When Should I Order Bridesmaid Dresses: The Ultimate Timeline

You want your girls to look as pretty as yourself. After all, they are a huge part of your big day. It’s your responsibility to give them a glamorous look with the right theme, and color scheme, no matter if it’s an all-black or purple-and-blue wedding. Therefore, it’s important to plan when to order the bridesmaid dresses. At least six months ahead is the best time to avoid any problems.

The ‘hunt’ for your bridesmaid dresses should start early on. This guide will take you through the simple yet important steps to begin your shopping. Most importantly, it will help you check off bridesmaids’ dresses from your pre-wedding list as soon as possible.

Shall we begin?

Start Early On - The Earlier, The Better

Once you select your dream wedding dress, the next thing that you’d like to do first is to choose your bridesmaids' dresses. This seems like a tedious task, so it's best to get started with it as soon as you can.

Take time to choose your bridesmaids’ dresses according to their body shapes. As a rule of thumb, you want to leave plenty of time to gather inspiration and narrow the perfect style and color you desire. So, with enough time left for alterations and delivery, six to eight months before the wedding is the most suitable time to select and order your bridesmaid dresses.

Choosing the Perfect Dress

The process of choosing the perfect dress requires time. Don’t rush through the process. Take time to do the research. Start gathering inspiration and exploring bridal boutiques, both in person and online to figure out the perfect vision for your bridesmaid dresses.

Research is the key

Good things take time. Just like that, perfect bridesmaids’ dresses are going to take a good chunk of your time. Do some research and decide:

• The best style
• Color palette
• Length
• The fabric you desire

During this time, it’s great to sit with the bridesmaids to agree and finalize a fair price based on their budget. Some prefer budget-friendly and affordable dresses. Agreeing at a fair price with them saves you the hassle before committing to any specific choices.

Once you complete the research, and finalize the design, color, and fabric get in touch with the manufacturer. Thoroughly discuss with them how long it will take to order and deliver the dresses, with enough time to make any alterations, if the need arises.

Order Dresses: 6 Months Pre-Wedding

The ideal time to order bridesmaid dresses is 6 months before the wedding day.

• Consider customization and shipping time. Shipping dates for some boutiques and designer dresses can take up to two to three months to arrive. Then you need to ensure that you leave at least two months for any alterations or special styles for your custom-made dresses, especially when you purchase them through online stores. It's better to be prepared and ahead of schedule than run late.
• Make a bridal vision board. Some of your girls prefer dresses with dark colors for a perfect blend with the black tie wedding attire. While others prefer bright colors that uplift their complexion. Nowadays, there is a great trend of creating bridesmaid mood boards. They feature everything you want for the perfect bridesmaid look. From various patterns and styles to the perfect blend of colors, vision boards can feature all details about the dress catered to the likes of each bridesmaid.

Time for Alterations: 2-4 Months Before the Big Day

With about 2-4 months left, this is the time that's all about the dress fittings and adjustments. Irrespective of the body types and sizes, typically all of the bridesmaid dresses need to be altered to some extent. As alterations can take about 2-3 months, it's recommended to try on the dresses as soon as they arrive to avoid any major surprises and leave ample time to fix any issues.

Sometimes alterations may require more than one round. Running short of time during the alteration period could be disastrous. If you allocate enough time, you will have multiple rounds of alterations without stressing out. Pay attention to your tailor's schedule so that your timeline fits with their availability.

Final Fittings: 1-2 Months Before the Big Day

• Make sure you’ve enough time to make the final fitting. Book the final fitting at least 1-2 months before your big day for the perfect alteration. It also makes time for any extra alterations one might need. What makes this an even more important task is the unavailability of seamstresses during certain times of the year. It’s even harder to schedule bookings during the prom season.
• If everything looks perfect and the dress fittings are just as desired, then it's time to take the dresses home. Now comes the crucial part of safely storing the dress until the big day. Advise the bridesmaids to hang the dress in a cool, dry place, and ensure it’s in a breathable cloth bag that comes with it. It’s always best to use a hanger strap to avoid any stretches and ensure it doesn't lose its beauty.
• Accessorize bridesmaid dresses. Once the dresses are finalized, add dazzling statement pieces like shoes and jewelry that will complement the overall look. This not only helps to elevate the style but also enhances the beauty of the dress. Once everything is nicely arranged, you can keep the accessories and dress neatly organized. Now you just need to pack them up for the final event.

The Final Countdown: Wedding Week

The final week of the wedding is the crucial time for the bridesmaids to get out the dress and give a final check to make sure everything is perfect and nothing is missing. It's also a good idea to try on the dress for the final time a few days before the wedding. This way you can rush to the tailor for any last-minute fittings if needed.

Wrapping Up

You only marry once - make sure it’s planned for the best. Follow this guide to plan and order bridesmaids’ dresses with ease. Talk to our experts or follow the resources to plan your big day to perfection. With careful planning and consideration ordering Bridesmaid Dress 101 can be seamless. Share this guide with your loved ones to make the bridesmaid dress shopping experience fun and memorable.