How far before your wedding did you look for a wedding dress?

[harper30]

Good evening wise women of Mumsnet,
Am getting married in August next year and have pretty much organised bugger all except the church so far.

I have no real knowledge of wedding timelines etc so wondered how far in advance you went wedding dress shopping and then bought your dress? Am I daft to do it like 10 months before the wedding? If I look in say October, will all the dresses be the wrong sort of style/season when I want one for summer? I'm in the West Mids so if anyone can recommend lovely bridal shops that would be really helpful as a place to start.

Also have no idea on styles really, there are some I like from looking online but everything looks great on a size 6 model doesn't it? I'm a size 14, pretty tall, large arse, moderate bingo wings kinda gal, so any advice on what styles you all like/went for would also be amazing!

Any and all advice happily accepted thank you

I looked 9 months ahead and some shops said I was cutting it a bit fine! Lots of dresses take at least 6 months to arrive after being ordered then you need time for any alterations.

I got married in March 2018 and started casually looking in February 2017 for my dress. When i say casually i mean going to a few bridal shops on my own to begin with just to get an idea on styles. I found my dress and ordered it in May 2017. It arrived in store ready for alterations in December 2017.
Based on your time line I'd say there's no reason you couldn't start having a casual look now. There's usually a fair few sales in the autumn /winter as well.
Also don't worry about the season of the stock as although bridal designers release new season dresses, they don't follow high street fashion seasons. So if you visit in October the stock won't be winter dresses etc.

As for advice on styles and fabrics, honestly, just go somewhere and try a whole range on. Bridal shops are very used to it. On those early visits take pictures of what you like and try those styles on, but then try other styles too. Don't discount anything on the hanger in those early visits. You have to try a lot on to see what works and what doesn't. You'll soon figure out what works for you and what you like. Have fun!!!

I looked 7 months before and some shops said it was too late! I got my dress but it was only just altered in time.

Yikes! Thanks so much all, I had no idea, I might have a look in August then so that I know where I stand with shops/ordering a dress/fitting etc.
Thanks 👍

Hi op I'm getting married next Feb and have just bought my dress. I took a huge gamble though and bought it from America www.bhldn.com here's the website. I'm 42 and it's my second marriage, I didn't want anything large on my bottom half.

I'm in the West Mids too - what sort of dress are you looking for?

Hi @boredboredboredboredbored thanks for your reply, I honestly have no clue where to start on styles so I will have to take advice and just go to a dress shop I think and see what looks ok on me and what doesn't, did you go to any shops to look? Any you'd recommend?
There's one in Worcester I've always liked the look of, I think it's called The Bridal Boutique. Guess I will just call them and ask when I can come in for a look?

Ooh god I've just looked on the website you bought yours from those dresses are gorgeous!!

Looked and ordered 10 months out.

I feel like I like this sort of style but Christ knows what a dress like that would look like on me, probably not very flattering

1st wedding - we were living abroad but getting married back in the UK in August. My mum came over to see us at Easter and we went down to Cairns wedding dress shopping, found and purchased that weekend and she took it back to the UK for me.

2nd wedding - Booked for 1 Jun in early Apr, went looking at dresses latish Apr and DH to be found one I liked (not a "wedding dress" in this case). Ordered online mid-May.

Engaged in September, tried on a dress or two a couple of weeks later.

Went home to inspect wardrobe, found dressmaker and went with a top “this neckline works for me”, a photo of my mother’s wedding dress “these bits work for me” and an idea for the waistline.

She told me how much fabric I needed so that was a day of fabric shops. She had my dress and dm’s outfit made by end of January. Married in April.

What I ended up with would never have come from a dress shop because it was so out of fashion but it showed my best bits and covered my other bits. And about $1k cheaper. Fabulous experience. I still wish I could wear it every day.

@harper30 go to a place like Wed2Be where they're all on the rack. Try loads of different styles on to get an idea what you like then go from there. I was convinced I wanted a tea-length dress. Went to a store that specialised in them (first dress shopping experience) and came away feeling really despondent. Tried longest dresses on and realised they looked loads better than I thought.

I did 12m before. When I contacted bridal shops, that was their recommendation

Thanks everyone 😊 will go see some next month then to give myself plenty of time

My daughter is marrying in July and we bought hers in May of this year.

Married in April this year. Got my dress 57 days before off the peg, needed alterations to be taken in by a size. So pleased I waited as I lost weight and my style changed!

I got married in September 2017 and started looking at dresses in March the same year, found the dress I liked in the 1st shop, though I wanted it in ivory and they did it for me and was ready at the beginning of August, though I had lost some weight so it had to go back to be adjusted and had the finished dress two weeks before the wedding