Found my dream dress at a on sale 17 months out!

I bought my dress 19 months out. It was perfect.

One thing to keep in mind is that wedding dress sizes are very different than your normal dress size. I'm not sure if you've actually tried on any wedding dresses yet to get an idea. A wedding dress size 10 is probably more like a street size 6.

I’m not sure I would buy it so far out, but it’s up to you. Bridal runs small, however, so if you’re a size 12 dress, you’re probably a 14/16 in bridal. You also need a little wiggle room (no pun intended lol) for alterations. I plan on losing weight for mine, but still ordered true size, since it’s easier to take a dress in, than take it out. Also, have you tried this dress on anywhere? I found a dress online that I LOVED, but tried on a very similar style in the store, and hated how it looked on my body. Ultimately it is up to you, but you may be better waiting for a sample sale at a local shop where you can try the dress on in person. Good luck deciding!

I was just going to say that wedding dress sized are different from regular dresses. A size 10 might be more like a street size 6. Check the designer sizing for your dress. Is there any way you can try on a sample of that dress before you buy it?

I would want to see it on me. Wedding dresses look different actually on you as opposed to sitting on the hanger

You should try to still go to the shop with your mom and MIL so that they get to share that experience with you. Could you do it soon while you purchase the dress you want?

It is never to early to purchase your dress! And you could still go look around with your mother and MIL - look for something similar while you are waiting for your dress to come in if you're worried.

I would 100% go try on the dress at a bridal boutique first. I bought an Essense of Australia gown in a 10. I am 5'5", 120 pounds, and usually wear a size 2 or 4. Wedding dresses run SUPER small. Plus, that way you can get the experience before you purchase. I kicked myself after buying my dress because I went online and found a used one for a third of the cost. You might also put it on and decide you hate it. I had my mind set on a dress that turned out looking terrible on me.

I have to agree with the others on trying a dress on at a store! I am a dress size 12 as well, and my wedding dress is a 16!

I don’t think it’s too early to buy a dress (I’d actually advise to shop before 8 months) , but I do think it is risky to fall in love with a dress online if you’ve never tried on bridal gowns before— it’s a different ballgame once you actually get into them and see them on and FEEL them on. I tried some dresses on that I adored in pictures online and HATED on my body, even though they were all a similar style to what I wanted and ended up with. It was amazing to me how many little differences there were from dress to dress as I tried them on— I tried on enough to know exactly what I wanted, and then tried on a number that fit my wish list exactly and some were still misses once I got into them. Especially with wedding gowns , some materials are heavy, some move differently than you’d imagine when you’re actually in them and walking. So, I would definitely advise trying on dresses at least once before committing. Also always be cautious with online purchases (if it’s worn, be mindful that the condition may not be perfect)— my advice is always dont spend money you can’t lose if you can’t get it back if it doesn’t work out (if it was a $50 dress and it wouldn’t be a big hit to lose the $50 if it ended up too small or damaged or just something you didn’t love once you tried it on, I’d say go for it, but, that’s a different ballgame.


Also, as others have mentioned, don’t underestimate bridal sizing! In dresses at Macy’s, I pretty consistently wear a 10 (or even an 8 on a good day). My wedding gown was a size *14*...with no wiggle room . If I had tried to buy it online in a 10 presuming it was my size, I would never have stood a chance of getting into it. Even if the sizing is spot on, I will ALWAYS advise against buying a dress that is a size too small. You never know what will happen in the meantime and plenty of brides are determined to lose weight and don’t — and most importantly. It is much easier to make a large dress smaller than to make a small dress larger.

But! Do save pictures of the dress that you like. If/When you go shopping you can use those to show your consultant to reference all the things you love about it. There are bound to be other dresses with similar qualities

Here's a few tips for ordering online:

1) Make sure that you size yourself correctly when placing your order. Generally, if you're between sizes you should order the larger size. Expect to pay extra for alterations so it fits you appropriately.

2) Check reviews! Reviews are everything. If there's more shady reviews or more reviews that point to it being too good to be true, it usually is. Especially with such a huge price drop, that seems a little....hrm. You really do get what you pay for in most situations.

3) Be advised that it may not look as great as it does in the picture, or retrospectively, it may not be exactly what you're hoping for when you try it on. As a wedding stylist, I find that more people are genuinely surprised by what they thought they would like versus what they actually did. There have been more than a few times where the dress they least expected turned out to be the one, while on the flipside the dress that caught their attention turned out to be rather lackluster compared to their expectations either in the way it looked on them, the fit, the feel or some combination of all of the above.

However, I wouldn't recommend ordering a dress with the intention of dieting especially with your wedding still being more than a year from now. Here's why:

1) Life is unexpected and you don't know what could happen between now and then. While you intend to diet, something could come up and you could unintentionally gain weight instead such as an unexpected pregnancy. On the flip side, you could loose much more weight than intended and that leads me to number 2.

2) Dresses can generally only be taken in 1-3 sizes or let out 1-2 sizes depending on the make, style, material allotment and complexity of the dress. Sliding too far on either side of the spectrum can make a dress that would've been perfect ill-fitting and a waste of money.

3) Tastes and interests tend to change over time, especially when you're considering that much time. In other words, you may absolutely love the dress now, but look at it again in six months and have completely changed your mind as to what you thought you wanted for your big day. Just a few things to keep in mind!

The best advice that I can offer is to go in to a bridal shop and look for yourself.

1) You can try things on and get a feel for the dress on your body.

2) While it might be more expensive, you can pretty much guarantee that you're getting what you've paid for especially if you leave with the dress that you tried on.

3) Some bridal stores can order it for you brand new in your size and then alter it to fit you like a glove and things such as a simple hem don't usually add up to that much of an extra charge. This also doesn't have to be done when you purchase the dress, however, I wouldn't wait more than 8 weeks before your wedding for alterations.