Start wedding dress shopping nine to twelve months before your wedding, and aim to order your gown eight to ten months out. Most gowns are made after you order. Production takes about five to nine months at most bridal houses, and alterations need another one to three months once the dress arrives.
Count back from your wedding date. If you are marrying overseas, count back from the day you fly instead, because the gown needs its final fitting before it travels.
Save gowns you like and note the designers behind them, then book your first appointments. Anna Campbell asks brides to book nine to twelve months before the wedding. Tell each boutique your wedding date when you book.
Sposa Bride suggests starting to look eight to ten months out, and its appointments run about 90 minutes. Book two or three boutiques in the same fortnight, so you can compare silhouettes, fabrics and fit while they are fresh. Aim to leave with one or two gowns on your shortlist.
Order once you have chosen, and ask for the delivery date in writing before you pay the deposit. Always & Forever Bridal recommends ordering eight to twelve months before the wedding, and Georgia Young asks for at least nine months' notice.
Most gowns are made after you order. LUV Bridal quotes 26 weeks of standard production, and Sposa Bride up to eight months. Use the wait to choose your veil, shoes and accessories, because you will need the shoes for your fittings.
Alterations start once the gown arrives. KYHA allows one to three months, and Sposa Bride begins four to eight weeks before the wedding. Wear your wedding shoes and underwear to every fitting, so the hem and fit are right.
Try the gown on one last time, check the bustle and how you move in it, then collect it. If you are flying to your wedding, do this before you leave.
Most wedding dresses are made after you order, so the wait is mostly production. Across Melbourne bridal houses, made-to-order gowns take between five and nine months to arrive. Grace Loves Lace ships its made-to-order gowns about five months after purchase, and in the United States, Lovely Bride quotes five to seven months for most designers. Couture can take longer: Alin Le'Kal quotes up to twelve months.
Alterations come after the gown arrives. Sposa Bride starts them four to eight weeks before the wedding, while KYHA allows one to three months. If your gown needs bigger changes, such as added sleeves or a reshaped neckline, ask your seamstress how many fittings to plan for.
Often, yes, though some faster options only apply to select styles. Seven months covers 26 weeks of standard production at LUV Bridal with about a month left for alterations, which is tight. Many houses offer a faster route if you ask:
Tell the boutique your wedding date when you book, so the stylist only shows you gowns that can arrive in time. Jane Hill asks brides marrying within six months to email before booking.
Plan the dress around your flight date. Your final fitting has to happen before you leave, so every step in the timeline above moves forward by however long you will be away before the wedding.
Ask your bridal house how to pack the gown for the flight, and whether it travels in a garment bag or a box. If you need to steam it on arrival, check that your hotel or planner can arrange it before the day.
Book two or three appointments for the same fortnight, about twelve months before your wedding, and take this timeline with you. If you are shopping in Melbourne, our guide to bridal shops in Melbourne lists 19 boutiques and ateliers with their labels and appointment rules.
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