When to order wedding dress?

[AmberHeartsDisney]

How much time should do i need?

We are getting married 11-11-11 and i have no clue when to order my dress or even how long it takes to do adjustments.

any thoughts? ideas?

 

[Mindyjoy]

I think 6 months before is the general rule but my opinion is, the sooner the better!

 

[sambycat]

At least 6 months so shop! 

 

[neener3]

When you see it, buy it! I found mine over a year before the wedding. It's a bit too big now, but some adjustments and it should be fine. Adjustments can be done the month before.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

Im just worried about it "fitting" i am trying to eat right and lose weight so i dont want to order a big old dress and it look weird after its altered

 

[ChocoKat]

I ordered mine over a year in advance.
I wasn't expecting to find it that fast, but when I did I went for it.
About the fit... I ordered a size smaller than I was, because I had been exercising every single day and had already lost a couple of dress sizes.

The consultant and my DH both agreed that a size smaller would be the wisest thing to do given my exercise habits and my history of weight loss.

Now a year later the dress fits like a glove, just needs a bustle that is being put on right now.

I never stopped going to the gym and eating healthy and will keep my routine going.

I would really think very hard about it before buying a dress and being very blunt with yourself about your fitness goals, weight gain/loss outlook and then decide what size dress to get.

My seamstress said she was shocked I had bought my dress a year in advance and a size smaller and that it fit so well. Normally the majority of her business comes from brides that need to get their dresses taken out ASAP.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

well i want to lose around 60 plus pounds. i have been looking online at dresses but havent been to the store yet.

 

[elleinad16]

I'm getting married the same day as you!

I wasn't going to even start dress shopping until this year, however when I went out to the dress shop to look at bridesmaid dresses, the sales person forced me to try on some dresses.

I ended up getting the first one I tried on ...so I ordered that at the end of October 2010 and it should be in the shop between April and June (that was longer than I thought it would take) and then getting adjustments I would probably add on another month or so.

I would think that you are in good shape to start soon and still have time!

Have fun dress shopping!!!

 

[princesswendy720]

It depends on the kind of gown you're planning on getting. For designer gowns that are custom made..I've read to get it a year ahead. Even if your gown comes in early, wait until a month before for alterations. It's always easier to take a dress in than to let it out.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

I'm getting married the same day as you!

I wasn't going to even start dress shopping until this year, however when I went out to the dress shop to look at bridesmaid dresses, the sales person forced me to try on some dresses.

I ended up getting the first one I tried on ...so I ordered that at the end of October 2010 and it should be in the shop between April and June (that was longer than I thought it would take) and then getting adjustments I would probably add on another month or so.

I would think that you are in good shape to start soon and still have time!

Have fun dress shopping!!!

OMG that is a REALLY long time. Now im scared :/

I think im gonna call the dress place and ask them i thought they said weeks and not months.

 

[elleinad16]

OMG that is a REALLY long time. Now im scared :/

I think im gonna call the dress place and ask them i thought they said weeks and not months.

I didn't mean to scare you!!

It might depend on the shops and the gown designer. Some places might have gown styles stocked.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

i forget to say congrats i wish we could get married at Disney but are family wont travel

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

I didn't mean to scare you!!

It might depend on the shops and the gown designer. Some places might have gown styles stocked.

i like a lot of the dresses at alfred angelo

 

[girli565]

My dress was from Alfred Angelo and I went in May 2009, we got married in June 2010. I ended up buying the 2nd dress I tried on and they told me it would take 10 weeks for it to come in.

5 days later the store is calling me to tell me it's in, I was shocked that it was in so quick but the girl at the AA store told me that it was the last one in the warehouse in my size so I got lucky. You may get lucky like me and get within a few days.

 

[ChocoKat]

girli,
My dress is an Alfred Angelo as well!
And just like you it came in so fast.

I am glad I ordered early though because my style has since been discontinued and they don't have anything similar now. I would have been heartbroken if I had waited and found out I couldn't have it.

