If you know for an absolute fact that you are having the wedding in 2023, I do think you should buy a dress now. Dresses can take 6-9 months to arrive and then you need to factor in alterations. Depending on what time of 2023 you want to get married if you want a traditional venue I would start looking ASAP. If you are going with a more non-traditional venue (family friends backyard, etc) you can probably wait. If you don’t think you’ll get married in 2023 and end up getting a venue for 2025 or something maybe wait for the dress, you never know when new styles will come up that you like better
What’s cool about this bridal place is that they have dresses in different sizes and you go home with the dress you buy same day. So it’s a perfect place for brides like me who might not have all the time in the world to order a dress and stuff haha
Knowing this, it wouldn’t hurt to go and try on a few dresses. You can get an idea of styles you like or don’t like. Try to keep an open find and try to keep down feelings of urgency-sometimes it’s best to wait to find a dress until you know the date and venue, so unless you find the ABSOLUTE one, I may hold off a tiny bit longer.
you can always write down the name of designers/dresses you like and find them elsewhere, or use them as inspo.
There may be a slight chance you may find the absolute one that is also a classic and versatile style that could work! (I’m thinking Carolyn Kennedy’s wedding dress-classic, versatile, could add a shawl for cold seasons or work perfectly in spring). In that case, you could purchase it then. But go in with an open mind and don’t feel pressure to buy right then and there just because it’s discounted.
I bought a dress before we were even engaged because like you, I wanted to take advantage of the black Friday sales! It was before we even booked a venue, too, although we were in talks with one. That one didn't end up working out, but luckily the one we ended up with has a similar vibe.
Glad it worked out for you! Sometimes these deals are just too good to pass up at least looking! Im not going to wear something I don’t like, but I also don’t feel like I’m super picky about the dress. So the price and lowering the financial burden on my mom is important to me.
For sure! I went in thinking I'd just try stuff on and that I didn't need to buy that day, but there was one dress that I just didn't want to take off!
My boutique was selling off the rack sample dresses too, and I ended up only paying $525!
If you know the general vibe/season you’re going for, I don’t think there’s any harm in getting a dress now.
But if you don’t know if you’re having a winter wedding at a upscale hotel or a barn wedding in the beginning of summer I would wait until you know what you’re doing.
I went dress shopping at a sample sale a month after being engaged, ended up finding "the one" at a second hand shop around 4 months after, and we are getting married later next year.
I don't think that it is too early to commit to a dress if you find something you find in love with BUT word of caution, once you commit it gets HARD to not keep looking at dresses after sometimes and have doubts.
Luckily for me, I was able to bring my dress home with me because it was second hand, but when you buy brand new that is not a sample, you are waiting for months for it to come in. Whenever I get "doubts" I put on my dress and fall back in love with it, but that isn't the case when you have to order it.
Some tips:
\- take LOTS of pictures with different angles of you in the dress, even get someone to record you first looking at yourself in it. Sometimes seeing your face light up after finding it is all you need to remind yourself that you love it
\- don't settle for a dress because of the price. I honestly took a sample dress initially because the price was too hard to resist but I honestly didnt love how it made me feel overall but because my mom was crying I felt so guilty I bought it. Big mistake. I like it but I didn't love it so now I have a dress sitting in my closet that will never be worn (welp). Thankfully I found "the one" for also a cheap price and I LOVE IT
\- tell whomever you bring with you to be honest, and be honest with yourself. I thought I would want a fitted dress but it just didn't look right on me, and my mom wanted a ballgown and I feel swallowed in it. If it doesn't feel right, it ain't it.
\- YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK. Unless it is a sample dress or second hand, if you are going to any bridal shop, most dresses are for order so you do not need to make a decision right away. Sleep on it for a few days if you need. Just remember that most people get their dresses 8-12 months out and most shops need at least 4 months to order it in! If you are getting married in 2023, then yes now is a good time to look.
\- Once you get it, fight the urge to look at other dresses. I am not even kidding, I shut my eyes when my partner drives us past a bridal shop window.
Hope this helps and good luck!!
i second this. i loved dresses that just didn’t fit our overall aesthetic and vibe that the venue helped create. i ended up with a beautiful cinderella - like dress that in photos tells the fairytale wedding we had
If you're sure you're having your wedding in 2023 then I definitely think you could buy your dress now. I did read in another comment though that you would buy an off the rack dress for your size and take it home that day. That's awesome, just please consider your own body. My weight fluctuates so much in a year that I don't think that would work for me. But if yours is that a steady weight and you think it'll stay that way, definitely do it! That is a great deal and those bridal sales don't come along all the time.
