When Should You Start Wedding Dress Shopping? Our Complete Bridal Gown Timeline
You said yes. The venue is booked. The date is on the calendar. Now comes one of our favorite parts: helping you find your dress.
Many of our brides are surprised to learn that timing matters as much as the dress itself. The gowns from our designers aren't pulled off a rack and handed to you. They're made to order for you, then altered to fit you perfectly. That process takes more time than most people expect.
The short answer: we recommend ordering your wedding dress 10 to 12 months before your wedding. Here's why, and how the timeline works when you shop with us.
Why 10–12 Months?
When you order a gown with us, our designers make it just for you. Here's where those months go.
Designer production: 4–8 months
Once you say yes, we place your order and your gown goes into production. Most of our designers take between four and eight months to create a gown, depending on the designer, the fabric, and the time of year. Orders during busy season can take longer.
Arrival at the boutique: 2–4 weeks
When your gown is finished, it ships to us. We inspect it, steam it, and reach out to let you know it's ready.
Alterations: 3-4 months
Every wedding dress needs alterations: hemming, bustling, taking in the bodice, adjusting the straps. Plan for three fittings over two to three months, with your final fitting about two to four weeks before your wedding.
Breathing room: 1 month
Life happens. Fabric delays, shipping hiccups, a last-minute change of heart about sleeves. We build in a buffer so your dress timeline never becomes a source of stress.
Add it up and you land right around 10 to 12 months. Shopping with us in that window means you can take your time saying yes and still have your gown arrive with room to spare.
What If Your Wedding Is Less Than 10 Months Away?
Don't panic. We have options!
Many of our designers offer rush production for an added fee, and some of our gowns are available to take home off the rack. Our stylists know which styles can arrive quickly. If your date is close, we will already have a game plan in place on what dresses we can get for you when you arrive for your appointment!
Can You Shop Too Early?
We haven’t seen it yet! If it’s the right dress, it’s the right dress now and it’ll be the right dress if you get married 2 years from now! Also many other decisions are based off of the dress so sometimes checking that off earlier make things easier down the road.
Getting Married in 2027? Now Is the Time.
If you're planning a fall or winter 2027 wedding, you're in the ideal window to shop with us right now. Spring and summer 2027 brides are already at the edge of our recommended timeline, so book your appointment soon.
Tips for Your First Appointment with Us
Book ahead. Our weekend appointments fill fast, especially in winter, which is the busiest bridal season.
Keep your group small. Too many opinions can drown out your own.
Come with an open mind. Many of our brides say yes to a dress that looks different from what they pictured.
Share your budget. Your stylist will make sure every gown you try on is one you can say yes to.
Wear or bring nude, seamless undergarments.
Find Your Dress at Brick + Ivory in Columbus
We're the exclusive Columbus home for our designers: Sarah Seven, KYHA, Lihi Hod, Suzanne Neville, and Alyssa Kristin. Every appointment with us is private and one-on-one with a stylist who knows these gowns inside and out and will guide you from your first try-on to your final fitting.
Ready to start? Book your private bridal appointment with us today!
