When Should You Buy Your Wedding Dress?
As a bride, you may have already asked yourself (more than once) when you should buy a wedding dress. If you’re super excited, then the question is probably more along the lines of how early is too early to buy a wedding dress? We feel you! Wedding dress shopping is one of the best parts of being a bride, so many of us want to jump right in as soon as we get engaged. When it comes to wedding dress shopping, it’s best to start searching at least a year before your chosen wedding date, and yes, you can start even earlier if you want! Giving yourself a year lines up well with the availability of special made-to-order gowns, which can take between six and eight months to receive after you’ve ordered one. Following this general wedding dress timeline of one year also allows for plenty of time to try on bridal gowns and to get the alterations you’ll need for the perfect fit! Of course, it is possible to get your dress even faster, and all you need to do is become an Avery Austin bride! From special-order gowns to in-stock wedding dresses, there are so many ways that Avery Austin can shorten your wedding dress shopping timeline! Simply skip ahead to check out the Shopping Shortcuts below to learn more. You can also take a look at the full wedding dress shopping timeline first by reading on and then compare it to the shortcuts after. Here’s to the start of planning your own bridal adventure!
The Wedding Dress Shopping Timeline
While there will be some differences in the wedding dress shopping timeline based on the availability of the bridal gown you wish to order or if you are wedding dress shopping online versus in a salon, here is a general breakdown of when to shop for and buy your wedding dress.
- 12 Months+ Before Wedding: Connect with a Bridal Consultant
- 10-11 Months Before Wedding: Try on Wedding Dresses
- 10 Months Before Wedding: Place an Order for Your Wedding Dress
- 2-4 Months Before Wedding: Receive Your Wedding Dress
- 2-4 Months+ Before Wedding: Make Arrangements for Wedding Dress Alterations
Connect with a Bridal Consultant (12 Months+ Before Wedding)
The best way to make the most of your wedding dress shopping experience is to get in touch with a bridal consultant. Take advantage of their years of bridal experience so you can easily navigate the hundreds of thousands of wedding dress possibilities to discover the one that’s right for you. A bridal consultant can clue you in to the most flattering silhouettes, features, and fabrics or pull styles for you to consider that would fit well with your wedding theme. Think of it like having your own personal stylist who’s ready to go over all of the details of your wedding and learn your specific style preferences in order to help you find your dream dress! If you’re wedding dress shopping online, be sure to get in touch with one of Avery Austin’s bridal experts.
Try on Wedding Dresses (10-11 Months Before Wedding)
After connecting with a bridal consultant, it’s time to start trying on wedding dresses to find out which styles, fabrics, and features suit you best. This might mean making a few appointments at local bridal salons to go in and try on samples, or it might mean doing a little wedding dress shopping online and then trying on samples in the comfort of your home! At Avery Austin, you can choose up to three wedding dress samples to try on at home, and a bridal specialist can easily guide you in the process of building your own Try at Home Box.
The process of trying on wedding dresses could take up to 2 months, or you might discover the perfect bridal gown on the very first try! Wherever you fall in this range, there are ways to keep your focus when wedding dress shopping (online or in stores). Check out Avery Austin’s advice about how many wedding dresses you should try on and how to minimize your gown shopping fatigue here in this blog.
Place an Order for Your Wedding Dress (10 Months Before Wedding)
It is so important to order your chosen wedding dress at least 10 months in advance if it is a special made-to-order gown that can take 6 to 8 months to be made and shipped to you. Be sure to ask your salon stylist or check the online shipping details carefully so you know exactly how long you will have to wait to receive the bridal gown you’ve chosen. Of course, there are some ways to go about getting a wedding dress faster, so check out the details below in our timeline shortcuts section if you’re working with a tighter time frame.
Receive Your Wedding Dress (2-4 Months Before Wedding)
You’ll want to time your wedding dress order so that you’ll receive your dress within 2 to 4 months before your wedding. You may need to pick up your bridal gown at the salon where you ordered it (sometimes they expect you to try it on at pick up to ensure everything was made as ordered). If you did your wedding dress shopping online, then your bridal gown will be conveniently delivered right to your door. Keep a close eye on your tracking information so you can bring your special package right inside as soon as possible!
Make Arrangements for Wedding Dress Alterations (2-4 Months Before Wedding)
Most wedding dresses require at least a few alterations in order for you to feel completely comfortable in your gown. That might mean you need some simple hemming so there’s no risk of you stepping on your precious dress, or you might need something more extensive, like adding or removing features. Giving yourself at least 2 to 4 months for alterations allows for plenty of time to make both big and small changes. For more information about wedding dress alterations, check out Avery Austin’s blog that covers all you need to know about bridal alterations.
Shopping Shortcuts: How to Get a Wedding Dress Fast
While a general wedding dress timeline makes a great guide to planning out your shopping experience, it’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all guide. Many brides plan their weddings within a year, so there’s no time to wait for a special made-to-order bridal gown that takes six to eight months to create. With that in mind, here are a few tips on how to get a wedding dress fast.
- Shop Avery Austin: If you fall for a special-order designer wedding dress at Avery Austin, you don’t have to wait six to eight months to get it! The made-to-order bridal gowns at Avery Austin only take about eight weeks (two months) to receive! If that shorter time frame works perfectly for you, then dive right into all of the gorgeous Avery Austin wedding dress styles to find one you love.
- Shop In-Stock Styles: This is one of the fastest ways to get a wedding dress! Instead of ordering a dress that is made after you place your order, try to buy a wedding dress that is already made (also known as “in stock”). All brand new, never worn or tried on, in-stock wedding dresses were simply made in advance and are in storage or on display, awaiting your purchase. This means you can walk out of a store with your bridal gown in hand at the time of purchase, or if you are wedding dress shopping online, you should receive your package within a few days or a week of placing your order. Check out Avery Austin’s in-stock wedding dresses to find styles with certain colors and sizes that are ready to ship out right away. These designs ship out within two business days!
- Purchase a Sample Dress: Sample wedding dresses come with several perks! They’ve been tried on by other brides before, so if you have the option to purchase one, it should be at a discount (Avery Austin sample wedding dresses are 20% off!). If you’re looking to purchase a sample from your Avery Austin Try at Home Box, then you've already got the gown in hand, so there’s no extra waiting time to receive it. Learn more about how to buy your try at home wedding dress from Avery Austin here.
Now that you have a good idea about how far in advance you should buy your wedding dress, there’s no need to stress about whether you’ll have enough time to buy one at 5 months or if you can get a wedding dress in 6 or 7 months. Whether you are shopping 2 years early for your wedding dress because you’re just so excited or you’re in a time crunch with only a few weeks or months to spare, you can use the tips above to create a personalized wedding dress timeline and get a wedding dress fast if needed. Revel in the experience, no matter how long you have for wedding dress shopping!