How long before your wedding do you begin looking for dresses?

justsuzie · July 2015

How long before your wedding do you begin looking for dresses? And, how long before your wedding do you get a final fitting? Sorry if this has been posted before. Thanks!

pinupbride6189 · July 2015

Most of the time, if you're going to a salon and ordering a dress, you should be shopping 9-12 months out. Most dresses take about 6 months to come in, and then you will probably need a couple of fittings a couple weeks apart, with the last one been a just few weeks before the wedding.

That being said, if you hit up sample sales or plan on buying an off the rack dress, you can wait a little bit longer.

justsuzie · July 2015

Oh my goodness.....I better get on it this summer! Thanks.

onefootinthebayou · July 2015

It can vary. I had only a 6.5 month engagement so I didn't have longer than that to shop.

I still managed to find a beautiful Amy Kuschel gown in New Orleans, had it made in her shop in San Francisco, and it arrived in 4 months. I had a fitting one month before the wedding but it was pretty pointless b/c I didn't think to bring the shoes I was planning to wear for the wedding (didn't even have them yet).

My 2nd and final fitting was the Wednesday before my Saturday wedding. I needed very few alterations, just a hem and cups sewn in. I was very true to the size I was measured to be and the gown was so well made it needed no altering and no shapewear.

It's nice to have more time but there are plenty of options if you don't have that much of it. I liked that my dress was made in the US. It felt like I had a little more control that way.

AddieCake · July 2015

I thought it would take me much longer timing one than it did, so I bought mine over a year out. I didn't have my first fitting until a little over 2 months before with my final fitting 2 weeks before.

lachattefatale · July 2015

I bought my dress 13 months out, and it wasn't even one I had to order; I bought a sample off the rack. I just knew what I wanted and I wanted to get it out of the way. Now it's hanging on the back of my bedroom door, waiting for fittings when we're about 2 months out.

MandyMost · July 2015

I think fittings starting about 2 months from the wedding date, with a final fitting as late as a week before if necessary, is standard. And to order a gown you want at least 6 months. So the latest you can reasonably show for a gown that needs to be ordered (any bridal salon, really) is 8 months out. Most people seem to start shopping a year out from the date, in case it takes them 3 months to find a dress they still have plenty of time. Most dresses really don't take 6 months to come in, but the stores will make you plan for it just in case.

I knew I'd find a dress quickly (although I went to like 6 shops over 2 weekends to do it!), and I shopped in late January for my early November wedding (over 9 months out). Dress came in over the summer, and I had to store it for a couple months before my first fitting.

If you don't have that much time, some gowns can be ordered quicker, and you can always buy and off-the-rack dress that you take home with you that day (typically sample sales, or stores like David's Bridal that have stuff in stock).

lovemesomemonster · July 2015

I bought mine 11 months out, I hadn't planned on it but that's how it worked out. The designer I went with does a custom hem when ordered and because I'm 5ft tall I liked that idea since the dress I got would be difficult and expensive to hem. It has been 5 months and they said it would take 6 so I'm excited to finally see it when it gets here in my size and the color I ordered!

Start earlier even if it's just to get an idea of what you like to make sure you have all options available is my advice.

cj3561 · July 2015

I bought mine in February for my June 2016 wedding. Crazy early, I know. But the designer I love has local trunk shows only once a year, and if I waited til beginning of 2016, I would be stressing to the max. Plus the salon I went to gives you a nice discount if you purchase the day of the trunk show.. it was a no-brainer.

That being said, and I'm not sure if it's because the salon knew my wedding was far away or whatever - but my dress won't be in until the end of November. 9 months! Crazy!

redheadbride15 · July 2015

I kind of freaked out when I first heard that you were supposed to dress shop 12 months before a wedding because we had a short (8 month) engagement. It turned out to be no problem at all - I just called stores and told them my timeline and they only showed me dresses they knew would get there in time (a handful of stores told me no way, which was fine - they just didn't get my business). I might have been disappointed if I had my heart set on a specific designer, but I really didn't care about names as long as the dress suited me and was well-made.

I bought by dress 7 months before. It arrived 3 months before. I had my first fitting 8 weeks before, second was about 1 month before, third was 2 weeks before, and final fitting was the week of the wedding.

amiemaria · July 2015

@lachattefatale that's what I'm probably gonna do too! I went to BHLDN approx one year before wedding (because I had a friend in town and over the next four months I'm moving and traveling so won't get a lot of time to shop), found one I liked and am probably gonna purchase it soon. Has your fiance seen the dress or been tempted to look at it? The one thing that's holding me back from buying it right now is that I don't know what to do with it while I wait for the wedding next July.

lachattefatale · July 2015

I actually texted him selfies when I was trying on dresses, so yes, he's seen it. Seeing me all done up in it on the day will still be different enough for us.

