Wedding Dress Shopping?s

trishaselby

I am planning on going dress shopping in December when I can be on the westside and my sister will be home from Cali. I have been hearing things like, give yourself 6-8 months. Is that true or redicilous! 1. How early did you start wedding dress shopping? 2. How long did it take you to decide on a dress? 3. How many people did you bring dress shopping with you? Who? 4. How long did it take for your dress to be ready? 5. Where did you end up purchasing your dress? TIA!

linzlooloo

It's true.  It can take up to 6 months to get your gown depending what what you buy.  And, you need time for alterations (about two months).  Just take a couple of people (mom, best friend), otherwise there are too many opinions.  I think deciding depends on you.  I knew the second I put mine on, it was "the one."  I had tried on 5 dresses.  I bought mine at The Wedding Bell in Tacoma.  They have beautiful dresses, excellent service, and great prices.

sarack

Trisha, I would start shopping asap or be planning to purchase in december. I really wouldn't risk it any later than by the end of December. I have been looking since April every once in a while and have found 2 dresses I love. I'm telling myself I need to buy before November. I'm going this weekend to try the dresses that I love on back to back and see which one to get. I really would shop soon. I have been bringing my best friends. My mum doesn't live around here.

KST_

Yes, it's true that you need to order 6-8 months before your wedding!1. We're having a long engagement (almost 2 years) so I was looking at dresses online for the first year. I started actually going to shops and trying them on in June. I decided I needed to purchase by end of September.2. Well...it took me 2 months as I was trying to decide between 2. I'm not the girl who had the "this is IT" experience, but knew I wouldn't be.3. Usually only 1 or 2 people. I went looking in Portland so my Mom and SIL could come. Here, it's always been my sister (MOH) and FMIL came along one day. I wouldn't bring more than 2. Really, you want to bring your most trusted friend, the one who will tell you the truth, and then Moms really like to be included if you can.4. N/A5. We're going down to Portland to buy my dress as the place there quotes me $300 less than the ones up here.

melissa82

Some gowns do take 8 months to come in. Of course, you can always rush order them, but why waste money if you have the time, right? You also have to allow time for alterations, and time to find one you want to buy! 1. How early did you start wedding dress shopping? I would say about 18 months out? I can't remember.2. How long did it take you to decide on a dress? FOR-EV-ER. I finally stopped looking and decided to get it custom made in Feb. 09...so several months. But I wasn't hardcore looking that whole time...although at some points I was.3. How many people did you bring dress shopping with you? Who? I HIGHLY recommend going with two people max. I really enjoyed going by myself. Other people's opinions can really sway you. I almost bought one dress but realized that it was really my mom and friend who loved it and not me. I can TOTALLY see how girls buy the wrong dress. I think bringing an entourage of bridesmaids is silly and AWish. Flameworthy, but I have to roll my eyes at that. But I am a person who likes to shop alone normally.4. How long did it take for your dress to be ready? It will take ~9 months to finish, although I think she could have made it quicker if I needed her to. That was just the date I gave her.5. Where did you end up purchasing your dress? Never found one, found a seamstress instead. =)Good luck! I am totally atypical, it seems like a lot of girls find their dresses right away. Try on lots of styles, and give yourself time to think about it. Don't get wrapped up in thinking you have to feel some special feeling. And if you find one--STOP looking!

elleh08

1. I started looking about a year out from my wedding date... 2. It has taken me a good 4-5 months to decide... its a really big decision when you are spending that much money and I wanted to be sure I made the right decision. 3. I took at the most 4 other people, but that was only for one of the days I went, the other times it was just around 2.. it ranged from my Mom, sister, MIL and SIL, to a BM and grandma. 4. It takes about 8-12 weeks to order and get it in. 5. All That Shimmers in Lakewood! THEY ARE AMAZING!! I went there first and kept going back, the dresses are fantastic quality and the best prices you will find anywhere in Seattle!! I love Karen the owner, she made the experiense absolutley wonderful!! GOOD LUCK!

carrieoz_76

I started about a year out.  It took me two trips.  I tried on 5 the first time, hated the pics of my faves, then the 2nd time I was at the bridal expo and not planning to buy *anything* but happened to try on a couple.  I'm sure it would have taken more, but since the one I loved was at a sample sale for a pretty good deal I pulled the trigger and got it.I took my mom the first time.  It went fine, but I knew it would be better to take people who share my taste the next times.  I went yesterday with 2 friends.  I wouldn't have wanted more than that with me.Mine's a sample, so it's ready now.  It'll need a bustle and the halter finished, but no other alterations.  I'm told to expect alterations to take 2 months.