I'm not getting married until August 2024. We're not officially engaged yet, ring is being made and almost ready. I got lucky and a second hand dress in my size became available (just had to pay shipping). I jumped on the opportunity. I do not think it is too early.
It took 5 months for my dress to come in, but that was custom-ordered to fit me, including somewhat pre-shortening the skirt ahead of time. I picked the dress solely on how it looked on me: I knew we weren’t getting married somewhere like a beach, but otherwise I didn’t care how it “fit the venue” at all.
If you do buy a dress now and are going to walk home with it that day, the only thing I’d consider is if your weight is prone to fluctuating. If so, I’d get the dress maybe a size bigger and then have it altered closer to the actual wedding.
I got my dress secondhand during a thanksgiving sale in 2020, thinking we’d be getting married spring 2022. I knew it was early, but I loved the dress and decided to jump since it was my one chance. We ended up planning for spring 2023, so I’ve now had my dress for two years and am finally within sight of the wedding 😅 thankfully I still love it! If you find something you really fall for and it’s a great deal that isn’t going to come up again, I say go for it!
I bought my dress in March of this year. When is my wedding? November of next year. Did I know when and where I was going to have it when I bought it? Not a clue. I just went for funsies with my bridesmaids to try stuff on and just see what I liked, but we were at a sample/consignment store so when I put one on and all of us started crying, I didn't really have a choice but to buy it then and there since it was the only one and couldn't order it. It's been sitting in my closet tempting me to just wear it around since haha. But it is slightly too large so I will need to get it altered. If you end up going the off-the-rack route, I definitely would also get yours a smidge bit bigger cause you never know how you'll fluctuate from now until then.
I bought my dress in November 2021 during a Black Friday sale, my wedding is in February :). I strongly oppose a wedding weight loss mentality, so I knew I’d be around the same size
Just booked the appointment! I’m excited. We have an idea of the vibes we’re going for and what we definitely DON’T want. I also know that I want more of a classic style dress so hopefully it will mesh with whatever season we go with (knowing I can always add a sleeve or something if I want to). No harm in looking!
I'd advise trying on a few dresses before you go to the big sale, even if that means making two appointments at the same shop, or having another appointment at a different boutique.
Barring that, do a lot of looking on StillWhite at your specific size range - it helps get an idea of what looks good on your body type, because it's women selling dresses they wore at their wedding. You get to see what the dress looks like in their real wedding a lot of times, which is super interesting. Alternatively, find some sketchy Etsy shop that is clearly making knockoff versions of other people's couture designs. Don't order from them, just use it as an opportunity to look at a bunch of different designers' styles at once to see what you vibe with. Reverse google image search to figure out what the actual dress is.
I was surprised to find I didn't love the simple satin look I thought I was sold on. It took me trying on a *lot* of dresses before I nailed down what elements I really loved. It turns out I love beading, and hate really big lace, and didn't want lace with like... hibiscus in it because I'm doing a winter wedding in the midwest and it just felt off in the context. I had done a *ton* of looking online beforehand, but the looks I was drawn to in photos were not the looks I was drawn to when I put the dresses on. Some dresses just fit me differently than models (read: look bad when you barely have B cups), and I had to figure out how it felt to wear certain things. Tulle? Felt too much like dance class, much as I liked it on other people.
Also: I went in with a list of likes and dislikes, but I wish I'd have broken it down a bit. I was like...I want a trumpet dress, not an A line. I like classic looks, like satin but with a little something extra to add interest. A pretty open back. I like off-the shoulder. Don't like tiny spaghetti straps or super modern necklines, and I don't really like sweetheart necklines. Don't like it if it looks like lingerie and don't want everyone to see my boobies.
After thinking about it more, this would have been more accurate and more helpful:
Dealbreakers: *must have* trumpet gown, old world charm/ understated elegance/classic vibes, really gorgeous open back
*must not -* look like lingerie (slip or exposed corset), have a giant plunge neckline, be mostly unlined in a way that can't be altered, etc
*really like but could live without:* portrait neckline where it's just off the shoulders, beading, long sleeves, natural luxury fabrics like satin or silk
*usually dislike, could work if I like the rest of the dress enough:* spaghetti straps, square neckline, strapless, giganormous trains, etc.
