Got told off....

Well, whether it's actually completely necessary or not, it seems to be the standard recommendation that you order your dress with a minimum of 6 months to go before the wedding. This allows time for it to be delivered (usually 6-8 weeks before the wedding) and fittings to take place and any necessary alterations done.

Without meaning to stress you out, I would advise you to act with a view to ordering soon if you want to have a greater choice!

My mum planned her wedding last year in 6 months so obviously her dress was chosen and ordered in less than 6 months. It was a size 14 and need altering for her as she's size 10 so had quite a bit of work done to it to.

Hi Kittypuss85,

All the dress shops that I have been in have told me that you need to leave 6months for the order of your dress, they do normally come before this but like every thing they have to cover there backs just in case one did take that amount of time, so my advise would be to start looking and see what styles you like. enjoy wedding dress shoppingxx

The shops I went in to said they needed 6 months notice to order dresses in. That said my friend planned her wedding in 2 months, and still managed to buy a dress that was ordered in. She did have to pay an extra fee on top of the price of the dress for a 'rush delivery'.

All the dress shops I visited said either 6 or 4 months and our wedding is in October. I have now ordered my dress! )

Last year, I ordered my dress mid-March, for a Sept 10th wedding. That was cutting it pretty fine, tbh - my dress only arrived 3 weeks before the wedding, but thankfully didn't need any adjustments.

Some designers will allow you to pay extra for a "rush" order, but some e.g. Maggie Sottero, don't. So I would really advise you to get the dress sorted out soon!

Most shops advised me allowing 6-9 months and some were quite twitchy when I started dress shopping in October (for a July wedding, so 9 months!) In the end I ordered at the beginning of November and got a call last week to say it would be in this week so it's taken just over 4 months. It was a totally bespoke dress though, but it'll still need alterations so I wanted it here at least 3 months before the wedding.

I'm getting married on the 1st of September, only one of the three shops I called into had that reaction. Another one said, I had about three weeks to make a decision.

I'm a size 12, if that makes a difference.

I'd tend to agree with the other posters about 6-9 months lead time to get YOUR dress in, altered and looking perfect.

On the other hand, you should also consider looking for/looking at sample sales... the new seasons' dresses are coming in and the salons need room for the new stock... you might just hit it lucky and find Her (YOUR dress) on a sale rack.

There's nothing wrong with having a sample dress - nobody but you, your Mum, and the shop that sells Her to you need know that She was a sample.

My beloved dress (currently hanging in a spare bedroom closet) was a sample rack dress that I got for a song (less than £200, including VAT). Provided I don't gain any weight (loosing some would be helpful) between now and the end of the summer, She will only need to be hemmed.

The shop had Her cleaned (my cost) and fixed up some beading that had come loose during the season (also at my cost but definitely worth it), but to look at Her now, one would never know Her humble origins. I will take Her back to the shop before my wedding (2 months before, as I will emigrate from Vancouver, Canada in October for a November wedding) for a final fit check.

In any event, good luck! ?

P.S... don't let the shops bully you into buying one of THEIR veils... paying >£100 for some tulle and a hair comb is definitely NOT worth it. If you look online, you can usually find something for less than what the high street boutiques want to charge you. (alternatively, you could make your own as well... there are sewing patterns available)

I also got a little telling off when I called a couple of shops up, one told me there were only a few designers I could pick from and the other told me I had 'better hurry up'!this was with five months to go so fair enough I suppose. I had no idea when I started this wedding planning thing how long a dress would take, I couldn't believe it when I was reading at least six months, it really made me panic! Luckily the shop I bought it from seem very laid back about it (?!) and said that it coming in three weeks before the wedding and then having adjustments is enough time. I on the other hand am stressing slightly!