dmw_2010

1. How early did you start wedding dress shopping? About a year out - mostly because I was going to be visiting my parents for a few days and my mom wanted to go dress shopping while I was home, so we did.  I probably would have started looking 10-11 months out otherwise.2. How long did it take you to decide on a dress? About 30 seconds once I found the right one :-)  However, it was at the 3rd shop we went to, and I probably tried on 30+ dresses (it was an all-day excursion).3. How many people did you bring dress shopping with you? Who? Just my mom.4. How long did it take for your dress to be ready? They've told me it'll take 8-12 weeks for it to come in, and an extra week or so to ship it to the Bellevue store (I bought it in Michigan).5. Where did you end up purchasing your dress?Brides By Demetrios - one of their Michigan locations, but they're going to ship the dress to the Bellevue store for me to pick it up from once it's in.

koosh ball

1. How early did you start wedding dress shopping? Ordered my dress on Feb 14th - got married on July 11th2. How long did it take you to decide on a dress? About 1-2 hours.3. How many people did you bring dress shopping with you? Who? Just my mom4. How long did it take for your dress to be ready? I had it in June5. Where did you end up purchasing your dress? I Do Bridal

Tygirljojo

1. How early did you start wedding dress shopping? Let's see, got engaged 7/4/08, began shopping in August '08 (we were debating getting married this fall at that time) and continued to look until I saw and tried on my dress in Jan '09, and ordered it then.2. How long did it take you to decide on a dress? Honestly, not very long.  I quickly learned what materials and styles I did like, and what I didn't and that helped narrow down my search.  A consultant had me try on a Mori Lee dress VERY similar to the one I got, but it just wasn't quite what I was looking for until I saw Mori came out with a new style in Dec/Jan and waited for a salon to get it in, tried it on, and knew it was it.3. How many people did you bring dress shopping with you? Who? Depended.  I've gone with my MOH, with my Mom & MOH, and myself.4. How long did it take for your dress to be ready? They originally said it would probably come in by the end of June when I ordered it in January, but it ended up coming in mid-April.  But it really depends on how "backed up" the factory is - that will always affect lead time.5. Where did you end up purchasing your dress? Well, the style I got I tried on at Lady Margaret's but had a horrid experience there so I ended up ordering from I Do.   And

Tygirljojo

I was going to add: Definitely give yourself about 8+ months to find a dress because it could take a while, and yes, like PP stated, some designers have a lead time of 8-10 months (not too many, but still) so just be aware.  And bring plenty of water and some snacks with you to help hold you over (about 1-2 hours per consultation) and wear a strapless bra and normal panties (no thongs) since a lot of places will have the consultant help you in and out of the dress.

trishaselby

Thanks girls for all your helpful info! I'm thinking I will have my first go around in Novemeber when I'm home for Thanksgiving then when my sister comes back in December I can hopefully go and purchase a dress. I'm getting scared just sitting around waiting. I've done plenty of looking online but it is too hard to narrow styles without trying them on.

marksmartini

1. How early did you start wedding dress shopping? Too early! I am not getting married until 2011 but, already picked my dress. 2. How long did it take you to decide on a dress? About 2 months. I went to nearly every store in the greater puget sound are and tried on at least 100 dresses. Just to be sure of course! 3. How many people did you bring dress shopping with you? Who? Two. Mom and sister. Have taken several of my friends back to see it since then and try it on again and again 4. How long did it take for your dress to be ready? It should be here next month so about 5 months or so. 5. Where did you end up purchasing your dress? I Do Bridal

Tygirljojo

Trisha - if you have time, I would suggest going by yourself or with a friend in the next month or so, especially to shops that you know are around nationally or even smaller boutiques, but make sure they have designers that are available most everywhere, just so you can narrow down what you do like, don't like, what looks good, etc. There is a lot to take in when shopping for a dress, IMO, and if you can get started, that should help you ease into things.

trishaselby

Jolene- That is a good idea. For some reason I feel like it is going to be this big one time experience and I don't want to spoil it by going with one other person. (Isn't that weird?) There are just so many people who said they want to go and I want them to be involved too. So hard! I might sneak up to Spokane with my FSIL one of these days! Thanks