When Should I Start Shopping for My Wedding Dress?
Newly engaged and wondering how far out to buy a wedding dress? We’ve got the answer for you in this blog post.
Recently on the Hand-Me-Gowns blog, we've written about the latest wedding dress trends for 2024, how to pick the perfect bridal accessories, and the perks of selling your old wedding dress. We want to be your go-to blog for wedding tips and tricks!
With 2024 upon us, more brides-to-be across the country are wondering when to start shopping for a wedding dress. The big question on deck being, “How far in advance should you buy a wedding dress?” Maybe you've had your eye on your dream bridal gown for ages; maybe you're super overwhelmed and just don't know where/when/how to start this whole process; or, maybe you've just booked your wedding venue and in a rush to buy a wedding dress that will go oh-so well with your perfect location.
When planning for this big moment, it really helps to know the key details involved in the search for your best bridal gown. So, to make things a little easier for y'all, this latest blog post breaks down all you need to know about when to go wedding dress shopping, including how early you should buy your wedding dress and what to wear to your bridal appointment!
When to go dress shopping for your wedding: a handy timeline
When to go wedding dress shopping: table of contents
How far in advance should I buy my wedding dress?
Why you shouldn’t buy your wedding dress too early
How long does wedding dress shopping take?
When to get a wedding dress altered
A bridal gown shopping timeline: 9 tips
What to wear when going wedding dress shopping
How far in advance should I buy my wedding dress?
Before you let the anticipation of shopping for that wedding dress get the best of you, take a moment for a little reality check. So first things first, is there such a thing as buying your wedding dress too early? In a way, yes.
We know it's a thrilling time and all (remember, more fun and less stress!), but buying your wedding dress too early may result in a few last-minute (a.k.a anytime six months or less before the big day) stressors that you might not have considered beforehand.
Some of us are more up-and-at-'em types and others work better when there's a time crunch. We're all different, so we're not gonna tell you that there's truly an exact perfect time for when to buy a wedding dress, but a ballpark estimation can't hurt, right?
If you ask your average bride-to-be, the answer when it comes to how far in advance should you buy your wedding dress is: after you've booked your wedding venue. Many brides have also shared that the best estimation is buying your wedding dress 6-15 months in advance.
The "don't say yes to the dress until you've booked the wedding venue" is a strong rule for many brides, although not everyone follows it. We at Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal do think that the wedding venue rule is a good timeline to follow, because you'll know the date of your wedding day. This means you'll know if you're going to be a summer, fall, winter, or spring bride, so you can start shopping for your wedding dress with a good sense of the overall vibe of the day :)
How far out to buy your wedding dress? It’s 6-15 months before the big day.
Why we don't recommend buying your wedding dress too early:
Early bird? We hear you. As something that is arguably one of the most important fashion purchases of your life, millions of women around the globe tend to buy their wedding gowns years (like, many years) in advance. Which begs the question: Is there such a thing as buying your wedding dress too early?
Some people indulge in a little online window shopping after a month or two of dating someone new (pro tip: don't do it!), some have their wedding dress bought and stored years before the day, and others have that as the first thing to check off of their wedding 'To-do' list the day after their engagement. Keeping all of that in mind, here’s why we really don’t recommend buying your wedding dress too early.
Your body evolves
Buying your wedding dress too early means that you’ll probably end up dealing with sizing issues, and you don't want to stress over getting too many wedding dress alterations. This also means you have to really consider when to get your wedding dress altered, and it also means lots of extra money.
Your personal style might also evolve
Aren’t we all constantly evolving? This means that your fashion sense (and what you feel most comfortable wearing) will evolve, even over a couple of years. Why not wear a dress that reflects your best self on this special day?
Many dress trends are timely
If you're a trendy gal (and plan to be a trendy bride), you probably won't want to buy your wedding dress too early cause ‘ya know, trends. Remember, bridal trends do tend to change with the seasons the way they do in other parts of the fashion industry. Typically in the bridal fashion world, there’s a new “spring” and a “fall” collection that comes out every year, and some styles will be discontinued as soon as 8 months or up to a few years after their initial release.
So if you’re looking to be a super trendy, up-to-the-minute bride, this is something to consider when it comes to buying your wedding dress super early.
The cost of a bridal gown doesn’t fluctuate much in 1-2 years
In a year or two, the cost of a bridal gown won't fluctuate too much (if at all). This is why we don't recommend counting on big sales when it comes to shopping for your wedding dress. Your gown is not a "grab today before it's gone tomorrow" type of deal. Plus, with all of the options available nowadays to consign afterwards and buy beautiful designer gowns that have been preowned, there's more efficient ways to save on your wedding dress cost.
When should you start shopping for your wedding dress? Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal
How long does wedding dress shopping take?
If you get it on the first try, shopping for a wedding dress can take just one afternoon. Being in the bridal wear business for a few years now, we’ve seen lots of brides-to-be meet their perfect gown at their first bridal appointment. Of course, you have to account for all the prep work that goes into wedding dress shopping, like the research, making a mood board, setting a budget, gathering your little entourage, and scheduling your appointment – all of which can take a handful or two of hours over the course of 4-6 months.
A typical bridal appointment is 90 minutes, and that’s sometimes how long (or little) it can take to shop for and find that wedding dress of your dreams!