I don't think he actually has seen it at home, though. I mean, he can see that it is there, but it's all zipped up inside its garment bag, and I've only unzipped it once since I bought it. If you don't want him to see it, you could maybe ask your mom or MoH or someone else very close to you to store it. Just make sure it'll be somewhere safe, away from smokers, excessively smelly pets, and particularly destructive children.

justsuzie · July 2015

Have any of you tried consignment?

justsuzie · July 2015

lovemesomemonster said:

I bought mine 11 months out, I hadn't planned on it but that's how it worked out. The designer I went with does a custom hem when ordered and because I'm 5ft tall I liked that idea since the dress I got would be difficult and expensive to hem. It has been 5 months and they said it would take 6 so I'm excited to finally see it when it gets here in my size and the color I ordered!

Start earlier even if it's just to get an idea of what you like to make sure you have all options available is my advice.

I am 5 feet tall too! What style dress did you find most flattering on a very small frame?

justsuzie · July 2015

cj3561 said:

I bought mine in February for my June 2016 wedding. Crazy early, I know. But the designer I love has local trunk shows only once a year, and if I waited til beginning of 2016, I would be stressing to the max. Plus the salon I went to gives you a nice discount if you purchase the day of the trunk show.. it was a no-brainer.
That being said, and I'm not sure if it's because the salon knew my wedding was far away or whatever - but my dress won't be in until the end of November. 9 months! Crazy!

What is the trunk show? Is it only once a year? Intriguing.

lyndausvi · July 2015

Due to logistics (I lived in the islands), I went dress shopping 11 months out since I was in town. It took me 1.5 days to find the dress. Actually just one day, but I took the next day to look at a few more just to be sure.

It took the dress 6-7 months to come in. I had my one and only fitting 3 months out. Again due to logistics (the dress was in the states). I only needed a hem. I also had a corset back so if I had lost or gained weight I would be covered. I did neither so it was all good.

Most people are not as lucky as I am.

lovemesomemonster · July 2015

Knottie1427322490 said:

lovemesomemonster said:

I bought mine 11 months out, I hadn't planned on it but that's how it worked out. The designer I went with does a custom hem when ordered and because I'm 5ft tall I liked that idea since the dress I got would be difficult and expensive to hem. It has been 5 months and they said it would take 6 so I'm excited to finally see it when it gets here in my size and the color I ordered!

Start earlier even if it's just to get an idea of what you like to make sure you have all options available is my advice.

I am 5 feet tall too! What style dress did you find most flattering on a very small frame?

I'm pretty straight up and down so most styles worked with the exception of mermaid. I felt like the more form fitting ones made me look like a little girl playing dress up so I liked more of the a-line better on my body. The one below is the one I got.

lildropofsunshine · July 2015

I'm having a long (2 year) engagement, and I went out and tried on dresses the first chance I got! I'm not planning on deciding until December at the earliest, but I'm also most likely going to have my aunt make me a custom gown so I have some more flexibility than many.

hyechica81 · July 2015

dress was ordered 12 months out and dress arrived two months later ( mori lee) this designer has really good ship times. some dressed are already made and waiting in the warehouse if so you will get them faster if your size is out of stock it will take longer as they have to cut fabric and make the dress

justsuzie · July 2015

Thanks! Going next week for a "browsing session".

justsuzie · July 2015

Has anyone had luck with consignment shops or should I skip? Also, has anyone ordered handmade from China where you send in your measurements? I know it takes a long time. I am wondering about quality. Thanks

pinupbride6189 · July 2015

Knottie1427322490 said:

Has anyone had luck with consignment shops or should I skip? Also, has anyone ordered handmade from China where you send in your measurements? I know it takes a long time. I am wondering about quality. Thanks

In my experience, consignment shops are hit or miss. Not an auto-skip in my book, but don't go with your hopes sky high either. Everything I've heard about ordering from Chinese website has been markedly less than stellar. The product usually looks nothing like the picture and the craftsmanship and material quality is shoddy at best. There's a reason they're priced so much lower than anywhere else.

How long before your wedding do you begin looking for dresses?

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