So the main question we get asked when we first speak to brides, whether that be at fairs or on Instagram is ‘when should I be shopping for my dress?’ And the truth of it is, when you are ready! Our recommendation would be to give yourself at least a year and there are some key factors that you do need to keep in you in mind.
Run times!
Alteration time!
And actually shopping for your dress!
With these 3 very important things in mind, our advice is always to give yourself a year. To help this make a little more sense, let us break this down.
1. Runtimes:
So our runtimes at Vicki’s are anything from 12-16 weeks for a standard order, depending on the designer. Why so long? You ask. This is because wedding dresses are made to order. Kelsey Rose and Ellis will sometimes have stock ready for immediate delivery, but this is on a very limited selection. Nieve Couture and House of Mooshki do offer rush cuts but this does come at an extra cost and can make the process feel a little more stressful.
2. Alterations:
We have a selection of very talented recommended seamstresses for you to book in with once you have your dress, but something to bear in mind is that our ladies like you on their books at least 8-10 weeks before your wedding. Especially through the summer months, these fairy godmothers of the bridal world are very busy and they want to make sure they have plenty of time to work their magic on your dress.
3. Actually Shopping for Your Dress:
This is the part every bride overlooks, just think how long it takes to get everyone organised for drinks on a Friday night!! Now imagine having to do this several times in the space of a couple of months but on a Saturday daytime!! Between works schedules, distance, family life and anything else we all have going on. Bringing your Bridal party together can be as tricky as the dreaded seating plan! So give yourself time to enjoy your shopping with your bridal party without the ticking clock.
The long and short of it is, it is never too early to order your dream dress but it can be too late! So if you're a 2023 bride get shopping and enjoy the experience stress-free or even if you are 2024 bride who is hot on your wedding planning and ready to shop, go for it! You won’t be the first 2024 bride to get their dress sorted, and then you can sit back and relax.
If you want to chat some more about shopping for your dress with us, drop us an email or give us a call. We are always happy to talk you through anything.
Drop us a line: info@vickisbridalboutique.co.uk
Give us a Call: 01580 766083