When Should You Buy Your Wedding Dress?
Ideally, you should purchase your wedding dress about 12 months before your wedding day. This gives your gown plenty of time to arrive and leaves approximately 3–4 months for alterations without adding unnecessary stress to your wedding countdown.
You have your fiancé. You’ve asked your favorite people to stand beside you. Maybe the venue, photographer, DJ, and caterer are already checked off the list.
Now for one of the BEST parts… when should you start wedding dress shopping?
At Rouge Bridal, we recommend starting your search about 12 months before your wedding. And yes, we know a year sounds like FOREVER. But when it comes to wedding dresses, that time goes much faster than you think!
How Long Does a Wedding Dress Take to Arrive?
At Rouge Bridal, most special-order wedding gowns take approximately 5–6 months to ship from the designer.
One important thing to remember: a ship date is not the same as an arrival date. We typically allow about another week for your gown to make its way to Rouge Bridal after it ships.
That’s why we don’t recommend cutting your timeline too close. Ordering early gives you a little breathing room if your gown takes longer than expected.
And trust us, you’ll appreciate that breathing room as your wedding gets closer!
What If My Wedding Is Less Than 6 Months Away?
First: don’t panic! You still have options.
We help short-timeline brides all the time.
Depending on the designer and your wedding date, a rush order may be available. But there’s another great option at Rouge Bridal: buying a wedding dress right out of our collection.
We take a LOT of pride in keeping our wedding gowns in beautiful, like-new condition. That means the gowns you try on at Rouge Bridal are also available to purchase and take home that day.
So whether your wedding is six months away, three months away, or coming up even sooner, don’t assume you’re too late to find an amazing dress. Come see us first. We may have exactly what you’re looking for hanging in the store right now.
How Much Time Should I Allow for Wedding Dress Alterations?
Ideally, plan to leave about 3–4 months for wedding dress alterations.
Most brides will have approximately 2–3 fittings before their gown is completely wedding-day ready. Your seamstress may need to adjust the hem, straps, bust or waist, add a bustle, or make other changes to give you the perfect fit.
Remember: needing alterations is NORMAL. Your wedding gown is ordered according to the designer’s size chart based on your measurements, it isn’t custom-made to your exact body.
Once your wedding dress arrives, we recommend contacting your preferred seamstress right away. Let her know your wedding date and that your gown has arrived. She can then tell you when she’d like to schedule your first fitting.
And please don’t wait until the last minute to call! Experienced formalwear seamstresses can book up quickly, especially during busy wedding seasons.
Rouge Bridal does not perform alterations in-house, but we’re happy to provide recommendations for seamstresses experienced with bridal and formalwear.
Why Buy Your Wedding Dress 12 Months Before the Wedding?
Simple: it gives you time.
Time for your gown to be ordered and delivered. Time for alterations. Time to choose your veil and accessories. And, most importantly, time to enjoy the process instead of worrying about whether everything will be ready.
It also gives you a cushion for those occasional shipping delays that are completely outside anyone’s control.
When you’re a year away from your wedding, it can feel like you have all the time in the world. But between ordering your gown, waiting for it to arrive, completing alterations, and putting together your final bridal look, those months disappear FAST.
A Simple Wedding Dress Shopping Timeline
12 months before: Start shopping and say YES to your wedding dress.
6–7 months before: Your special-order gown may begin making its way to Rouge Bridal, depending on your designer and order.
3–4 months before: Begin the alterations process according to your seamstress’s recommended schedule.
Final weeks: Complete your final fitting, learn how your bustle works, and make sure your wedding-day accessories are ready.
Wedding Day: Put that gorgeous dress on and GO GET MARRIED!
So, When Should I Start Wedding Dress Shopping?
If your wedding is about a year away, now is the perfect time to start.
If your wedding is less than a year away, still come see us. And if you’re reading this thinking, “Ummm… my wedding is WAY sooner than that,” don’t count yourself out! Rush-order and take-home options may still make finding your dream dress completely possible.
Every bride’s timeline is a little different. Our job is to help you understand your options and find the gown that makes you feel like YOU.
Ready to start shopping?
Reserve your stylist and dressing room at www.rougebridal.com/appointments.
We can’t wait to help you find your dress!