When to start dress shopping.

RailWayWife

For starters my wedding is August 24, 2013. (Almost 1 year away) My mom, FMIL, friends, and sister keep telling me I should start dress shopping. I have a fairly good idea of what I want from looking online, but who knows I could go try one on and change my mind completly. My question to you ladies is when did you start dress shopping? Should I start now? When should I purchase my dress?

achiduck

I bought my dress about 13 months ahead of time. I was planning to go shopping around 11 months out but there was a sample sale at a boutique I was planning on going to and I ended up getting my dress for 50% off.

JoanE2012

I would start now.  Many dresses can take 6-9 months to come in. 

daubachsgirl23

I bought my dress 10 months out, and it came in after about four months.  As PP said, some dresses can take up to 9 months, so it can't hurt to start looking now.

gundy21

I bought mine 6 months out - took almost 4 to come in.

You can start shopping now, but you are not under pressure to buy right away.

melisrodis

I started shopping and looking around (as in actually going to salons) about 8 months out and bought at right about the six month mark.  It took me longer than expected to find my dress.  I'm sure it'll be fine, but I wish I was about a month or two earlier than what I actually did.

Miss_2010

I would start now.  I got engaged in Feb and we are getting married in Nov (9 months).  I started right away and what I thought I wanted was awful and what I thought I hated was wonderful.  Luckily I was not picky and fell in love with a Pronovias gown the shop had just gotten in a month previous (that was my size!) so I bought it off the floor.  But if I had to order it in, they said allow 6 months which would have taken me to August (had I started dress shopping immediately).  You need to allocate time for shipping and then dress fittings. 

colstj1

I would start now. I got my dress almost 16 months ahead of time (some say thats too early) but it was way too much fun dress shopping that I couldn't wait.

RailWayWife

Great! Thanks everyone

Maggie0829

I would start now as well, but you shouldn't feel any pressure to buy right away because you still have a good amount of time.  I purchased my dress in September for my July wedding.  It came in around the holidays.

divinemsbee

I'm someone who didn't even start looking at dresses online until 7 months out and only did two major shopping days (one with a friend where I live, 3 stores; one with my mom and MOH in my hometown, 5 stores). I ordered my dress at exactly 6 months out and I'll admit that it's making me pretty nervous the closer I get to the date. I wish I had ordered a dress just a couple of months earlier so I wasn't pushing the limit. 

I think you're fine to start looking now if you want, it'll give you some time before you're in a crunch. 

Peledreamsofrain

Start window shopping and looking around now to get an idea of what you like, but keep your purse reserved for the big sales that happen in January.

You'll see discounts aaaaall over the place around that time.  I have no idea why.  I got lucky and stumbled across these sales because I got engaged in January, and waited all of a day to go dress shopping.

bgrjourney

I got engaged this past may and went wedding dress shopping in July. Im two years out form my wedding but Im the type of person that when i fall in love thats it. Im not concerned with trends or whats new. I found my dress in an hour! We unfortunately hadnt come with the intention of walking out with a purchase so I had to walk away. Now all Im waiting for is it to go on sale again because the sale price was a hundred dollars cheaper. Davids bridal told me it takes 4 to six months to ship out so either way i know ill have my dress in time which is a big weight off of my shoulders!! Good Luck!1