Wedding dress shopping too early?

I don't think that a dress shop would turn down a dress sale, so I wouldn't worry about that. The only thing that I would be cautious of is whether or not you think you'll change your mind on the style between now and June 2022 (buying your dress around ten months to a year ahead of time would be ideal). It certainly is a great idea to start looking now, and if you find the dress and feel confident saying yes to it, go for it without hesitation! But don't feel pressured to buy something now if you're not convinced it's the one. As far as alterations go, wait until around 3 months before your wedding before you start those. Your body could change slightly between the time when your dress arrives and 2023, so you would likely need additional minor alterations before your wedding. To prevent paying twice for alterations, wait until around March 2023 to start alterations. Happy dress shopping!

You can shop as early as you want. Most bridal salons recommend shopping at least 9-12 months in advance, as some gowns take 6-9 months to come in and then 2-3 months for alterations. I have never heard of a salon declining a sale, due to shopping early.

Do you have your venue booked, have you decided on your wedding colors, and/or on how formal your event will be? I waited to book my appointments until we did, and it really helped me narrow down my vision.

I have to say that many of the dresses out on display are actually being shipped from other countries. I spoke with several bridal shops and they informed me that due to the pandemic etc… shipments are taking a lot longer than expected. My wedding is set for June 2023 and I plan on buying my dress soon as well.

I’m a huge planner. If you have the funds get the dress now! I doubt the bridal shop won’t sell you a dress just because your wedding is further out. But you want that extra time in case there are delays with shipping or if alterations take longer than scheduled

My wedding is in January 2023, but I bought my dress in July 2021- and it will be picked up tomorrow after coming in a month ahead of schedule! During my appointment, the team at my bridal salon stated that they're having a bunch of 2023 brides come in already, so I don't think you going early is a bad thing. You'll be ahead on any shipping delays, be prepared for alterations and could scope out delays there, and you'll have a head start on getting all of your attire together- which might make picking bridesmaids dresses and other bridal party attire easier!

I bought my dress in February 2020 for a November 2021 wedding, so almost 2 years before my wedding. I knew what I wanted and that I wouldn't change my mind about it, so I bought it. Nothing wrong with getting a dress early, just beware of the dress regret many people feel after they buy their dress! I stopped looking once I had mine and if I DID see a dress that made me think I made a bad decision, I just pulled up the pictures I had of me in my dress when I tried it on and it reminded me why I picked it.

As others have said, I wouldn't worry at all about the salon turning down the sale. I also wouldn't say it's too early to make the decision *unless* you haven't picked your venue yet. If you know what kind of setting you'll be in (how formal, what style, what time of day, etc.) for both the ceremony and reception, then I'd say you're ready to shop. Especially if you have at least a general vision of the kind of dress you want and that hasn't changed for a while - that was the case with me, I'd been envisioning something like my dress for a good 5 years, before I even met DH. :-) Found "the" dress in Aug 2020, wedding was Nov 2021, and I've definitely never regretted the purchase. You're not looking that much farther ahead than I did so my guess is you'd be fine!

They will sell you a dress. I've been shopping for my dress and my wedding is in the same month as yours. It's good to note that the next bridal season begins soon so right now I would just look around and try dresses on to find what you're looking for and maybe pick some favorites and then see what the new season brings. That's what I'm doing. I just don't want to pick and then the new season brings in the dress I love.

Short answer: don’t buy now. Long answer: read through the past posts via the search feature. Countless brides mentioned that they bought a dress way too early (over a year) for any number of reasons and regretted the dress choice when it came in and and have had trouble reselling it to be able to afford a new one.


You can definitely shop now and try on styles to see what fits you and what you like. But do not order before 10 months to allow for shipping and alterations. Many stores will sell them to you off the rack. Online vendors such as Azazie and Cocomelody will ship out immediately and you can try on at home for $10-15.

You can go whenever you want! My wedding is July 2023 and I’m going to schedule to go dress shopping in May (a year and 2 months out). I personally don’t want to go too early in fear of second guessing my choice.