Wedding When did you order your dress?

[JerseyGrl81]

Just curious to see when everyone ordered their wedding dress? Was it quickly after you got engaged? Or how close to your wedding? I got engaged in April 2007 and will be getting married in August 2009. I haven''t ordered my dress yet, because I am scared that I will change my mind once I do! When do you think is latest I should wait to order one?

 

[palomablancabride]

engaged 5/17
bought dress 6/30
wedding 12/20

They say it depends on the designer as far as how soon it takes for a dress to arrive. It''d probably be best to order by January.

 

[Structenggirl]

I think that they tell you to allow 4-6 months for your dress to come in, depending on manufacturer. Then you''d want to allow a little more time in case you need any alterations. We got engaged in March 2008, and I ordered my dress at the end of August. It should be here at the end of December, beginning of January. Our wedding is in March 2009, so that gives me 2 months or so for any alterations and some wiggle room in case the dress arrives later than estimated.

 

[neatfreak]

I ordered mine about 4 months before my wedding, but had to pay rush charges. Generally for most designers you need at least 6 months for no rush charges.

I'd aim to order 6-8 months before and not sooner so you don't change your mind!

 

[emilina22]

i got engaged 12/15/07
i ordered my dress 09/22/08
my dress should be here eith in january or february
and im getting married 6/14/2009

 

[pocahontas]

Date: 10/19/2008 4:02:49 PM
Author: Structenggirl
I think that they tell you to allow 4-6 months for your dress to come in, depending on manufacturer. Then you''d want to allow a little more time in case you need any alterations.

Ditto. FI and I got engaged in April, I ordered my dress at the end of August and it''s scheduled to arrange in January. We''re getting married at the end of April/09.

 

[galleygal]

Well, we got engaged 11/03/07
Bought the dress in July or June 08
and out wedding is going to be in July 09

I may have rushed into buying the dress. I didn''t even start dress shopping until May or June of 08. I guess I just wanted to get that checked off my list...plus I didn''t want to go to any more shops!!! I''m so lame, I know.

 

[mamie]

Engaged- March ''08
Dress purchased- October ''08
Dress arrives- tomorrow! (eBay)
Wedding - June ''09

 

[goldenstar]

I also got engaged in April 2007. I ordered the dress in April 2008 and the wedding is April 2009. The Dress arrived last week (Oct 15). That''s 7 months after I ordered it. Fittings won''t be until January.

Some designers have a faster turn around time.

 

[kittybean]

Engaged: June 2008
Dress Ordered: September 2008
Dress ETA: January 2009
Wedding: June 2009

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Engaged: February 14, 2008.

Dress ordered: Middle of January 2008.

Yep, you read that right. We purchased the ring in December, so I didn't have it on my finger..but I was waiting for it still when I found the dress!

Dress arrived: According to my PS post it was 06/30/2008.

Wedding: June 20, 2009.

ETA: Oopsie didn't answer question, I would order no later than around 6 months before to give yourself cushion.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 10/19/2008 9:54:13 PM
Author: mamie
Engaged- March ''08
Dress purchased- October ''08
Dress arrives- tomorrow! (eBay)
Wedding - June ''09

Mamie, just curious what made you choose Ebay? I know a girl that did that too - the dress fit her perfectly, needed no alterations. I''d love to be able to do that, but with just normal clothes/dress shopping in general, I have to try on so many things just to find the right fit... is that a sign that I should just shop in a real dress shop?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Engaged: Feb 2nd, 2007
Ordered Dress: Late March, 2007
Expected Arrival Date: August 2007
Actual Arrival Date: Late June 2007
Wedding: Sept. 28th, 2007

I gave myself 6 months to get the dress, and expected to have a month for alterations (which my seamstress told me was more than enough time). Turns out the dress came in around the 3 month mark. I sometimes think they are conservative in their estimated arrival times *just in case*.

