As soon as you get engaged, you start thinking of your wedding dress. Of course, you want to look your best on your wedding day. Unlike other dresses, wedding dress is not an ordinary dress, it in fact holds a significant place in anyone’s life. But before you choose your dress, you need to know what kind of dress you would want to wear. Besides, colors and other aspects of the dress should also be taken care of. Well, if you are also engaged and planning to buy your wedding dress, then here’s the perfect timeline for shopping your dream wedding dress.
Here we go…
12 Months before the Wedding
Of course, your wedding dress won’t be the first thing that you would purchase after your engagement. In fact, the first thing you would do will be – prepare your wedding budget. Setting budget for everything related to your wedding will help you spend in your budget. Besides, you will choose your wedding dates and book your venue. Once you are done with the primary preparations of your wedding, now is the time to start thinking about your wedding dress.
Like you set budget for your wedding venue, wedding music, wedding photography, likewise you need to set a separate budget for your wedding dress. While setting up budget for your wedding dress, Keep in mind that beside the cost of your dress, you will pay for – taxes, alterations, and sometimes shipping as well. Besides your dress, you will have to buy matching shoes, veil, and your wedding jewelry as well, all these will also be included in your wedding dress budget.
Once you’ve set your wedding dress budget, now it’s time to start researching your wedding dress. Well, do not immediately start shopping. First you need to do a bit of research. Find out the kind of dress you would want to wear on your wedding. Search online, Pinterest your favorite dresses, make a separate folder and save images of your favorite dresses. Once you have got an idea of what kind of dress you’re looking for, schedule appointments with few dress shops in your city. However, some will be open for walk-ins, and some would want you to fix appointment before coming.
While you go for meeting with the designer or a boutique make sure you do with your friends or mom or sister. Speak to the dress shop manager about the kind of dress you are looking for, and ask for their recommendations as well. Try on different styles, see waistlines and necklines that suit you the best, also see train lengths etc. Also, do show boutique manager or consultant images that you have saved after online research, so that he can help you with something similar. Besides, there are many famous designers and stores, who you can contact to buy a great wedding dress.
9-10 Months before the Wedding
Since you done enough research and have met designers of your choice also, it means you must have got good idea about the kind of dress you want to wear. Now is the time to say ‘YES’ to your wedding dress. It is the right time to narrow down your choices, if you will continue to try out more and more wedding dresses, you will definitely get confused. There is no point of getting confused. It’s better to come down with few choices. If you think you have found the gown of your dreams, it’s time to place an order.
During buying procedure, you may have to sign a sales contract with the store to begin the process. And the terms and conditions would wary store to store. You may be asked to either full or partial payment. Before you sign the contract with the store, make sure you read all the information and check that everything is in place. After signing the contract, the process may take anywhere from 4 months to 5 months until your dress will arrive. Once it will arrive, you will get a call from the store.
5-6 Months before the Wedding
It is the time when you should receive your wedding dress. However, sometimes there are delays because of the work (if it is intricate) or some other reason. Well, whatever may be the reason for not getting your dress by now, make sure you stay patient! Meanwhile you can shop for other wedding dress related items – such as your undergarments, shoes, etc. When we say undergarments, it includes body shapers, bras, slips, garters, panties etc. Besides, you will need to buy hair accessories and your wedding jewelry that you would wear on your wedding day. It would be great to try your wedding dress with the body shapers and all so that you can get the perfect fitting of your wedding gown.
3 – 4 Months before the Wedding
By now you would receive your wedding dress, now is the time to start the fitting process. Believe it or not, a perfect fitting of the gown is as essential as your gown. Remember that fitting process is again time taking, it is not going to happen overnight. You may have to take two to three separate fitting appointments. Also, while going for the dress fitting appointment, make sure you take along your wedding shoes, undergarments and other accessories that you would be wearing on the day of your wedding.
Your tailor would note and mark appropriate adjustments for the required fitting. Well, when ever you go for the appointment make sure you are accompanied by your close people, so that they can tell you about the correct fitting. Also, make sure that you pay proper attention to the fitting each time, and in case of any issues do talk to the tailor or manager or consultant etc. Check that you are comfortable in your wedding dress and it is fitting well. Walk around, check from every aspect, and see if it is perfectly fitting or not. Do let your tailor know all the adjustments that are still required to be made.
2 months before the wedding
It is the time when you will get the second fitting of your gown. As said earlier you gown’s fitting will happen in three appointments. If there are still some adjustments need to be made in your gown then you will have to come for your second fitting just 2 months before your wedding. Once you are there, make sure you check the fitting properly. It is highly recommended that you leave no stone unturned to get the best fitting of your dream gown. If you find some issue even after the second fitting, do tell your tailor about the issue. Only when you will tell he will know exactly what is needed to be done. Also, make sure you are accompanied by people who are able to help you with the right advice and decisions.
It is the time to have your final fitting. This is when you will get to see the final piece that you are going to wear on the day of your wedding. And yeah, this time also you will have to go along with your friend or family member with whom you can share your special moments. Once your gown is ready – you will need to place to store it. More often than not, stores deliver your wedding dress a few days before the wedding. But if you take it along make sure it is placed safely in a right garment bag. Also, it is important that your veil is wrapped separately so that it doesn’t affect the embellishments of your gown.
1 Day before the Wedding
It’s time to stash everything that you will need on the day of your wedding. Pack a handheld steamer and an emergency kit, which includes, lipsticks, sewing kit, safety pins, fashion tape etc. Of course, prevention is always better than cure. Make sure you ensemble everything from your gown to veil, wedding shoes to your jewelry in one place. So that you do not forget anything on the day of your wedding.
The Day of Your Wedding
Your day has arrived, the day that you have been dreaming of for so long, the day you have been preparing for more than a year. Get your wedding dress professionally steamed and ready for your wedding day. Also, it is recommended to get your make-up and hair before you finally don your wedding dress. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get dressed, so that you can wear all your undergarments, slip etc. without forgetting anything.
AND FINALLY…
Once you are ready in your dream wedding dress, it is time to walk down to the aisle to say your wedding vows! Enjoy your day, have fun and live your day to the fullest, create a lot of wonderful memories that you can cherish all your life.
