When should you start wedding dress shopping?
So, when should you start shopping for your wedding dress?
It’s a very important question and depending on your requirements and attitude different time frames can suit. Timing is crucial both for peace of mind and getting what you want. You need to ensure you have enough time for alterations and fittings before the big day and also take into consideration any possible delays.
As your wedding day gets closer and closer you will find your time is taken up with table plans, reconfirming suppliers, last min changes. So always best to plan for the worst time frame.
10-12 Months Before the Wedding
This is the ideal time to start shopping for your wedding dress. Starting your search early gives you plenty of time to explore different styles and designers, try on different dresses, and ultimately find the perfect one. This also allows you to order the dress well in advance and ensure that it will arrive in plenty of time for alterations and fittings. This timeframe also ensure that you have a bit of breathing room and not under time pressure to make a decision.
6-9 Months Before the Wedding
If you’re not able to start your dress shopping 9-12 months before your wedding, don’t panic. This timeframe is also a good time to begin your search. You still have enough time to find a dress that you love, but you’ll need to make sure you’re decisive and have everything ordered soon enough in order to have enough time for alterations and fittings. When shopping around this time frame be prepared to make decisions quickly. The quicker you make the call the more time you’ll have with the dress in your hands before the big day.
3-6 Months Before the Wedding
If you are starting your shopping in this timeframe, you’ll need to be laser focused. It’s important to find a dress that you love sooner rather than later, to allow enough time for ordering and shipping. Additionally, you may need to be more flexible with alterations and fittings since you may have less time for them. This time frame may also incur a rush order fee which is practice across the industry. A rush fee means essentially you skip the queue and have your item produced in a very short time frame. This time frame is possible but not the best scenario.
2 Months Before the Wedding
This is the absolute latest you should begin your wedding dress shopping. While it’s certainly possible to find a dress in this timeline, it’s not recommended. You should expect to limit your options, rush the ordering process, and potentially have less time for alterations and fittings. A rush order fee will accompany this time frame and I assure you this time frame is not for the feint hearted. Your dress can arrive in mere days before you wedding. This will mean you will need to be available at all times for fittings and altering. This kind of time frame will bring it down to the wire without doubt. So if youre an organized kind of bride that likes everything just so… this is not for you.
In conclusion, a bride should start shopping for her wedding dress about 9-12 months before her wedding day to ensure that she has enough time to find the perfect dress and allow for alterations and fittings. It’s important for brides to consider their personal timeline and plan accordingly to avoid any unnecessary stress during the wedding planning process.
Planning a wedding can be super stressful and things will go wrong no matter how organized you are. Our advice as always is don’t sweat the small stuff and focus on whats important.