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April
Beginner October 2022

Bridesmaid proposals

April, on May 28, 2021 at 1:28 PM Posted in Planning 0 11

Hey all! How far out did you do bridesmaid proposals?

My wedding is Oct. 2022, but I'm wanting to start looking for wedding dresses this October and I would like some of my bridesmaids to be involved while trying on dresses. What would you recommend?

11 Comments

Latest activity by Cerina Galvez, on May 30, 2021 at 6:42 AM
  • Meghan
    Master October 2019
    Meghan ·
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    I got married in October 2019 and I asked my bridal party in December 2018. You don’t want to do it too soon in case plans or relationships change.
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  • M
    Dedicated October 2021
    Megan ·
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    On the wedding-professional side, it's typically not recommended to ask before a year out, but your "most optimal" time actually depends on what your expectations will be concerning bridesmaids dresses.

    If you want everyone ordering from a bridesmaid shop, especially if they'll be in the same dress, alterations will probably take a bit, so it's recommended you ask everyone around 10-11 months out. For brides who want the bridesmaids to do their own thing, dress-wise, you really don't need to ask them until around six months out.

    Friendships change. Relationships change. For better and for worse, really. In my career, I've seen far more problems arise from asking your wedding party too early, as opposed to too late (though, I have seen my fair share of "last minute replacement bridesmaids" situations that were not pretty).

    Side note: you can definitely gauge bridesmaid interest in watching you/helping you try on dresses, but I wouldn't make it a sticking point. I would definitely not recommend asking everyone early for that sole purpose.

    (edited to add: I'm getting married October 2021 and I asked my friends in December 2020 - they're all doing their own thing for their dresses, but I moved up my own asking timeline a bit because of the pandemic at the time).

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  • Michelle
    Rockstar December 2022
    Michelle ·
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    They should not be asked before 6 months before the wedding because there is nothing for them to do before then. Also friendships and relationships change. There are many posts on the forum of brides who asked the wrong people a year or more out and are asking how to end or salvage the friendship.


    Ask them over coffee or a phone call. Skip the gift boxes and save money for a heartfelt thank you gift afterward.
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  • AJ
    Super October 2022
    AJ ·
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    I'm also getting married October 2022, I asked my MOH already but I'm only having her stand up with me, and our relationship isn't going to change from now and then. But I agree with what Michelle said, there are SO many posts of brides regretting asking someone so early.

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  • Grace
    Super February 2022
    Grace ·
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    Just FYI, you don't necessarily need to have asked them to be bridesmaids in order to go dress shopping with you. You could invite them to go as friends. That being said, don't go dress shopping too early either because dress regret is a common topic on WW from people who shoped way in advance of their wedding date.



    Somewhere in between 10-6 months seems to be the average that I have seen for asking your bridal party. Closer to the wedding is better since friendships wax and wane over time. I asked my sister 12 months ahead of my original date but I knew there was no one else that I would want as my MOH.
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  • Jessi
    Super October 2022
    Jessi ·
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    My wedding is October 2022 and I was told by a bridal shop to try and order my dress 10-12 months before to give extra time in case of weird covid stuff, so you'll be fine starting to look in October!

    I also already asked my bridesmaids, which might be farther out than you're supposed to, but FH and I have each other's siblings (I have have 1 brother, he has 1 sister so we just asked each other's sibling), and 3 friends each. If things change then they change, but for both of us these are the only serious friends we really have, so we felt comfortable asking. Also, most are from out of state and have jobs that are hard to get time off from so we wanted them to have all sorts of time for planning and to have time to work things out as needed without feeling pressed for time.

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  • E
    Expert September 2022
    EGD ·
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    You're going to get various different answers on this but I feel its a know your crowd/relationships kind of thing.

    I'm getting married September 2022 and asked my Bridesmaids January and February 2021 I wasn't worried about relationships changing, my MOH and 4 of my other bridesmaids are my cousins, one has been my best friend for 15 years (we have tattoos of each others handwriting on our bodies so if the relationship changes we got bigger issues to deal with) and the other is my FSIL.

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  • C
    Devoted September 2022
    Carissa ·
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    We are getting married September of 2022 and I'll be asking the girls shortly- My sister, matron of honor, next weekend. Hopefully my maid of honor, a friend, the next weekend if plans work out. Then 3 will be the following weekend because they're all my cousins and we have a family gathering. Lastly, FSIL in August because she lives halfway across the country and that's the next time she'll be home. Its really important to me to deliver them all in person rather than mailing!
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  • Hanna
    VIP June 2019
    Hanna ·
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    I asked mine 14 months in advance. I wanted to make sure they would be available for the date I was considering before booking my venue, and none of them were new friendships so I knew that our relationship would not change. My 4 bridesmaids were my sister, my SIL, my best friend from childhood, and my best friend from college.

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  • Catherine
    Expert March 2023
    Catherine ·
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    My wedding is March 2023 and I just finished asking my bridal party for a few reasons. If you’re close to your girls, I don’t think now would be a bad time!
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  • Cerina Galvez
    Beginner October 2023
    Cerina Galvez ·
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    I’m 2 years out and I’m asking in October of this year. Only because it’s not going to change but also I have so many thoughts and ideas I can’t wait lol
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