Many brides take at least a year to plan their wedding. However, 54% of engaged Americans are unsure where to begin when searching for vendors.
As a bride, it can be a daunting task to find the right bridesmaid dress. Not only do you need to find the right style, but you also want to consider the size and price.
Most people think it’s important to start shopping for bridesmaid dresses the minute you have found your wedding date. However, there are different times when starting shopping is better.
So if you’re wondering if you’re ordering your bridesmaid dresses too early, keep reading. Let’s discuss dress shopping.
Where to Find Bridesmaid Dresses
When you’re beginning wedding planning, you may need help finding quality bridesmaid dresses. Luckily the wedding and fashion industries are thriving, so you have several options, such as the following:
- Buying them online
- Purchasing from wedding dress shops
- Browsing vintage thrift stores
- Hire them from dress rental shops
- Have them custom made
Where you shop may depend on what style you want for your wedding. For example, renting bridesmaid dresses may be better if you’re on a tight budget. However, buying bridesmaids’ dresses at a thrift store will be ideal for completing a particular theme, such as a vintage wedding.
Matching Dresses or Not?
When shopping, you’ll have to consider whether you want all your bridesmaids to wear the same dress styles (which may be more challenging if each bridesmaid has a different body shape).
This decision will also impact where you buy your dresses because you won’t be shopping at a thrift store if you have several women in your bridal party. For example, if you’re after the same black dress for everyone, you can find more black bridesmaid dresses elsewhere.
Pro Tip: Allowing each bridesmaid their own dress style means less pressure when bridesmaid dress shopping.
When to Shop for Your Bridesmaid Dresses
When to shop for bridesmaid dresses depends on a few factors, such as the length of your engagement, how many dresses you need to find, etc. Ideally, for the least stress, you should start shopping for the dresses at least six months before the wedding.
Another thing to consider is whether you’re ordering them online. If you are, you need to factor in the following:
- Shipping times
- Potential shipping delays
- Whether any alterations are needed
If you’re buying the dresses from a retail store, then you may be able to delay shopping by a month or two, but giving yourself the maximum amount of time is recommended. Finally, you want to order all the dresses simultaneously to ensure they arrive on time for the wedding.
Let Your Girlfriends Shine
Finding the perfect bridesmaid dress is essential for your bridal party to feel beautiful and confident when they stand behind you at the altar. The first step in finding bridesmaid dresses is to narrow down where you will look.
No matter what dress style you decide on, remember to start shopping no later than six months before the Big Day. You don’t want to leave it to the last minute and run into problems.
We hope you found this article helpful. We have many more for you to read in our Lifestyle, Luxury, Parenting, and Art categories.
