Ok, so you have the ring, you’ve booked your venue and secured your date…now it’s time to
figure out what you’re going to wear! Not only is your wedding dress the detail that sets the
tone for the rest of the wedding, but it’s also the focal point in the majority of your photos. We
believe finding your wedding dress should be a stress free, celebratory experience–so here’s a
few quick tips and timelines that will help you through the wedding planning process.

9 to 12 months
You should ideally start your gown search about 9-12 months out from your wedding date. It can
take 4-6 months for your dress to come in because the designer makes a special gown just for
you, and they don’t start the production process until you place your order! You will also want to
allow time for alterations.

4 to 6 months:
Once your dress arrives at Bridal Extraordinaire, we make an appointment to try the dress on
and go over the next steps. This is a great time to look at accessories, like a veil or headpiece.
We recommend ordering these items about 4 months before your wedding. This appointment
will help you really visualize yourself on your wedding day!

2 to 3 months:
Alterations is where the magic happens! We recommend starting alterations 2-3 months before
your big day. It is best to use someone your bridal shop trusts and recommends. The
seamstress working on your wedding gown should specialize specifically in bridal. Alterations
usually cost between $400 to $800, though prices will vary between seamstresses and what is
being done to the gown.

Bridesmaids: 6 to 8 months:
After you have your looked nailed down, it’s time to tackle the maids! Bridesmaids dresses can
be a challenge. You are looking for styles you like, silhouettes that flatter a variety of body
types, and trying to find the perfect color. Just remember that you are the bride and your girls
will be supportive of what you choose! We recommend shopping for them about 8 months
ahead of time and making sure that they are all ordered by 6 months prior to your wedding date.
We understand that bridesmaids live all over the place and have different schedules, so this
gives your girls a little time to get measured and sized. At Bridal Extraordinaire, we will also
keep you up to date with who still needs to submit their size and payment, to ensure everything
is running on time!

If you allow us to be a small part of your big day, we promise to be there with you every step of
the way. At Bridal Extraordinaire, our goal is to keep brides happy and stress-free, and
following these guidelines will help keep the process as smooth as possible. Hope to see you
soon 😊Happy Wedding Planning!
The Bridal Extraordinaire Stylists