How far in advance should I start wedding dress shopping, and how late can I leave it?

When to start wedding dress shopping.

When it comes to wedding planning there are very few things that you should leave until the last minute, but shopping for your wedding dress in Cornwall is certainly not one of them. As soon as you get engaged the temptation to rush out and hit the bridal shops in Cornwall is all too hard to resist. Trying on as many wedding dresses as you can, whilst pining every picture you can find on Pinterest. Or maybe you are totally breezy and left it too late and now you are in a panic to find the perfect dress! 

Whilst wedding dress shopping in Cornwall is an experience that should be remembered, shopping too early or too late for your wedding dress can create a few issues. Getting the right balance between shopping too early and too late is particularly important. – Here is some useful advice on - How far in advance should I start wedding dress shopping, and how late can I leave it!

Too Early

Now for all you super excited, newly engaged brides that are just itching to get into a wedding dress and launching headfirst into wedding dress shopping,  I’d recommend avoiding shopping too early for better clarity and a smoother, more successful experience. Shopping too early and trying on too many dresses is likely to leave even the most headstrong bride a little confused. Each season sees a new collection of bridal designs, which means you may not want to commit to purchasing a gown so quickly – even if it happens to be ‘the one’ – due to the dreaded ‘Fear of Missing Out.’ This decision can cause stress for already under pressure brides-to-be.

Instead of shopping for wedding dresses right away, concentrate your efforts on other early wedding planning tasks. Set your budget and gather the inspiration that will shape not just your bridal ensemble but the rest of your wedding day. By using these early days wisely and doing your homework, you’ll be able to start the real business of wedding planning and wedding dress shopping with complete confidence in what you are looking for.

Too Late

As the vast majority of wedding dresses are made to order, you’ll need a decent amount of time to make sure the dress you finally choose is made to perfection. The average bridal gown can take up to six months to make from order so shopping too late may mean only a limited range of ready to wear gowns (off the peg) available to you. Where shorter lead times are possible, those shopping a little too late can leave no room for error and may even have to foot the bill for extra fees to receive their wedding dress on time.

And remember you have to allow time for further alterations in the final weeks before your wedding date too, especially if you are looking to incorporate a wedding dress bustle or have your gown shortened.

Just Right

Providing that you have a strong idea of your wedding style and theme, and have booked your wedding venue for your wedding date, the ideal time to start shopping is around 8/10 months before the big day. Give yourself at least two months to browse and buy your dream wedding dress to ensure you’re able to enjoy a healthy lead time as well as complete any alterations required without rushing. This will leave you feeling completely stress-free, knowing your dress will be with you in plenty of time.

Exceptions

There may be some exceptions to the rules, and of course, the wedding dress shopping timeline is by no means set in stone. There are numerous reasons why you may have to shop a little earlier or later than what I’ve recommended. You may live overseas and want to enjoy the moment with family and friends during your visit. You may be needing to save for your purchase and want to get a better idea of what styles suit you before you make such a large financial commitment. You may be a bride that likes to buy on impulse and give yourself a short lead time in order to choose quickly. There is no right or wrong and every bride has a different opinion on what’s right for them. If you’re planning to enjoy a short engagement, for whatever reason, browsing ready to wear collections and commissioning a seamstress of your own to complete alterations fast will help you to get around the long lead times that usually go hand-in-hand with wedding dress production.

Whatever way you decide to buy your wedding dress in Cornwall make sure you enjoy the experience. Its a lovely moment to share with those important people so have the best time and good luck with your wedding dress journey!

For more information head over to the blog and read my 8 top tips on wedding dress shopping in Cornwall.

Images by Steven Prebble Photography