 

[sba771]

I am a little nuts and ordered my dress this past summer...my wedding isn''t until 1/16/11. In my defense though I ordered it about a month before I moved to Germany where I will remain until 9/10 so there wouldn''t be enough time otherwise. I am having a Orthodox ceremony so it had to have sleeves and when I saw it I fell in love since it is classic. It looks a little like this: http://www.bridalwave.tv/2007/08/monique_lhuilli.html but has short cap sleeves and a different skirt. I know it is really far in advance but a classic never goes out of style. If you love a dress chances are you will always love it

 

[CNOS128]

I ordered my dress 11 months before the wedding, because dress shopping was one of the only planning things I was actually excited to do.
Then my sister-in-law-to-be told me I shouldn''t have ordered it so far in advance because I could be pregnant or "anything could happen" by then. Hmph!

 

[misspinky]

Engaged: June 08
Ordered Dress: July 08
Dress Arrived: October 17
Wedding: December 31, 2008

I would go with the conservative 6 month window. Some designers need more, some less. My dress is a Maggie Sottero, if that helps at all.

 

[JerseyGrl81]

Thanks for all the replies. I am really leaning towards getting a Maggie Sottero dress. I love a lot of her designs! The consultants at the dress shop told me that I would need to order 6 months prior to get the dress and alterations, which would be February. To keep it safe I think I am going to aim to order by the end of December. Think that is enough time?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/22/2008 11:06:30 PM
Author: JerseyGrl81
Thanks for all the replies. I am really leaning towards getting a Maggie Sottero dress. I love a lot of her designs! The consultants at the dress shop told me that I would need to order 6 months prior to get the dress and alterations, which would be February. To keep it safe I think I am going to aim to order by the end of December. Think that is enough time?

That should be plenty of time, but it''s a good idea to pad it a bit if you can as you are planning on!

 

[mrsv]

I ordered mine one month to the day before I got married! I worked with Jennifer at Kleinfelds she was awesome!

 

[StarbuttsKoffee]

Engaged: Jan 08
Ordered Dress: Oct 16 08
Dress Expect to Arrive: unknown (TBC)
Wedding: July 09

yes, I just realized I don''t know when is my dress going to arrive... I asked the seamstress when she did my measurement, she said she doesn''t know and that depends on the season.... I guess I better call my saleslady to confirm about it...

most shops said to order the dress 6 months before your wedding, one or two said 10 months

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Engaged: Late July
Ordered Dress: Mid August
Arrived at the salon: Late April
Took it home: 3 days before my wedding

My dress was couture so a lot of work was tediously done by hand and the dress was constructed in Italy. It took a long time and had to go thru customs which added time, too.

 

[violet02]

Engaged: 12/21/07
Ordered Dress: End of Jan/08
Dress arrived: Mid-July/08
Had four fittings!
Took home dress: 4 days before wedding which occured on 10/4/08
(I had to drive down to Carmel 3 days before, otherwise I''d have picked it up at the last possible minute)

I might have waited another month or so, I loved my dress so I was happy in the long run but I had a few moments in those months of wondering if I''d picked too soon... even though it really wasnt. Personally if I was to do it over again I''d still give myself about the same amount of time, 10 months. I know if I did it further out I''d go through more second guessing. That''s just me though.

 

[dcgator]

Engaged: 10-11-08
Dress Shoping: Right Now!*
Wedding: April or June 2009
Date Bought Dress: Need to buy ASAP to avoid any "rush charges," but will probably be in the next week or two, b/c I will be traveling like crazy for the next month+

* Side note: we were talking about marriage before he proposed so I was looking at dresses and stuff online.

 

[Nocturnius]

I ordered mine three months before the wedding.

DO NOT DO THIS.

Usually you''ll find a designer you particularly like (they typically have a style to them you''ll be drawn to). Once you find that, call around and find out how long it takes to order that designer. It can vary dramatically - Maggie Sottero was six months, and higher-end Amy Michelson was twelve (a "rush" order was eight months for her dresses). You can determine for there how much time you have to purchase it. Don''t rush it, because the dress should be something you''re confident in!