When Should I Start Wedding Dress Shopping?
Got engaged over the holidays and wondering when to start wedding dress shopping? This blog post outlines your bridal gown shopping timeline from start to finish.
The purchase of your bridal gown is arguably one of the most monumental moments of your wedding planning process. And because it can be such a big event, we want to throw it out there that shopping for your wedding dress should be a wonderful, memorable, and stress-free experience.
It's been what we call "bridal Christmas" season over here at Hand-Me-Gowns, which is basically high season for wedding dress shopping. With brides-to-be prepping for their weddings later this year, the first few months of the calendar year is always a busy time at our small-town boutique.
Which is why we're here to inform 'ya that planning for where and when to buy a wedding dress doesn't have to be so complicated. We answer questions like, “How far in advance should you buy a wedding dress” (hint: never too early…but we'll go into details in a bit) to how long wedding dress shopping should really take, to a realistic shopping timeline, this blog post lays it out for all you anxious brides-to-be.
When to start wedding dress shopping: a timeline
When to buy a wedding dress in 2025: table of contents
Best time to buy a wedding dress
How early should you buy your wedding dress?
How long does wedding dress shopping take?
Wedding dress shopping timeline: 10 tips
Best time to buy a wedding dress
Many brides have shared that the best time to buy a wedding dress is 6-15 months in advance from the big day. And typically, the custom is to purchase the gown only after the wedding venue is booked.
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 this venue rule is a good one. For starters, you'll know the exact date of your big day, which means you'll know if you're going to have a summer, fall, winter, or spring wedding, so you can start shopping for your wedding dress with a good sense of the overall vibe of your wedding.
How far out to buy your wedding dress? It’s 6-15 months before the big day.
How early should you buy your wedding dress?
Early bird? We hear you. As something that is arguably one of the most important fashion purchases of your life, numerous people make the mistake of purchasing their wedding gown years in advance. Which begs the question: Is there such a thing as buying your wedding dress too early? The answer is yes.
We know it's a thrilling time and all, but there's a myriad of reasons why you shouldn't buy your wedding dress too far in advance. For one, buying a gown too early may result in a few last-minute stressors that you might not have considered beforehand.
So, how early should you buy your wedding dress? Well, we don’t recommend buying a wedding dress any earlier than a year and a half from the big day. And here’s why:
Your body evolves
Wondering when to buy a wedding dress if you’re losing weight? Don’t fall into the trap of waiting too long to start shopping for your wedding dress. The truth is that some brides-to-be will hold out in hopes that they can eventually buy their wedding dress when they’re at the “perfect weight.” Please, don’t do this! These oftentimes unrealistic goals lead to lots of unnecessary stress and disappointment.
Instead, accept that your body might fluctuate over six months to a year. Make sure you have enough time to get those gown alterations done after buying your wedding dress because more often than not, some type of alteration will be needed.
Many dress trends are timely
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 wedding dress styles will be discontinued as soon as 8 months or up to a few years after their initial release on the market.
So if you’re the stylish, up-to-the-minute bride, trends are really something to consider for when to start looking for a wedding dress.
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 a purchase.
Wondering what to do with your wedding dress after the wedding? There’s a lot of options available nowadays to consign your wedding dress, and more newlyweds are loving the option to recoup some of the cost of their gown after the big day has passed.
When should you start wedding dress shopping?
How long does wedding dress shopping take?
Okay, there are two answers to this question.
Being in the bridal wear business for about three years now, we’ve seen lots of brides-to-be meet their perfect gown at their very first bridal appointment. Which means that if you find 'The One' on pretty much the first try, wedding dress shopping can take just a couple of hours! Our bridal shop offers a Full Bridal Appointment which is an hour and a half, and a Quick Bridal Appointment is one hour long. And sometimes, one bridal appointment to try on wedding dresses at the right boutique might be all you need.
Of course, you have to account for all the prep work that goes into planning to start wedding dress shopping. This includes everything from researching the best places to buy a wedding dress near you and then calling, emailing, and booking appointments at said places. Then there are a few tasks for that To Do list, like making a mood board (to get a better vision of the style of a dress you'd like, which we recommend), setting a dress budget, as well as gathering your little entourage of cheerleaders to accompany you on this honorable feat. All of this prep to start wedding dress shopping typically ranges from three weeks to three months.
Your perfect wedding dress shopping timeline
Overwhelmed with all the questions around when to start wedding dress shopping? Follow this timeline that takes you through the process of when to start looking for your wedding dress and other shopping tips.
1. Discover your personal style
Before you start with all the mania of searching the internet, planning, and shopping for the wedding dress of your dreams, take some time to center yourself. Figure out your bridal style, like, are you more of a boho bride or are you feeling more classic and traditional? From that, vision what you want your wedding dress vibe to be on your big day. When you have a better idea of what you're in the market for, then that perfect bridal gown is more likely to manifest.
Looking for a little inspiration? We curated this bridal style quiz to help our brides get a better idea of their personal wedding dress style!
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 and check out what’s trending in the world of bridal gowns.
Now’s the time to go back to those Pinterest boards that you saved 4 years ago (no judgement) 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 Pinterest boards ‘til the break of dawn, setting your gown budget is a pretty essential part of buying a wedding dress.
Just like owning your individual bridal style, sticking to your 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 2025.
4. Picture your perfect dress shopping experience
Along with your personal bridal style and budget, what you're looking for when it comes to wedding dress shopping 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 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 of people that will be super supportive and lots of fun during this process of buying your dream gown.
So whether you want to bring 1 person or 3-4 people wedding dress shopping with you, just make sure they have your back!
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 at those bridal boutiques and start preparing what to bring wedding dress shopping, including what to wear and a few other things for that checklist.
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, not to mention your people by your side, you’re ready to find your dream gown. And don’t forget to enjoy every moment along the way.
8. Celebrate!
Once you’ve found your dream wedding dress, don’t be afraid to honor this magical moment! Pop some bubbly, take the pics, and cherish it all. If you have some time after your bridal appointment, check out some of the best things to do in Downtown Hammonton and make the most of this occasion with a celebratory lunch or dinner.
9. Get your wedding dress alterations
Need to make a few adjustments to your gown? Most brides do, in fact. So once you're done wedding dress shopping, go ahead and find a place to get those gown alterations done as soon as possible. You don’t want to be stressing at the last-minute.
10. 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.
Where to go wedding dress shopping? Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal sells preowned wedding dress off-the-rack
Find your dream wedding dress at Hand-Me-Gowns
Specializing in preowned wedding dresses for all types of brides, Hand-Me-Gowns helps you match with your perfect bridal gown. Our wedding dresses are sold off-the-rack, and are ready for you to take home on the day of purchase!
We work hard to provide you with that personal touch at your bridal appointment, so check us out and book your appointment at our boutique today. We’re excited to meet you, and let’s make shopping for your wedding dress a breeze.
Sustainably Yours,
Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal
xoxo
