How Early Should I Buy My Wedding Dress?

Now that you’re engaged, what’s the next step? One of the first wishes of a future bride is to find the perfect wedding dress that will make them feel beautiful and special on their big day. A common question is: When should I buy the dress? The answer is that it is important to find a dress early, but not too early! Here are some tips on how early you should buy your wedding dress.

Even though you may be excited and want to get your dress right away, it may not be a good idea to get a dress 2 years before the date because you may change your mind about the dress and different styles and trends may be popular closer to the date. Bridal trends tend to change each year and with the changing seasons. That being said, bridal boutiques usually have dresses ahead of time, so new dresses for the year will be available in November and December and dresses for the Spring and Summer will be available in December and January. This is done because dresses are usually bought at least 7-9 months before a wedding, to allow time to get everything perfect before the actual day. Once you are engaged or start planning your big day, look at pictures of dresses and get ideas for what you want in a wedding dress. Have fun with it! Once you have an idea of what you are looking for, or if you want to try on different styles to decide, make an appointment at a bridal boutique to try dresses on.

It is important to take into consideration the time needed to order a dress and have alterations made. Dress shops usually order dresses because the ones in their stores are only used as samples to try on. Common wear and tear occurs because they are used as samples, so shops will order a new dress for the bride when she makes a decision on the one that is right for her. The typical time it takes from when a dress is ordered to when it is received in the store is 4 months, so it is important to get a dress more than 4 months in advance.

Alterations almost always need to be made because everyone is a different size and shape, and each dress needs to be customized for each individual. Depending on where you get your dress, the dress shop may do alterations, or you can take it to a seamstress. These alterations and fittings need to be taken into consideration as well, as brides generally have an average of 3 fittings for their dress, and they are generally scheduled at least a week apart to allow for the changes to be made.

Allowing extra time takes the pressure of finding the perfect dress off the bride because there is time to try on different styles and designs. You can take your time to figure out what works best for your budget, wedding theme, and the style you want. The most important thing to remember is to choose something you love and will be happy in because this is your day!

Be sure to stop by Michelle’s Bridal and Tuxedo Shoppe in Champaign and Adore Bridal and Specialtyin Morton. They Both have Fantastic gowns and the two shops with the best customer service in Central Illinois!  Join us on February 16-18 at Michelle’s Bridal in Champaign.  Michelle’s is have a trunk show featuring  Essense of Australia.  They will also be offering a 15% off any Essense dress ordered during the show.  They always have treats too provided by Cakes by Lori