When Should i Start Dress Shopping?

You should start now.

Like pp said I agree you could start now

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I don't know why the thought of booking an appointment is stressing me out, I don't think that's normal lol

View Quoted Comment You could do it online instead of calling. Or try azazie try on at home program if you don’t want to go in stores

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I was thinking of Azazie just to try a few dresses on, but I need to stop being lazy and go into a store. It's like I feel like a year is a long way to go when in reality it's just not.

Shop now, even if it is the try at home program. Take this from someone who thought a year was plenty of time and has had shops close, reopen, shorten open hours, and lesson the amount of appointments they take at a time. Starting now will give you time to actually shop around without the stress of running out of time. It feels like the last few months blinked by and I am now running out of time to find a dress, order it, and have it fitted. Most dress shops take months to get the dress made and delivered.

9 months before

I would definitely start now, especially with COVID still being around who knows if things will end up shutting back down.

I agree with all previous comments - at minimum, I would start looking online first to get an idea of what you like and don't like, and so you have some inspiration pictures to show the consultant when you do start visiting dress shops to try on dresses. Now is a great time to start looking!

Definitely start now. It’ll give you time to get a true sense of what you like and don’t like. It took me months to decide and realize what type of dress I liked.

I've always heard ranges too, but the most consistent answers I find are 9-12 months to give enough alteration time as well if needed

I think you can start looking now and have appointments at any shops within the next few months. Depending on where you buy your dress, you want to leave enough time for it to ship and everything as well, in addition to having a few fittings for alterations once it arrives.

You could start shopping around now. I just got my dress last week, 10 months out from the wedding. It'll get here in late Feb, just in time for fittings. So it definitely takes time. You don't wanna have limited options due to timing.

I agree with PP should start looking now, then you have time for alterations and fittings and a bit of wiggle room for Covid. Happy dress hunting

My wedding is September 2021 and I just said yes to my dress! I would say to start looking now just to get an idea of what you like. I’m in NY and a lot of bridal stores are still closed with covid and I didn’t want to chance places closing again. Right now we’re also only allowed 2 people with us so knew I’d want to go to a few places so all my sisters could go to an appointment (have 3).


They do say it takes about 9 months to get the dress, BUTTTTTT DO NOT buy a dress if it’s not the one.
I also asked the lady helping to pick out a dress for me and that ended up being the one! So I’d suggest asking them to pick a dress just to see

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I've been looking online & thought about the try at home thing, but wanted my first time trying on a dress to be in a shop. Sounds weird, but I wanted that first time experience. I know a year isn't all that long & it can take months, guess now I need to find a shop around me. We don't have that many.

Thanks for all the responses! I booked my first appointment for this weekend, I've been searching endlessly for dresses in the past month so I feel like I'm ready to try them on. I'm a little nervous, but I hope it goes well. As we can only have 2 guests with us, I'm only bringing one sister.

Honestly, not knowing what is going to happen with the pandemic, are stores going to be shut down will manufacturing close again? Normally you still have a few months but with so much uncertainty go now,


My wedding isn’t until 10/9/21 and I went on June 20th.

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Very true, it's why I just chose to book an appointment. At least to get the experience & if I don't buy something this time then I'll know what I'm really looking for. I just hope I don't become indecisive & try on too many dresses lol

View Quoted Comment I didn’t count how many I tried on, I don’t think it was more than 10. A good stylist will ask you what’s the style of your wedding what silhouette (Ballgown, A-Line, Mermaid et...), and details you like, and finally budget.


Mine brought out 3 or 4 to start, if there was something I liked or didn’t like that narrowed it down until I found the perfect one.
Bring a hair tie or clip if you have long hair, it can get hot while trying on gowns. Also bring a cami and spandex shorts so when they take measurements they can get the most accurate measurement.
Most of all good luck and have fun!