How Far Out To Pick a Dress And Book Fittings?

You won’t have your pick of any dress in the store, as most designer dresses take 6-8 months to come in. But you can find something off the rack or places like David’s Bridal and BHLDN have dresses that come in quickly. I got married in October and started fittings in August.

July is cutting it a little close in my opinion. As Kelly said, dresses from certain designers can often take 6 months to a year to come in. I bought a David's Bridal dress from DB and it only took a month to come in. But even then, that only gives you two months to find all your accessories as well as have alterations done and your final fitting. I would start looking ASAP personally.

I agree with the PPs and also remember that the coronavirus is causing a lot of production delays.

It might be. I am also getting married in October. I went and bought my dress in December and it won’t be here until May and I have some alterations needed. You may not be able to get the one that you want because of shipping and there are a lot of delays going on right now. If you just want something off the rack July would be okay, but still cutting it close as alterations can take up the two three months to complete. If you want something designer go now if your fine with off the rack you should be okay.

I think that's very late. Almost impossible. You will have to buy off-the-rack. If you want to order a dress you will have to pay rush fees and even then.... it's really late.

Between ordering and fittings, you have to wait for the dress itself to come in— this can take months! I would definitely shop ASAP. Then order it in the appropriate size (don’t go too low in anticipation ! You never know for sure how your body will change). If you’ve lost more weight and it comes in too big, it can be taken in in alterations.

Ill say for the the females including yourself that's all in the wedding party including MOB do it aleast 6 to 7 months out. I think July really cutting close.

Thanks Everyone! I Thought It Was To Close Too.

Hi Trisha,
As the others have said, you're not going to be able to order one now because almost all will take 6 to 8 months for delivery, you should visit all the boutiques anywhere near you and start looking, I was able find my dress off the rack, you can luck out and find a sample dress, also ask them about trunk sales!
This is my dress, it was a shop sample.

Yes this is too late. You need to start dress shopping 8-10 months before the wedding. Fittings start about 2 months prior to the wedding, give or take a few weeks.

Buy the dress in the size you are now and have it altered down if you lose weight.

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Your Dress Is Beautiful!

I bought my dress 10 months out. It arrived 3 months out and fittings took 3 months, I picked it up a week before our wedding.

I had mine 6 weeks before and then every 2 weeks after that and now we are 16 days away and my final fitting is this Saturday so you might want to wait a bit.

I personally would start looking now!

Start looking now. It takes about 6 months for it to be made.

View Quoted Comment Thanks Everyone!

I second everyone about looking asap and plan on 8-12 weeks for alterations to avoid stressing your seamstress! I had my first fitting in January for an April wedding and I think my seamstress could've kissed me from relief, she said she'd had two brides recently who needed their dress fit for weddings less than two weeks later. Keep in mind if you wait until the last minute for alterations, you may have to pay rush fees or the seamstress might have to turn you down entirely because there's just not enough time (mine told me today she recently had to turn a few people away because their timing was impossible). I also have lost a lot of weight since January and my seamstress just takes it in as needed at every fitting and she hasn't charged me extra for it (granted I did pay $650 upfront so I do expect that level of service to some extent). My fourth and final fitting is about 9 days before my wedding just to make sure she has time to take it in again if I lose more weight.

View Quoted Comment Thank you Trisha, start shopping, and good luck!

Go now! My wedding is Nov 15 and I got my dress last weekend..it won't be in until September!!

Also the coronavirus is seriously affecting designers' abilities to get the materials they need and keep their stock up. You should look for dresses that are already here, I wouldn't try shopping online especially if it's made or partially made in Asia or Europe.