I was in the same position as you. I actually thought it was a bit early to be dress shopping with about 6 months until the wedding but I got a similar respose to you. The shop I finally ordered my dress from wasn't rushing me though. She said i need to allow approx 12 weeks for the dress and 6-8 weeks for alterations. I'm getting married at the end of August and I think it was mid February that I ordered my dress. So, I don't think you need to panic but you probably should start thinking about it soon. That's if you want to order a dress - I saw lots of lovely dresses which were samples. I fact, there were two which I considered buying, x

Yet another reason I did not go with a bridal shop for my dress!

I'm having it made entirely to measure for me for a fraction the normal cost of a dress, and it should only take 6-8 weeks to arrive.

You can do it- shop around and don't use a huge designer in one of those boutiques. Or get a sample size if you can fit them.

6 months seems to be pretty standard advice, but there must be lots of brides who decide to have a wedding with less time than that. there are as others have said other options

Oh! Hi there fellow Canadian! Is your fiance Canadian as well, or is he British? Are you together at the moment or is he here and you there (which would be horrible!)?

We get married on 7th July, and I only ordered my dress on 25th January, I could have paid extra to have a rush delivery, but the shop advised that it would be in in plenty of time and not to bother!! So fingers crossed.!!

I've got a year to go and I just can't face going dress shopping in my present (weighty!) state, I want to lose at least a stone, I'm pretty sure I won't lose the four I need (or the five I want) before the wedding so going to be pretty realistic about sizing but just can't bear anyone panicking me into buying a dress ☹️

Hello from sunny (but cold) Vancouver!

Am here in Canada and Ed (from Yorkshire) lives in London. We meet up as often as we can (which is currently running about every 12-16 weeks)... it's a bit of a drag, but thanks to Skype and a VERY good cell phone plan (both his *and* mine, if you can believe it), we talk every day (sometimes twice a day) and are constantly SMS each other (Canadian cell phone carriers are FINALLY starting to offer unlimited international texting in their bundles).


(sorry for the threadjack)

Ahh, that sounds tough! Being Canadian in London is fun, I'm constantly asked were in the States I'm from, then when I say Canada they just apologize profusely!! It's funny I'm from Toronto, which is nowhere near as nice as Vancouver imo, and I'm loving London (even though I'm way out in Kentish suburbia)!

(and yes, sorry to hijack the thread!)

I'm getting married on the 29th September too!! I started dress shopping at the end of January and was told the same thing! I had no idea it would take so long.

I didn't enjoy dress shopping (sounds weird I know) as I am 6' and have 'odd proportions' (words of the lovely lady in one shop). I took a gamble and ordered over the internet and the dress is just perfect and fits my odd proportions well.

I am sure you still have time to find the dress of your dreams x

I found out about this 'six month rule' by chance when I went wedding dress shopping with my OH's sister in March/April for her August wedding a few years ago. We went into a Pronuptia and were haughtily informed that we had to order a minimum of six months in advance and sent on our way. But how are you supposed to know that kind of thing really?

They are making an assumption about the kind of dress you want but there are other options - samples, dress warehouses etc. There are also bridal shops that specialise in 'late notice' dresses. The one I went to last year to start getting an idea of styles said they sometimes get brides in only 4 weeks before their wedding day.

A lot of shops are like that, but not all. The standard delivery time for my dress was 10 weeks, but they put it on a rush order for no extra cost as they were so excited to see it. (Its a bit unusual.) It came in 4 weeks!!

I got married on the 22nd of October and this time last year I hadn't even set the date!

I got my dress from here www.myweddingdressforless.co.uk I ordered it in July and it was with me in August.

Ohh date twin i ordered my dress last august and it wont come in till 4 weeks before the wedding.

I always get asked if I'm from Canada, and then when I tell them I'm from Michigan, they always say that they would have guessed American, but didn't want to offend me in case I were Canadian.

And then at least 75% of the North Americans I meet think I'm from Ireland... ?

Yay!!! Date twin

I think they make far too much of it. I ordered mine recently and was told it would be delivered May/June. Which is loads of time, i think

Ireland?! I've been asked if I'm Australian before, though, which is ridiculous.