How long does a dress really take?

[MagsyMay]

I''ve heard anything from 4 to 9 months... My wedding is 9/11, so just over 8 months away and I am still sans dress. Should I be in a panic? I haven''t been able to get back to the Chicago area to dress shop since I started a new job and am not working most Saturdays. I was hoping to do it this weekend, but the shop doesn''t have any appointments until Feb. 13! If I were to find a dress the weekend of Feb. 20, would that be cutting things really close? It is stressing me out like I ''should'' have this done by now, since people I know getting married after me have had their dress for months.

What do you guys think? Can I stop stressing or do I need to get on it ASAP (i.e. THIS weekened)?

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Hi! With a lot of designers it takes around 6 months. Sometimes they come in much sooner than their expected delivery date, but I wouldn't count on that! I'd start shopping soon! If you can't order something quickly, most designers also have a rush fee. You pay anywhere between $100 to $200 and they can come in closer to 3-4 months.

Have fun shopping! And don't panic yet! They quote such long times because that is the longest that they CAN take!

 

[Nov2109]

I was told my dress would take 6 months to make. It came in three...I bought it over a year out from the wedding. I''ve had my moments of what the heck did I do? So you have saved yourself that stress of buying too early! I wouldn''t panic for another 2 months, but I would start to look as soon as you can, just to be on the safe side, and the process will be less stressful for you, knowing you have sometime...

You can always have your dress "rush ordered" but that can cost a ton!

 

[brown_eyes]

No need to panic yet. I had 7 months between proposal and my May 22nd wedding. I had plenty of time for several appointments and alot of research to find my perfect dress. I found it pretty quickly, but did not feel rushed by consultants and I had a month less than you do now. In fact it turns out my dress will only take a little over 3 months to get here without putting in a rush order. Dont panic. Relax and enjoy finding your dream dress. You have a couple of months before you should be feeling time crunched.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Liike brown-eyes, I also had a 7-month engagement and was eager to get the dress-buying finished soon after we booked the venue. I bought the dress in March and was told it would be in by August...then it arrived in June. I talked with several other brides who got their dress in weeks or months before they were told. I think you have plenty of time--don''t let the pushy salespeople make you feel rushed!

 

[BeachRunner]

I ordered my dress from Pearl''s Place in late summer. It arrived the last week of September. It was a WTOO gown.

They were quick!

 

[MagsyMay]

Thank you so much everyone for the responses! I feel like I can somewhat breathe now! My stress hasn''t been due to pushy salespeople, thankfully, just the stress I feel about not having it done, people with weddings after mine already having their dresses, along with the "you don''t have your dress yet!!?" remarks I''ve gotten from a number of people!

I hope to have it done in the next 3 weeks max, so hopefully that is plenty of time!!

 

[ts44]

For some reason the forum ate my post, but it was basically about perhaps choosing a designer that makes their dresses in the USA/Canada/Mexico. For example, I heard somewhere that Maggie Sottero takes awhile because the dresses are made in Australia and have to be shipped from overseas? Not sure if that's true or not but every little bit might help.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I was quoted a 4 month wait period on mine. Just got it last week and wedding is on 9/18. I think you have about 2 more months before you have to really start worrying.

 

[caribqueen]

I''m just reiterating what others have said because you have enough time. I ordered my dress at the end of July and was told it would take 6 - 7 months, but it actually came in 4 months later at the end of November. It''s all good.

 

[caseygal]

I ordered my dress on August 20th and it ships the last week of February from Canada-it''s a Paloma Blanca. I had some custom stuff added, so that probably makes it take longer.

 

[KatyWI]

Just so you can hear from someone on the other side, my dress didn''t come in a single day earlier than promised... it was there for my first fitting but not before. It did take the full 6 months they said it would!

So I''d get the ball rolling ASAP, partly because it sometimes CAN take that long (and you may need time for alterations!) and partly because it is AWESOME not to have the big stuff hanging over your head.

Have fun! Dress shopping was awesome!!

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Date: 1/27/2010 12:37:00 AM
Author: KatyWI
Just so you can hear from someone on the other side, my dress didn''t come in a single day earlier than promised... it was there for my first fitting but not before. It did take the full 6 months they said it would!


So I''d get the ball rolling ASAP, partly because it sometimes CAN take that long (and you may need time for alterations!) and partly because it is AWESOME not to have the big stuff hanging over your head.


Have fun! Dress shopping was awesome!!

Good advice! As a September bride you are not super late to the game, but you''re not early. I would wait a month or so, but that''s it. Good luck dress shopping!!

 

[soontowed]

I ordered my dress the last week of August and it came in the first week of December!

I ordered it the last possible weekend before it would be considered a rush. I believe it is not considered a rush if it i 14 weeks out (According to Saks). I am glad I waited till the last minute because I had not time to regret my purchase.

 

[MagsyMay]

Thank you everyone for your input and personal experiences! The woman on the phone did say I should allow at least 2 months for fittings (especially b/c I currently live 3+ hours away...and apparently now work Saturdays), so I am taking that into consideration. I am hoping to make my decision the weekend of February 20th and if I can''t bite the bullet then, well we have a problem!! All indications point to choosing the La Sposa Fanal, but if I''m blown away by something before then, eeeeeek! I almost want to order ASAP without looking any further, but I''m worried I could regret that decision later... we''ll see! I''ll post pics when I do make the decision! Can''t WAIT to have that checked off the verrrrry long to-do list!