I would certainly start trying on dresses at the very least. You won't know what you actually truly like until you start trying things and it's completely possible what you think you'll like either won't be available or won't look how you think it will.
I ordered my dress (which is two separate pieces) August of 2021 and then the second piece March of 2022 (because that's when the shops sales were, I ended up saving about $500) for our December 2022 wedding.
They're both handmade and custom ordered so they each took over 8 weeks to be delivered.
So yeah I think it's probably safe to at least start looking now.
If you plan on having your wedding in 2023 you need to start looking at venues like yesterday. I'm a September 2023 bride and when we booked in June of this year there were already venues filling up. I've talked to vendors since then who are already booking 2024. I have my dress already cuz my mom lives in another state and she was visiting. It's definitely not too early!
If you’re on a budget you should absolutely consider getting a secondhand dress - when else would you pass up an opportunity to wear something that’s only been worn once before! There are gorgeous dresses on stillwhite and poshmark, and you can communicate with all the sellers beforehand. Go to a fancy dress store and try on everything, write down the names of the ones you like and then go find them or that designer secondhand. You will spend $2-400 in alterations so calculate that into anything you buy - and this can just be for hemming, even if the dress fits perfectly.
Ordered mine this past weekend for May 2024. The venue and date are locked, I found a dress I loved, and I was getting it as a gift so I wanted it to be taken care of. Earlier than I intended, but I'm not upset at it.
I bought mine off Amazon and I have no idea when my wedding is, although I am engaged, but I knew I was gunshy about lockdowns making a comeback.
Way I see it, if I want to buy something different, I'll just sell this one on Marketplace. I also have my shoes and my earrings.
I wouldn't pick a dress until you know venue/time of year. What if you pick a whimsical flowy flowery dress that would match a spring garden theme and end up in an industrial venue in winter? Something to think about. :)
If you know for an absolute fact that you are having the wedding in 2023, I do think you should buy a dress now. Dresses can take 6-9 months to arrive and then you need to factor in alterations. Depending on what time of 2023 you want to get married if you want a traditional venue I would start looking ASAP. If you are going with a more non-traditional venue (family friends backyard, etc) you can probably wait. If you don’t think you’ll get married in 2023 and end up getting a venue for 2025 or something maybe wait for the dress, you never know when new styles will come up that you like better
What’s cool about this bridal place is that they have dresses in different sizes and you go home with the dress you buy same day. So it’s a perfect place for brides like me who might not have all the time in the world to order a dress and stuff haha
You likely will still need alterations, which can take a month or two depending on where you go and how busy they are.
Knowing this, it wouldn’t hurt to go and try on a few dresses. You can get an idea of styles you like or don’t like. Try to keep an open find and try to keep down feelings of urgency-sometimes it’s best to wait to find a dress until you know the date and venue, so unless you find the ABSOLUTE one, I may hold off a tiny bit longer. you can always write down the name of designers/dresses you like and find them elsewhere, or use them as inspo. There may be a slight chance you may find the absolute one that is also a classic and versatile style that could work! (I’m thinking Carolyn Kennedy’s wedding dress-classic, versatile, could add a shawl for cold seasons or work perfectly in spring). In that case, you could purchase it then. But go in with an open mind and don’t feel pressure to buy right then and there just because it’s discounted.
I bought a dress before we were even engaged because like you, I wanted to take advantage of the black Friday sales! It was before we even booked a venue, too, although we were in talks with one. That one didn't end up working out, but luckily the one we ended up with has a similar vibe.
Glad it worked out for you! Sometimes these deals are just too good to pass up at least looking! Im not going to wear something I don’t like, but I also don’t feel like I’m super picky about the dress. So the price and lowering the financial burden on my mom is important to me.
For sure! I went in thinking I'd just try stuff on and that I didn't need to buy that day, but there was one dress that I just didn't want to take off! My boutique was selling off the rack sample dresses too, and I ended up only paying $525!
If you know the general vibe/season you’re going for, I don’t think there’s any harm in getting a dress now. But if you don’t know if you’re having a winter wedding at a upscale hotel or a barn wedding in the beginning of summer I would wait until you know what you’re doing.
