This is a question we are always asked at the boutique. After great thought and reasoning why, when we are asked this question the Fabulous answer is;

Give yourself a good twelve months to look for your wedding gown. There are many reasons why we suggest this time frame and we hope the following will help you see why you should give yourself what may seem like ages to start to look for and then purchase your gown.

Allowing yourself plenty of time will allow you to do your initial research on line, word of mouth etc. Ask yourself ‘what dress type do I like? Where is my nearest stockist, does that stockist have free or near by parking, can I make an appointment on line…do I need an appointment. How many dresses can I try on?’ (Be aware some boutiques will only allowing you to try on a minimum number of gowns sometimes as few as three or four).

Now you’ve had a look on line etc and have a better feel for the boutiques in your area you can shortlist the boutiques you may want to visit and try on gowns. At Fabulous we recommend you create a shortlist of about three boutiques you would like to visit; we have met many many brides and their bridesmaids, mums, sisters and mother in laws to be who are all shopped out and completely confused as they have been to every boutique in the area often more than ten and everyone concerned is thoroughly fed up! We are sure that you would rather be fresh to the shopping and buying process and enjoy the whole thing rather than ‘oh no not another dress shop’ experience! Be sure to find out about opening times, possible evening appointments, do you need an appointment how appointments can be organised etc etc.

Once you are at the boutique you should be greeted by warm and friendly staff who only want to make you feel special. At Fabulous we always ask when your big day is, the reason for this is that some gowns can take as long as six months to order in and take delivery off, a boutique local to us is actually quoting a lead time of nine months! This lead time is at the designer’s discretion and is not the boutique being difficult, however, if you have given yourself plenty of time to order your gown then this will not affect you!

So now you think you’ve found The Dress you can re visit the boutique and go for another try on of the gown…just to make sure, if you’ve changed your mind or its not as you’ve remembered it then you still have time to re visit the boutiques where you’ve seen other lovely gowns…you still have plenty of time!!!!

Finally, you order your gown, you have the dreaded measurements taken and pay your deposit (usually, half of the total cost of the gown). Your boutique should be able to offer you a very approximate date of delivery which they will be able to confirm once they have received the acknowledgement of order from the designer. Please remember these dates are only estimated and most boutiques and designers can not be held responsible for acts of God…remember 2011s volcano and the travel/postal chaos it caused!

At last your gown has arrived the boutique has called you let s assume you’ve had a six month lead time and it has taken you two months to find your gown this still leaves you four months for final fittings and adjustments. This is all a normal part of bridal gown buying as unfortunately most brides are not the designers perfect size 10, 14 or 22 and this doesn’t t even take the brides height into account! Just a quick note most bridal boutiques will expect you to make an appointment and collect your gown within seven days of notification of your gowns arrival.

So now you’ve got your gown and you can make an appointment with your seamstress, perhaps this should be a question you may need to ask when you are conducting your initial research - does the boutique have an affiliated professional seamstress? Please allow enough time to actually book in with the seamstress and for her to do the alterations necessary.

By following the twelve month plus rule, you have given yourself plenty of time to really enjoy this fabulous experience. You will only buy one wedding gown, no one asks what did the favours look like everyone is interested in what the Bride was wearing and your gown is something you can look back at and enjoy for years to come. The experience of buying your gown will become a real part of your whole wedding experience and we at Fabulous will always want that experience to be memorable, exciting, fun and most of all Stress Free.