first time in July and assume you'll get your dream dress, altered and ready to go in your price range by November. It just isn't realistic. At the very least, you need to do is go shopping and try on dresses so that you at least know the style that looks best on you and get an idea of where you can find a dress within your price range and how long it takes to get it/alter it.

Knottie1445357138.defunct635834028239190458

I honestly don't like most dresses that I've seen online so far.... I kind of have the opposite problem of having my heart set on my "dream dress". Hopefully trying them on will help me find something I like. I plan on looking at dresses here, but definitely won't order one until I move back to the US in July. Thanks for all the advice, hopefully the window shopping will help expedite the process when I get home! Also, how long do alterations usually take? Am I totally naive in thinking they only took a couple weeks??

CMGragain

GlamQueenBride said:

You can't start shopping for the first time in July and assume you'll get your dream dress, altered and ready to go in your price range by November. It just isn't realistic. At the very least, you need to do is go shopping and try on dresses so that you at least know the style that looks best on you and get an idea of where you can find a dress within your price range and how long it takes to get it/alter it.

I have to disagree.  I had two months to find my dress, so ordering it was out of the question.  There was no David's Bridal back in 1976.  I went to every bridal shop and department store in Des Moines, IA, and found a previous season sample gown in my size for 70% off.  There were a few minor issues, but I repaired them myself and did my own alterations.  It became my dream dress because I didn't have a preconceived idea of THE DRESS that I just had to have.  Looking back, I couldn't imagine being married in any other dress.  The more flexible you are, the better chance you will have of finding something special.

princessleia22

Typically it takes around 6 months to order a dress and have it arrive.  So, you will definitely be on a tight time frame with 4 months.  David's Bridal is usually a bit quicker.  But, you may not be able to standard order most gowns in your time frame from standard bridal shops. You may want to consider off-the-rack or sample gowns.  There is a store near me that sells only sample gowns for huge discounts and you take it home with you that day.

Also, depending on how picky you are or if you have something particular in mind, it may take time to find one you like.  It took me nearly 2 months of shopping to find a dress that I was happy with.  None of the styles were quite right, but each trip I was able to narrow down what I was looking for. I finally found one that had all the elements I wanted, but it was a previous year style, and had to have the bridal shop order it in for me to try on (which took a month just to get it in for me to try).  So, if you can at least start shopping earlier, even if you don't purchase right away, it will help narrow down what you want and make the real shopping much easier.

That price range likely won't work for custom dress.  After all my searching, I started looking into doing a custom and it would have cost me around $1,500 to get what I wanted, which was actually comparable price to similar dresses in the stores.  But, it would really depend on style you are looking for and materials.  But, a custom dress, again, would take time to have made.

For alterations, they suggest starting alterations 2 months before wedding.  They alterations themselves typically take a couple weeks, but it usually done in several phases. With my alterations, at first fitting (about 2 months before wedding), she measured and did all that.  At my next appointment (1 month before wedding), she had the hem cut and pinned, but not sewn yet, so she could double check length and then figured out exact points for bustle. Then it was all done and final for my next appointment (2 weeks before wedding). That way she has a chance to double check that the alterations are correct before they are final and a chance to tweak and perfect any areas that may need it.

So, your timing isn't impossible, but it may eliminate some choices.  Definitely try to shop in advance, to figure out which style you like (what I ended up liking was completely different than what I initially expected). If you find one you love, you may even be able to order over phone or online from US based bridal shop, so it's here where/when you need it.

MesmrEwe

The only way to get a custom dress for $600-800 and three months is to sew it yourself.  Material alone can take up to half to most of that budget EASILY. 

Now, when it comes to shopping at a bridal shop, yes, you will have a dress if you start shopping at the end of July, HOWEVER, your options are going to be incredibly limited.  Your real budget for the dress itself is closer to $300-600 because you've got to factor in your undergarments, alterations, shoes, veil, etc.  Just something to think about if you want to keep things under $800 total. 

simcal18

Another option if you are looking for a wedding dress on short notice are secondhand sites like preownedweddingdresses or nearlynewlywed. Many gowns on those sites are used, but there are plenty that are either samples or brand-new designer gowns being sold by brides who ordered them and then had dress regret. I bought what wound up being my dress off of nearlynewlywed and it was brand spanking new and gorgeous. They have a five day try-on period so you can send a dress back it doesn't work for you. Just another option if you want to try something other than David's.

I agree with what CMGragain said about dropping any preconceived dress notions if you're buying a gown on short notice. Better to keep an open mind and let the right dress come to you. I was like you and had trouble finding my "dream dress" online. The dress I wound up going with was not at all what I would have described but I loved it.

julieanne912

bostonbride2015 said:

Another option if you are looking for a wedding dress on short notice are secondhand sites like preownedweddingdresses or nearlynewlywed. Many gowns on those sites are used, but there are plenty that are either samples or brand-new designer gowns being sold by brides who ordered them and then had dress regret. I bought what wound up being my dress off of nearlynewlywed and it was brand spanking new and gorgeous. They have a five day try-on period so you can send a dress back it doesn't work for you. Just another option if you want to try something other than David's.

I agree with what CMGragain said about dropping any preconceived dress notions if you're buying a gown on short notice. Better to keep an open mind and let the right dress come to you. I was like you and had trouble finding my "dream dress" online. The dress I wound up going with was not at all what I would have described but I loved it.

I was just going to mention going secondhand. I know I visited a couple consignment stores and while I didn't find "the one", I tried on some gorgeous dresses. If I had to, I could have bought one of them and been happy with it. The dresses all were in pretty good shape as well. I ended up finding my dress at a regular salon though, and it arrived in July when I ordered it in February.

Also, stores like Nordstrom and JCrew have some nice wedding dress options that likely don't require a huge lead time. Definitely not custom though.

And, for the record, I wouldn't have tried my dress on if it was up to me, based on the pictures I saw online. The salesperson picked it out for me and I tried on everything she brought for me.

CMGragain

Knottie1445357138 said:

I honestly don't like most dresses that I've seen online so far.... I kind of have the opposite problem of having my heart set on my "dream dress". Hopefully trying them on will help me find something I like. I plan on looking at dresses here, but definitely won't order one until I move back to the US in July. Thanks for all the advice, hopefully the window shopping will help expedite the process when I get home! Also, how long do alterations usually take? Am I totally naive in thinking they only took a couple weeks??

You cannot possibly select your dress from an online photo. Those pictures are photo-shopped and airbrushed, and the models are often standing on a stool to make their legs appear longer.
My daughter had a list of eight dream dresses. She was very disappointed when she tried them on. I took a dress off the rack that wasn't on her list. "Oh, Mom, that isn't what I want!" I insisted she try it on, just for me. "Oh, OK! If you insist!" (Snarl.)
Ten minutes later she came out of the dressing room looking like a deer in the headlights. "Oh my God! This is a surprise. This is a real surprise!" She stared at herself in the mirror for twenty minutes in shock. "Oh, wow." It was actually cheaper than some of the dresses she thought she wanted.
Her dress was from Demetrios. It took 7 month to receive it, and another two weeks for alterations. She was drop dead gorgeous wearing it.