Knowing when to buy your wedding dress can be overwhelming. So we have created the ultimate shopping timeline, so that you can have your dress ready in time for your big day.
This timeline will take you from 1 year, all the way to the week before your wedding day. After reading this, you will know when to have things purchases, and when to schedule appointments. And most importantly, you will have an idea of what to expect so that you can eliminate any stress from the buying process of your dream wedding dress.
1 Year: Begin Looking
One year out from your big day is a good time to begin looking for your wedding dress. Usually by this point, you will have your venue nailed down, so you can begin thinking about what type of dress you are looking for.
You are welcome to begin this process earlier, or later. But a word of caution - do not start looking for your dress too early. If you are planning on a long engagement, it can be hard to resist the excitement of wanting to buy your dress. But it is good to nail down your venue first, so you have an idea of what dress is appropriate for the setting. Also, your tastes and trends can change. So you don't want to buy your dress too soon, to only realize months down the road that you really want something completely different.
A great way to begin shopping is to simply do some research online. Create a Pinterest board, and start saving styles that you love. When you begin looking for a dress, you will be overwhelmed by your options. So it can be so helpful to have a clear idea of some styles you are interested in before you step foot in a bridal salon, or before you begin shopping online. We already talked about considering what is appropriate for your venue. But also think about what silhouettes flatter your body type, and what dresses you are drawn to naturally.
8-10 Months: Buy Your Dress
When to actually purchase your dress can vary. But somewhere between 8-10 months out from your wedding is a good general rule of thumb. You are far enough out to have plenty of time to order in a custom size, and get all of your alterations done with ease. But you are also not buying a dress too early, which could be risky if you do not have your venue nailed down, or even if your preferences change.
Use 8 months as your deadline. But know that this is flexible. If you are ordering a made-to-order dress, you may need to order on the earlier side of things to ensure that you have time for alterations. If you are getting a dress off the rack, then you have more flexibility in your timeline.
It is important to note that how brides shop for their wedding dress is changing. You can go to a traditional bridal salon, or buy your dress online. When you go through a salon, you may need more time so that the salon can order your dress in your size. But if you are shopping online - whether that is a pre-loved style or new - you may not need as much time to order your dress. That being said, if you are ordering online, you may need time for exchanges. So know that you have flexibility here, depending on what route you take to find your dream dress. And 8-10 months gives you a lot of wiggle room!
5-6 Months: Buy Your Accessories
When you are shopping for your wedding dress, it can feel like there is a lot of down time. Especially if you order your dress and it takes a few months to arrive. But once you have ordered your dress, and you are waiting on its arrival, the best thing you can do is to get all of your accessories squared away. It is a good idea to have your undergarments, shoes, veil and other accessories picked out before you begin fittings. This will ensure that everything is tailored perfectly. So use any down time to finalize the rest of your look.
This is also a great time to book out other appointments. Make appointments for hair, nails, spray tan, and anything else that you may need before your big day. It is easy to forget about the little details, and you don't want salons to be booked up for your wedding. Also, many brides opt to do a trial run of their hair and makeup at this time as well. This can put you at ease, knowing that everything will be perfect for your big day!
It is likely that where you get your dress from will offer alterations. But if they do not, this is also a great time to research tailors in your area. (Note: if you buy your dress second hand or online, you will need to find a seamstress on your own) So get all of that squared away at the 5-6 month mark. Tailors will work with you on an exact timeline, depending on what alterations you are looking for.
3-4 Months: Schedule Your First Fitting & Wrap Up Any Details
When you hit the 3-4 month range, your wedding dress should have arrived! And even if it is not ready yet, you still have a bit of wiggle room before your first fitting. At this time, you want to make sure that all of the details we have discusses so far are squared away. Hair, makeup, accessories, etc. You do not want anything sneaking up on you once you are weeks out from your wedding.
If you have not already, this is also a good time to make sure that your first fitting is scheduled out. Confirm your appointment with your bridal salon, or with the tailor that you found locally. Remember, your bridal salon or tailor will be able to help you with the exact timeline for your alterations and fittings. Lean on their knowledge and expertise.
6-8 Weeks: Fittings Begin
Once you are about 6-8 weeks out, you want to have your first fitting. For some brides, this can seam really close to your wedding day. But it is vital to not do your fitting too soon, or too late. You want your tailor to have ample time to make any alterations. But you also want to make sure that your fittings begin close enough to your wedding day, so that you can ensure the best possible fit!
