It’s generally recommended to start shopping for your wedding dress approximately 9 to 12 months before your wedding date. Here’s a breakdown of the timeline:
9-12 Months Before your wedding day:
Begin researching styles, designers, and bridal shops. Schedule appointments at bridal boutiques or salons to try on dresses. This gives you plenty of time to explore different options, consider alterations, and order the dress. Note that when importing a bridal gown to South Africa, the shipping usually takes some time so the lead time on an imported dress is anything from 3 to 6 months. If you’re having a wedding gown custom made, most designers will need a minimum lead time of 3 or 4 months. I personally prefer no les than 3 months to custom make a gown.
6-9 Months Before the wedding:
Once you’ve found your dress, place the order. Keep in mind that some dresses may take several months to arrive, especially if they require customization or are from a popular designer. Factor in time for alterations as well. Note that when ordering a dress from overseas, it’s almost 100% certain that you will require alterations. remember that this will entail extra cost and time.
4-6 Months Before the wedding:
Schedule fittings and alterations with a professional seamstress or tailor. Wedding dresses often need adjustments for the perfect fit, so allow ample time for these alterations. Please be careful to go to a professional who specializes in Bridal wear. While people tend to believe that designers charge more for wedding dresses just because we can, the truth is that we charge a lot because of the level of expertise required to get a wedding dress right. In order to achieve a professional finish, we take many, mamy hours painstakingly working on each bridal gown. As such, I do not recommend trusting anyone without the needed experience to alter your special dress.
2-3 Months Before the wedding:
Have your final fitting to ensure that the dress fits perfectly. Make any last-minute adjustments if needed.
14 days to 1 Month Before your wedding:
Pick up your wedding dress and store it safely until the wedding day. Try it on again to make sure everything is in order. I work on a timeline in which I deliver my clients’ dresses 2 to 3 weeks before the wedding to avoid any unnecessary last minute stress.
By following this timeline, you’ll have enough time to find the perfect dress, make any necessary alterations, and ensure that everything is ready for your special day.