When to dress shop?

I started shopping in April for my December wedding.

I got mine super early at a year and a half but honestly now that you're a year out you should pick. Some designers takes months to get the dress ordered from.

I got mine at 10 months out. The designer I went with takes about 5 months for the dress to come in. The alterations department said about 2-3 months for that. Hopefully that gives you some timing reference!

I ordered my dress in November 2017 for my October 2018 wedding. It was the first appointment though, so we were ahead of schedule. Now is a great time to start looking. You have a little time to commit, but I would definitely suggest starting to go try things on and see what you like - style, fabric, designer, etc. and learn about the timeline for the shops/designers you like.

I just got mine for my August 2020 wedding!

I already ordered mine for my August 2020 wedding. I think you should start soon! My dress will take 10 months to come in. I also felt nervous about shopping. It just feels like the biggest decision of the whole wedding haha. That being said, i wish i had even more time to shop around. It was so fun! The nerves will be replaced with excitement. Good luck!

I guess it depends a little on what kind of dress you might want - something custom could take a lot longer to come in than the average dress. Mine took just a couple months, so I had plenty of extra time. If you're ok with waiting, I'd consider trying to see if boutiques you're interested in have any kind of black Friday sales - the shop I got my dress at has a White Friday deal where you can get great deals. It's appointment only, and the time slots aren't long, so I think a lot of people go in for a longer appointment a week or two before, find a dress or two they like, and go in on Friday to make a final decision and get better prices. Just something to consider!

I got mine in February 2019 and am getting married in June 2020. My dress arrived in June 2020 so now it is hanging in my closet safely in it's bag. I chose to get mine early so I would have ample time to carefully select accessories and enough time for alterations without a rush fee.

I would say do that feels right to you but don't wait too long you will run the risk of not having many choices. I would say order by mid-December at the latest to give enough time for ordering and alterations.

Good luck and have fun!!