The first fitting is the perfect time to make sure that all of your accessories work with your dress as well. Often times brides go months before they see their dress again. So at your first fitting, make sure all of those tiny details work as you were hoping. If anything isn't looking quite right, you still have plenty of time to find new shape wear, swap out earrings or look for better shoes.
It is most likely that at your first fitting, you will schedule your second fitting. And this is vital to making sure that your dress is ready on time for your big day.
4-5 Weeks: The Second Fitting
Around the 4-5 week mark is when you will have your second fitting. This is such an important part of the process. All of the alterations that you discussed in your first fitting will be finished. So this is the time to make sure that everything is working.
At your second fitting, you want to spend some time in your dress. Walk around. Make sure that you can sit comfortably. Make sure you try on all of your accessories, especially your shoes! You are going to be spending all day in your dress, so you want to make sure that it is comfortable and ready for everything. Keep an eye out for any bunching or pulling. And make sure that your dress is not rubbing uncomfortably in any spots.
If you have any lingering details, this is the time to square them away. Often times brides panic right before their wedding day because they want to stick with tradition with something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. This is a great time to figure these items out. Especially if any of them will be part of your visible look. Make sure that the necklace your grandma gave you works with the neckline of your dress. Have your seamstress sew in something blue to the interior of your gown. Finalize all of these details so nothing sneaks up on you days before your wedding.
2-3 Weeks: Final Fittings
How many fittings you will need will depend on the alterations required. Some brides are done after their second fitting. Some brides will require a third or even a fourth. It is great to have all of your fittings done before the week of your wedding.
If you did alterations on the earlier end of things, it can also be helpful to schedule one final fitting 2-3 weeks out to ensure that nothing has changed.
A few weeks out is also a good time to practice walking in your wedding shoes, if you haven't been already. It is good to have a few practice sessions in so that nothing takes you by surprise on your big day!
1-2 Week: Pick up Your Dress
If you haven't already, you will pick up your wedding dress. Some brides may have their dress well before this, and others may get their dress the week of their wedding. By this point, you will have all of this scheduled out with your seamstress so that you can be stress-free during your wedding week (at least when it comes to your dress!)
Make sure you have a good spot in your home planned out to store your dress before your wedding. Often times, this can simply be on the back of a door in an extra room. But if you have a tighter space, it can be good to have a plan. Clear out some space in a closet, so that your dress is safe and sound before your big day.
Your Wedding Day:
You made it to your big day! Remember to have your wedding dress ready to go for today. You may need to steam it before you put it on. And make sure that you have back up if you need help buttoning things up. But other than those final details, it is time to put on your dream dress and have the perfect wedding day!
Some Final Tips:
Before we wrap things up, here are some final things to remember about your wedding dress timeline:
Your Timeline is Your Timeline:
The timeline we created here is meant to be a rough guideline. But in the end, your timeline is your timeline. If you want things done earlier to ease stress - go for it. You have so much control when it comes to buying your wedding dress. And not every bride will have a full year. Maybe you are having a 6 month engagement, or even 3! This entire timeline can be accelerated.
If you find yourself on a tighter timeline, just remember to eliminate unnecessary complications. Opt for a dress off the rack, instead of ordering a dress that could take months. And also communicate any time restrictions with your seamstress.
Choose Your Venue First:
We have already talked about this, but it is worth considering again. Remember to have your venue nailed down before shopping for your dress. This will ensure that you don't feel underdressed, or overdressed for your wedding. With that being said, make sure you find your dream dress. If you want to wear a voluminous princess ball gown for a laid back beach wedding - you do you! It is your wedding day. You do whatever makes you feel amazing.
Have a Clear Budget:
We talked about how it was good to do your research ahead of time so that you don't get overwhelmed. And nailing down your budget should happen at the same time. Before you start trying on dresses, make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to spend. Nothing is worse than falling in love with a dress that is thousands of dollars outside your budget. So do your research, and set your budget!
After Your Wedding:
After your wedding is over, you still have some decision to make about your dress. And you have choices. You may choose to keep your dress. If this is the case, make sure you have a plan for preserving and storing your wedding dress.
Or you can opt to sell your dress, like on a pre-loved marketplace like Still White. You can research your options and have a plan long before your wedding day. This makes things easy and seamless once your wedding is over. Then you can head off on your honeymoon without a care in the world!
By Kathryn Schrotenboer
Lindsey