Wedding dress shopping

You might find yourself more limited in choice or paying extra for a 'rush' order if you leave it that late. You'll also be under pressure to find a dress straight away. I went dress shopping 7 months before my wedding and was told I needed to order within the next week or so to guarantee getting the dress on time.

If you're happy to consider a sale sample, second hand or mail order dress, you have more time. Are you wanting to delay until March so that someone can come with you? It might be worth doing some shopping on your own first so that you can narrow down to a shortlist of possibles and aren't so pressured when it comes to the beginning of April. If you need more time to save the money, again, there is nothing to stop you picking your dress now but not placing the order until April.

View quoted message I wasn’t necessarily looking to get a dress designed and I guess I was thinking I would probably get it off the rack but get it altered if needed 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’ve left it until April as I am trying to lose some weight before trying dresses on so I can get a better idea of what the different styles will look like on me and have booked in 3 different shops over the one weekend thinking I will have to find one at this point that I’m happy with. Definitely slightly more worried now that I have left it later this I should have!

You should be fine if you are looking for off the rack, however some designs may take longer so I would suggest you tell the shop your date and for them to only pull dresses they can get in time for you to try on. The other option is wed2be as you buy it there and then if they have the size, or order in which takes a few weeks. Am sure you will be fine but maybe I'd you can go earlier it would be worth it

As Charlotte says Wed2be are good if you find the style and size you want as you take the dress away with you there and then. Any alterations are then your responsibility and cost.
I visited one of their stores and it had loads of choice and they are reasonable prices but I wanted tea length and so ended up at a specialist tea length supplier.

I am getting married this July and first went to a wedding dress shop in September 2021. I ordered the dress there and then. I’ve just been told that it will be in the shop in mid March so you see how long it takes if you are going for made to measure! That’s 6 months.

If you can bring the date forward it might give you more options. I am also dieting as im sure most brides do. I was measured 6 months ago so not sure it will still be the same as I do go up and down in weight!I would go now- It’s fun, honest!

View quoted message

You'll only be able to get one off the rack if it's either old stock (e.g. last year's samples that they are wanting to get rid of to make room for new stock) or a second-hand dress (unless you are going to a high street store like Monsoon etc). Bridal boutiques aren't like ordinary dress shops, where you have several different dresses in the same size & style. They usually have each design available as just one or two dresses in different sizes - quite often, the dress is too small to do up properly, or so large that you have to have the spare fabric clipped together to make it fit better and give you an idea of what it would look like. They then order in the dress you want in your size. It's that bit that takes the time.

E.G. When I went dress shopping, in one shop they had about 8 dresses available in my budget. Of those, two were so small I couldn't even get into them. A couple more were too small to do up. One was enormous. And out of the remaining three, I would have needed to order in two of them while the third was available to take away on the day since it was from last year's collection.

View quoted message Thanks for your honest opinion and sharing your experience. I have brought 2 of the appointments forward to just over a week away and hope those extra 5/6 weeks will help!

I would strongly advise going to a wed2be shop if you have one locally. I went to a boutique first off, which was very pressured and I was almost forced to love a dress which actually wasn’t for me! When I went into wed2be you don’t need an appointment and you can try on all the dresses you like, they are very good value & have some gorgeous dresses. I actually purchased mine in there and I’m so in love and can’t wait to wear it! It was also £1000 cheaper than the one in the boutique I tried on! Got a veil too for £50 which goes amazingly. Just thinking the store will be great for you if your panicking about time and you just purchase there and then. Good luck! X

Unfortunately this is late in bridal boutique world! It's madness, isn't it! My boutique advised a year to 18 months in advance to be safe, no later than 9 months. Dress lead times can vary depending on the dress you choose and where it's coming from though. I went over a year in advance the other weekend as I'm in 'wedding mode' right now - my dress will arrive in the store 5 months before my wedding so that's about a year order time for the one I chose. In addition to the normal dress buying situation, the boutique was also selling off some old season samples - so if the dress in the shop fits you or is close enough to fit with alterations you could go for one of those which obviously is right there and doesn't need to be ordered. Rush orders are possible in some cases too. Phone up the boutiques you have appointments with and tell them your situation, it may be that they can avoid showing you dresses that wouldn't be ready in time for your wedding or can quote you rush order prices before you go and get your heart set on something that won't be there in time for your day.

Good luck!

I shopped 6 months before, got super stressed about it then went to wed2be and left with it the same day! I'd explain when you're getting married to the shops and they should tell you if they can work to your time frame. Don't stress about it, it'll be fine

Thanks Ashleigh ☺️ I am due to go to Wed2be on Thurs now. Hoping to lose some weight before the big day so assuming I’d then just need to find a local seamstress to make any alterations if I were to walk away with a dress?

View quoted message

Yes I think that's how it would work. I planned on attempting to lose weight, it hasn't happened though!

I’m going this weekend and my wedding isn’t until summer 2023! I need some inspiration.

I'm going in April and I get married in December, its later than I would have liked but gives me chance to lose a bit of weight at least x