When Should You Start Wedding Dress Shopping?

wedding dress shopping

Over the years, we’ve given a lot of style inspiration and advice on how to find a wedding dresses. But I realized that we haven’t answered a rather important question – exactly when should you start shopping for a wedding dress?

When to start shopping for your wedding dress is up to you and the length of your engagement. Most brides don’t start looking until six months before the wedding, while others start the search shortly after saying “Yes!” I actually suggest starting the search soon after the engagement because it will take a while before you find the perfect design and the right couturier to create your dream dress for you. The creation process will also take several months, and most couturiers only accept orders if the wedding is four or five months away. Not to mention that if you shop for the dress at the last minute, you might end up with a dress style you don’t particularly like, or paying a lot of money for a rush-order dress. It definitely pays to give yourself the time to shop at a comfortable pace and leave plenty of leeway for changes and alterations.

The exception to this rule is if you’re in for a long engagement (a year or longer) because there are too many downsides to shopping for a dress early. For one thing, you’ll need to store the wedding gown if you buy it now – which can be a pain if you have a full ballgown skirt and not enough room. Not to mention that if you choose your dress too early, a whole new wave of wedding dress designs will come out next season. What if you find a dress you like better? While there’s no harm in looking around, it might be a good idea to save your money during the first year of your engagement so that when the wedding date draws nearer, you can buy the dress of your dreams and plan for your wedding without feeling the financial strain.

Continue reading here: Bridesmaid Dress Colors

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Readers' Questions

  • mark
    How early to buy wedding dress?
    11 months ago
  • The best time to begin shopping for wedding dresses is typically six to nine months before the wedding. This will give you plenty of time to decide what style you like, find the right dress for you, and have it altered to fit your body perfectly. Shopping too close to the wedding date can leave you stressed and with limited selection.
    • Cara
      When should you shop for a wedding dress?
      1 year ago
    • It is ideal to start shopping for a wedding dress around 9 to 12 months before the wedding. This gives enough time to go through the process of selecting, ordering, and fitting a dress to ensure it is perfect for the big day.
      • rose lothran
        When should you start shopping for a wedding dress?
        1 year ago
      • Most experts recommend that you begin shopping for a wedding dress at least nine months before your wedding date. This will give you plenty of time to find the perfect dress and also allow for any necessary alterations that may need to be made.