How far in advance of wedding for dress fittings

RunnerBride2013

I'm getting married in September 2013. I ordered my dress this fall and just received a call that my dress has arrived at the store. I'm trying to lose a few pounds before the wedding (nothing drastic, 7 pounds is my goal) and tone up a little more. How far advance do people typically do fittings ( I figure it is better to wait a little since I have 8 months and want to lose a few pounds), but want to make sure I am planning accordingly. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!  

(this is the dress)

http://www.theknot.com/wedding-dress/essense-of-australia/d1355?src=par

csweaney

You have P-L-E-N-T-Y of time to do your fitting and everything. I would say you want to give yourself about 3 months out to start your fitting process--but ideally you would call your store and ask them this same question. Let them know you plan to lose a little bit of weight and tone up and ask them when you should come in to get your dress all fixed up. 

Also, will they be keeping your dress until you have it fitted? I don't know if I'd want to have my gown at a store for that long....but that is your decision I'm one of those people that as soon as it came in I'd want to put it in my closet and look at it every 3 days

Maggie0829

I didn't start my alterations until about a month and a half before my wedding so you have plenty of time.

In regards to what PP said about the store and your dress, my dress arrived in December and they kept it until I had my first fitting in late May then the seamstress held it until I took it home with me two days before my wedding.  I guess it is all about personnel preference but I prefered the shop hold onto it for me so I didn't have to find a place to store it at my house and risk having H see it or something happening to it.

EDIT:  Your dress is very pretty.  I was an EoA bride too!

bridalmarch

My first fitting is on Jan 28 and my wedding is March 16. I'm having success on Weight Watchers so I expect to be roughly 10-15 lbs lighter than I am now on my wedding day. Since WW is set up for healthy loss (2 lbs a week), and I've been losing about 1.5 a week, I think they should be able to accommodate it since I have two more fittings. 

I took my dress because I wasn't having my alterations done at the shop where I bought it and the shop was 2 hours away. My dress is in our guest room closet. I will let the alterations shop hold onto it though. I have a terrible fear of walking in there and finding our cat hanging from the bag with his claws snagging my chiffon. 

manjermj

You have a ton of time. Just wait a few more months. My first fitting was 8 weeks before the wedding. Second fitting was 5 weeks. And final fitting was just over 2 weeks before the wedding.

B2Z728

I didn't start my alterations until a month and half before the wedding. I had at least two fittings, possibly 3 - can't remember exactly. At the very most, I'd start alterations at two months out from your wedding. 

Are you getting your alterations done at the store where you bought your dress? Many stores typically have a procedure of when they will start your alterations - mine said a month and half out. They also held my dress for me from when it arrived, till the week of my wedding - but they called to let me know the dress arrived to the store and had me come in, inspect it, and try it on. I then didn't see my dress again until 5 months later. 

cayharrop

Start your alterations 2-3 months before your wedding, just in case there are scheduling conflicts with you or even your seamstress,  any unforseen issues can crop up and you want the benefit of time on your side.  I cannot stress how important this is!


You can start your alteration early and then do a 2nd fitting closer to the wedding date if youplan on losing weight, just check with your seamstress and she will guide you best.Best of luck to you.

RunnerBride2013

Thanks everyone for the advice. I guess I have  some extra time, but will be sure to do well enough in advance so I won't be crunched for time! How did people decide whether to do at the bridal salon or at another place? It seems like it's easier to do all in one place? Also, I'd prefer to leave the gown at the store if possible - want it to be a surprise to my fiance! Did anyone have an issue leaving it there (it'll be a few months in my case!)

QueerFemme

My salon wouldn't hold the dress more than 14 days. Each store is different.