Amber,
I would start looking now, go to David's Bridal to begin with and see what kind of dresses work better with your existing figure. You do not have to buy anything yet, just go on a dry run and figure out what makes you feel good, what kind of thing you like, etc.
Once you do that I would start looking for boutiques and narrowing down options.

I only bought one size down because I had already lost weight and I was just inches away from the next one. I really wouldn't have taken the chance otherwise, I have heard waaay too many horror stories about brides having to crash diet to get into way too tight dresses and then being too sick/starved to even enjoy their own days. I also asked my consultant and she said they could alter my dress down 2 sizes if I actually managed to get down even more.

That would have cost a substantial amount of money so I am rather glad I didn't need it. But it could be done if push came to shove.

Always remember, taking a dress in is easier and sometimes taking a dress out is actually not possible, so thread very carefully when going down on sizes.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

girli,
My dress is an Alfred Angelo as well!
And just like you it came in so fast.

I am glad I ordered early though because my style has since been discontinued and they don't have anything similar now. I would have been heartbroken if I had waited and found out I couldn't have it.

Amber,
I would start looking now, go to David's Bridal to begin with and see what kind of dresses work better with your existing figure. You do not have to buy anything yet, just go on a dry run and figure out what makes you feel good, what kind of thing you like, etc.
Once you do that I would start looking for boutiques and narrowing down options.

I only bought one size down because I had already lost weight and I was just inches away from the next one. I really wouldn't have taken the chance otherwise, I have heard waaay too many horror stories about brides having to crash diet to get into way too tight dresses and then being too sick/starved to even enjoy their own days. I also asked my consultant and she said they could alter my dress down 2 sizes if I actually managed to get down even more.

That would have cost a substantial amount of money so I am rather glad I didn't need it. But it could be done if push came to shove.

Always remember, taking a dress in is easier and sometimes taking a dress out is actually not possible, so thread very carefully when going down on sizes.

Im just such an odd shape. that is what worried me. Im pretty top heavy even when i lost weight.

Can i just look with out making an appointment?

 

[pezaddict231]

When I was shopping, most places said at least 6 months for it to come in and then you need a month for alterations, so I would say around 7 months total.

I would start looking now and ask the stores, tell them your weightloss goals and see what they recommend. You may be able to delay a little, but honestly, it is best to order a dress in the size you are now. They can always take it in, and very rarely would it effect the look of the dress. If you are concerned, talk to the seamstress at the shop.

Speaking from experience, do not order your dress smaller than you are now. They can alter it, no one will know the size but you and you can cut the tag out. It is much much harder to let a dress out and a lot of them can't really even be let out that much. It is not worth the stress worrying if your dress will fit and not having many other options because your wedding is a month away. In the end, I was lucky and it worked out, but I do wish I had ordered in the right size. It cost me more money to alter and a lot more grief than was necessary. I would hate for another bride to go through that.

 

[ChocoKat]

Im just such an odd shape. that is what worried me. Im pretty top heavy even when i lost weight.

Can i just look with out making an appointment?

I just made an appt. I actually went to two separate David's Bridals with different friends to help me figure out what dresses and what shapes fit me better. The consultants were ever so nice, that I returned to buy my slip, bra and bolero from them even when I got my dress elsewhere.

If you make an appt and go with one other friend and just try a bunch of different shape dresses and ask the consultant for help you will be just fine, don't worry!

I always thought I would look like a bear wrapped in satin, tulle and chiffon when I would picture myself trying on gowns at the beginning , but they made it so painless and they had so very many options.

Alfred Angelo was amazing too!

 

[elleinad16]

i forget to say congrats i wish we could get married at Disney but are family wont travel

Thank you! Congrats to you too! It's all very exciting and now, very soon!

i like a lot of the dresses at alfred angelo

That's good, I would assume that they have a quicker turn around rate than what I'm enduring right now. But I went to a little hidden-jewel boutique in a small town and ordered a designer dress...so I guess the wait would be longer.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

maybe ill take a look!