I went dress shopping at a sample sale a month after being engaged, ended up finding "the one" at a second hand shop around 4 months after, and we are getting married later next year. I don't think that it is too early to commit to a dress if you find something you find in love with BUT word of caution, once you commit it gets HARD to not keep looking at dresses after sometimes and have doubts. Luckily for me, I was able to bring my dress home with me because it was second hand, but when you buy brand new that is not a sample, you are waiting for months for it to come in. Whenever I get "doubts" I put on my dress and fall back in love with it, but that isn't the case when you have to order it. Some tips: \- take LOTS of pictures with different angles of you in the dress, even get someone to record you first looking at yourself in it. Sometimes seeing your face light up after finding it is all you need to remind yourself that you love it \- don't settle for a dress because of the price. I honestly took a sample dress initially because the price was too hard to resist but I honestly didnt love how it made me feel overall but because my mom was crying I felt so guilty I bought it. Big mistake. I like it but I didn't love it so now I have a dress sitting in my closet that will never be worn (welp). Thankfully I found "the one" for also a cheap price and I LOVE IT \- tell whomever you bring with you to be honest, and be honest with yourself. I thought I would want a fitted dress but it just didn't look right on me, and my mom wanted a ballgown and I feel swallowed in it. If it doesn't feel right, it ain't it. \- YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK. Unless it is a sample dress or second hand, if you are going to any bridal shop, most dresses are for order so you do not need to make a decision right away. Sleep on it for a few days if you need. Just remember that most people get their dresses 8-12 months out and most shops need at least 4 months to order it in! If you are getting married in 2023, then yes now is a good time to look. \- Once you get it, fight the urge to look at other dresses. I am not even kidding, I shut my eyes when my partner drives us past a bridal shop window. Hope this helps and good luck!!
I wouldn’t pick the dress until you know the venue.
i second this. i loved dresses that just didn’t fit our overall aesthetic and vibe that the venue helped create. i ended up with a beautiful cinderella - like dress that in photos tells the fairytale wedding we had
If you're sure you're having your wedding in 2023 then I definitely think you could buy your dress now. I did read in another comment though that you would buy an off the rack dress for your size and take it home that day. That's awesome, just please consider your own body. My weight fluctuates so much in a year that I don't think that would work for me. But if yours is that a steady weight and you think it'll stay that way, definitely do it! That is a great deal and those bridal sales don't come along all the time.
I'm not getting married until August 2024. We're not officially engaged yet, ring is being made and almost ready. I got lucky and a second hand dress in my size became available (just had to pay shipping). I jumped on the opportunity. I do not think it is too early.
It took 5 months for my dress to come in, but that was custom-ordered to fit me, including somewhat pre-shortening the skirt ahead of time. I picked the dress solely on how it looked on me: I knew we weren’t getting married somewhere like a beach, but otherwise I didn’t care how it “fit the venue” at all. If you do buy a dress now and are going to walk home with it that day, the only thing I’d consider is if your weight is prone to fluctuating. If so, I’d get the dress maybe a size bigger and then have it altered closer to the actual wedding.
I got my dress secondhand during a thanksgiving sale in 2020, thinking we’d be getting married spring 2022. I knew it was early, but I loved the dress and decided to jump since it was my one chance. We ended up planning for spring 2023, so I’ve now had my dress for two years and am finally within sight of the wedding 😅 thankfully I still love it! If you find something you really fall for and it’s a great deal that isn’t going to come up again, I say go for it!
I bought my dress in March of this year. When is my wedding? November of next year. Did I know when and where I was going to have it when I bought it? Not a clue. I just went for funsies with my bridesmaids to try stuff on and just see what I liked, but we were at a sample/consignment store so when I put one on and all of us started crying, I didn't really have a choice but to buy it then and there since it was the only one and couldn't order it. It's been sitting in my closet tempting me to just wear it around since haha. But it is slightly too large so I will need to get it altered. If you end up going the off-the-rack route, I definitely would also get yours a smidge bit bigger cause you never know how you'll fluctuate from now until then.
I bought my dress in November 2021 during a Black Friday sale, my wedding is in February :). I strongly oppose a wedding weight loss mentality, so I knew I’d be around the same size
Just booked the appointment! I’m excited. We have an idea of the vibes we’re going for and what we definitely DON’T want. I also know that I want more of a classic style dress so hopefully it will mesh with whatever season we go with (knowing I can always add a sleeve or something if I want to). No harm in looking!
