When should I buy my bridesmaid dresses?
Like any other element of your wedding, we would recommend buying bridesmaid dresses as soon as possible. We always say that you should order them at least 5 months in advance. This recommendation considers lead times (which can be between 8-12 weeks) and allows plenty of time for alterations and sourcing accessories such as shoes, jewellery and hair pieces.
Here are our top tips for getting your bridesmaid dresses organised in time for the big day.
Know Your Lead Times
Different designers have different lead times for bridesmaid dresses and it’s important to be aware of these. When you first start looking at gowns with your bridesmaids, be sure to take a note of these times and make a timeline around the top end of each. For example, some bridesmaid dresses can take up to 12 weeks to arrive. If you work with this as your expectation, you should give yourself plenty of time for the dresses to arrive and alterations to be made way before the big day.
Don’t Forget About Alterations
When your bridesmaids do try their gowns on, it’s likely that a few alterations may be required to get the perfect fit. For example, they might need hemming for shorter maids or taking in at the bust or waist to accommodate different body shapes and types. It’s important not to forget about this step in the process and take steps to find out just how long this might take. If you have a seamstress in mind, you could call them and ask what their current lead times are and let them know when you are expecting delivery of the dresses. Alternatively, if you’re working with a boutique, they will book you in for a fitting date and advise on alterations.
Factor In Decision Making Time
Not everyone has the same tastes or fashion sense, so it may take a while to find a bridesmaid dress that everyone is happy with. For this reason, you should give yourself a bit of time to explore and let your maids try on different styles and shapes to help them find the right design. If you can get to a point where all your maids agree on a certain style or colour, you can narrow down to a shortlist pretty quickly and get the ball rolling on purchasing. A good way to do this is to create a mood board with help from your bridesmaids. Doing this lets everyone have their say, share their ideas and will hopefully help you all come to an agreement sooner rather than later.
Have More Than One Fitting
It is not impossible that following initial alterations, more tweaks might need to be made to bridesmaid dresses before the big day. When working out your timeline, it’s best to have an initial fitting when the dresses arrive and then another around a month before the wedding. Doing this will help account for body changes and give you the time to make alterations without feeling panicked about it.
Don’t Panic
Finally, don’t panic! Yes, we know it’s easier said than done when you’re planning the perfect day but planning your wedding with your favourite people should be an enjoyable experience. It’s probably best to accept that there will be some hiccups along the way, and you can’t have a contingency plan for everything. However, we would absolutely recommend planning for the things you can control and giving yourself plenty of time in advance.
When it comes to your bridesmaid dresses, start the search as soon as possible and aim to get everyone on board with a style and colour ASAP. Then, the fun can really start when you begin shopping around and trying them on!
Here at Lace & Favour, we stock a wide range of gorgeous bridesmaid dresses from well-known brands such as Linzi Jay. Many of these gorgeous gowns are available in a wide range of styles and colours, with both adult and junior versions to suit all of your bridal party. Shop bridesmaid dresses online today with us today.
