Timing Tips / When should I start my search? //

It's a New Year and I expect many of you recently engaged brides are probably wondering when is a good time to start your wedding dress search?

It's mid-January and I can tell already from the enquiries coming through to the boutique that many of you future brides are very excited about the prospect of planning your wedding... and there's a lot to plan. But you're not quite sure when to start your wedding dress search? Some brides worry that if they don't start looking for their dress the minute they have an engagement ring on their finger, they won't find 'the one' in time. Others panic that if they find their dress too soon, the big "what if" or maybe another "better dress" will be around the corner. In practice, theses two scenarios very rarely happen.

Here's my tip on when to start your wedding dress search.

When should I start?...

When to start your wedding dress search is entirely up to you but can depend on the date of your wedding and whether your wedding is in 6 months time, 12 months time or even if you're a lengthy planner, in 24 months time. Ideally, you need to have a wedding date, with your wedding venue/s booked and in place prior to starting the search for you dress and contacting bridal boutiques. Most brides don't start looking for their dress search until 12 months before the wedding, which is usually the length of time I tend to advise in most circumstances. Also, another thing to take into consideration is that your dress may take around 4 to 6 months to arrive, therefore 12 months is a good timeframe.

What if my wedding is not for 18 months or more?...

If you have got the time, there's no reason you can't use it. However, if you do find your dress more than a year prior to your wedding day without ordering it, bear in mind that that particular dress may not be around in 12 months time. Designers do discontinue dress styles from year to year, season to season and a particular style which you have fallen in love with may no longer be available to order. So if you have found 'the dress', congratulations and don't delay on placing the order. As in past experience, this can lead to a disappointed bride when the dress has no longer become available.

There is a greater advantage of finding your dress in good time too, as your dress can and inevitably will, dictate the 'look' of your wedding day. Your dress will not only influence what wedding hair and makeup you may have but also your flowers, bridesmaids dresses, wedding cake and in some cases (depending on the man in your life) what the groom will wear.

So wedding dress search 'rule of thumb', if you can, try to start your search with an available 12 months for your wedding dress quest.

#jtbcbride Shannon shares her thoughts and tips:

Hi Julia, "in my opinion I think a year before you get married is enough time, as you may remember when I first picked my dress I wasn't going to get married for another 2 years but then we moved the wedding forward a year. It felt so much, better it only being a year, as I knew it only be another 6 months before I could try my dress on again when my dress arrived into the boutique. And know I would feel the exact same way I did when I first tried my dress on! The biggest advice I would give to any bride is to keep your 'entourage' to the minimum. Only my mum saw my dress before the wedding and that's the best thing I could ever done!.... One its a nice surprise for everyone (as my bridesmaids said the dress was not what they thought I would have gone for but they loved it!) and two I couldn't think of anything worse than a group of people potentially criticising the dress I had fallen in love with".

If you're a past bride who can offer other new brides advice on when you think it is the best time to start their wedding dress search... I'd love to hear from you and leave a comment below.

If you would like to make an appointment, please get in touch and let's talk...
Call: 015394 46900
Email: info@juliatasker.co.uk
Message: Julia Tasker Bridal Couture through Facebook or Insta 

Until next time,

Julia 

Thank you, to Shannon for your 'guest tip'.

Boutique image: Andrea Pickering Photography.

Bride image: Photography Bowness.