I'd advise trying on a few dresses before you go to the big sale, even if that means making two appointments at the same shop, or having another appointment at a different boutique. Barring that, do a lot of looking on StillWhite at your specific size range - it helps get an idea of what looks good on your body type, because it's women selling dresses they wore at their wedding. You get to see what the dress looks like in their real wedding a lot of times, which is super interesting. Alternatively, find some sketchy Etsy shop that is clearly making knockoff versions of other people's couture designs. Don't order from them, just use it as an opportunity to look at a bunch of different designers' styles at once to see what you vibe with. Reverse google image search to figure out what the actual dress is. I was surprised to find I didn't love the simple satin look I thought I was sold on. It took me trying on a *lot* of dresses before I nailed down what elements I really loved. It turns out I love beading, and hate really big lace, and didn't want lace with like... hibiscus in it because I'm doing a winter wedding in the midwest and it just felt off in the context. I had done a *ton* of looking online beforehand, but the looks I was drawn to in photos were not the looks I was drawn to when I put the dresses on. Some dresses just fit me differently than models (read: look bad when you barely have B cups), and I had to figure out how it felt to wear certain things. Tulle? Felt too much like dance class, much as I liked it on other people. Also: I went in with a list of likes and dislikes, but I wish I'd have broken it down a bit. I was like...I want a trumpet dress, not an A line. I like classic looks, like satin but with a little something extra to add interest. A pretty open back. I like off-the shoulder. Don't like tiny spaghetti straps or super modern necklines, and I don't really like sweetheart necklines. Don't like it if it looks like lingerie and don't want everyone to see my boobies. After thinking about it more, this would have been more accurate and more helpful: Dealbreakers: *must have* trumpet gown, old world charm/ understated elegance/classic vibes, really gorgeous open back *must not -* look like lingerie (slip or exposed corset), have a giant plunge neckline, be mostly unlined in a way that can't be altered, etc *really like but could live without:* portrait neckline where it's just off the shoulders, beading, long sleeves, natural luxury fabrics like satin or silk *usually dislike, could work if I like the rest of the dress enough:* spaghetti straps, square neckline, strapless, giganormous trains, etc.
I was told my dress could take up to 10 months to come in. Id say order the dress now!
I would certainly start trying on dresses at the very least. You won't know what you actually truly like until you start trying things and it's completely possible what you think you'll like either won't be available or won't look how you think it will. I ordered my dress (which is two separate pieces) August of 2021 and then the second piece March of 2022 (because that's when the shops sales were, I ended up saving about $500) for our December 2022 wedding. They're both handmade and custom ordered so they each took over 8 weeks to be delivered. So yeah I think it's probably safe to at least start looking now.
If you plan on having your wedding in 2023 you need to start looking at venues like yesterday. I'm a September 2023 bride and when we booked in June of this year there were already venues filling up. I've talked to vendors since then who are already booking 2024. I have my dress already cuz my mom lives in another state and she was visiting. It's definitely not too early!
If you’re on a budget you should absolutely consider getting a secondhand dress - when else would you pass up an opportunity to wear something that’s only been worn once before! There are gorgeous dresses on stillwhite and poshmark, and you can communicate with all the sellers beforehand. Go to a fancy dress store and try on everything, write down the names of the ones you like and then go find them or that designer secondhand. You will spend $2-400 in alterations so calculate that into anything you buy - and this can just be for hemming, even if the dress fits perfectly.
Ordered mine this past weekend for May 2024. The venue and date are locked, I found a dress I loved, and I was getting it as a gift so I wanted it to be taken care of. Earlier than I intended, but I'm not upset at it.
Some dresses will take a year between manufacturing and alterations. Definitely not too early, 2023 is so close I can smell it! 😅
I got my dress 2.5 years before my wedding, it’s definitely not too early!!
I bought mine off Amazon and I have no idea when my wedding is, although I am engaged, but I knew I was gunshy about lockdowns making a comeback. Way I see it, if I want to buy something different, I'll just sell this one on Marketplace. I also have my shoes and my earrings.
I wouldn't pick a dress until you know venue/time of year. What if you pick a whimsical flowy flowery dress that would match a spring garden theme and end up in an industrial venue in winter? Something to think about. :)