When to get a wedding dress altered
Thrilled that you've finally said ‘Yes’ to the dress?! Congrats! But, the wedding dress shopping process isn't quite over until you've picked those beautiful matching bridal accessories and getting any needed wedding dress alterations.
That being said, the answer for when to get a wedding dress altered is pretty simple: ASAP. This is especially true if you've bought your gown less than six months before the big day.
So, once you've found your dream bridal gown, best to head on over to your local alterations shop right away to get any needed work done on your wedding dress. If stick to the 6-15 months timeline for buying your wedding dress that we mentioned above, then you can get your wedding dress alterations done on time.
Need to get your wedding dress altered? Don’t wait until the last-minute!
A bridal gown shopping timeline
Overwhelmed with all the questions about shopping for your wedding dress? Follow this timeline that takes you through the process of shopping for and buying your wedding dress from start to finish.
1. Know your personal wedding dress style
Before you start with all the frenzy of searching the internet, planning, and shopping for your dream wedding dress, take some time to center yourself. Figure out your bridal style (are you more boho or classic/chic?) and create a vision of what you want your dress and vibe to be on your wedding day. When you have a better idea of what you're looking for, then that perfect wedding dress is more likely to manifest.
This is one of the reasons why we ask our brides to bring in a mood board to their bridal appointment, so that we all have something to work with, including some inspo to grab from if needed.
2. Search bridal trends
Once you have a better idea of your personal bridal style, start searching the interwebs and get some much-needed wedding dress inspiration! Go back to those Pinterest boards that you saved 4 years ago in a super productive procrastination session – they’re finally coming in handy!
3. Set your wedding dress budget
Although it’s not as fun as pinning wedding dresses and making boards until the break of dawn, setting your wedding dress budget is a pretty essential part of buying a your bridal gown.
Same as owning your own individual bridal style, owning and sticking to your dress budget will help you weave out anything that comes your way that just doesn't match your vibe. Wondering where to start, budget wise? Here’s how much on average a wedding dress should cost in 2024.
The ultimate guide on shopping for your wedding gown: Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal
4. Picture your perfect dress shopping experience
Along with your personal style and budget, what you're looking for in your wedding dress shopping experience is just as important. Do you picture yourself scrambling and shoving with other bargain shoppers? Or, do you want to make a day of it and shop with some of your most cherished friends?
Every bride deserves to enjoy their experience shopping for a wedding dress, so it's important to check out the details with different bridal shops to see what kinds of services they offer (or don't really offer). Will you be treated like a queen or will you just be another walking dollar sign? Believe it or not, you CAN have a cherished experience when buying your wedding dress!
5. Invite your people
Your entourage is one of the most important parts of a perfect day shopping for your wedding dress. So be choosy and pick an intimate group that will be super supportive and lots of fun during this process. When you’ve found a day when y’all are available, it’s time to book your bridal appointment!
6. Book your bridal appointment
Once you've found what you think is the right match (the boutique, not the dress – yet!), then book your time slot with the bridal shop (or shops) and start preparing what to bring for your wedding dress appointment.
7. Find ‘The One’
Armed with your support system and the help of professionals at a bridal boutique, you're on the way to finding your dream wedding gown. With your budget, boundaries, personal style, and your people by your side, don’t forget to enjoy every moment!
8. Get your wedding dress alterations
Need to make a few adjustments to your gown? Once you've bought your dream gown, go ahead and find a shop that will make those wedding dress alterations for you as soon as possible. You don’t want to be stressing at the last-minute.
9. Shop for your bridal accessories
Time to have more fun and accessorize. Whether you want to jazz up your bridal look with some super stylish shoes or splurge on your dream bridal veil, shopping for your amazing bridal accessories can be just as fun as shopping for your wedding dress.
Find ‘The One’ with our selection of pre-loved wedding dresses at Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal shop, New Jersey.
What to wear when going wedding dress shopping
Another common question we get asked if what to wear when going wedding dress shopping. To help you easily prep for your upcoming bridal appointment, here’s a couple of ‘musts’ for your checklist: neutral-colored underwear, a clip for your hair, and a comfortable outfit.
While a bra is not mandatory, wearing underwear when going wedding dress shopping is an absolute must! With no underwear bottoms on, we unfortunately won’t let you try on any dresses. You don’t want to be running to the store for a package of underwear in a hurry, so please bring them with you to your appointment! The hair clip is for you to wear so we’ll get a better idea of how the dress will look on you with your hair up or down on your wedding day.
Over the years, we’ve also noticed that our brides-to-be shop better when they are at ease and in their element, so that’s why we recommend wearing a comfortable outfit to your bridal appointment. Whether that’s being business casual or dressed for a fun Sunday brunch, wear something that you can easily slip in and out of when shopping for your wedding dress!
We’ve got a whole blog post on what to bring wedding dress shopping, so you can catch all the deets on there. Trust us, arriving prepared to your bridal appointment will help things go oh-so smoothly!
Find your dream dress at Hand-Me-Gowns
When the stress of it all kicks in, don’t forget to feel some of that excitement in the journey of finding your dream wedding dress. It's supposed to be fun, remember? Specializing in preowned wedding dresses for all types of brides, Hand-Me-Gowns helps you match with your perfect bridal gown.
We work hard to provide that personal touch to all of our bridal appointments, so check us out and book your appointment at our dress shop today. We’re excited to meet you! Let’s make shopping for your wedding dress a breeze.
