Shopping for your wedding dress is one of the most exciting parts of the planning process, but it can also feel overwhelming when you’re not sure when to start. Because most bridal gowns are made-to-order, timing truly matters. Ordering too late can limit your options or introduce rush fees, while starting too early may lead you to choose a dress before the venue, season, or overall aesthetic are confirmed.
At Alyssa Kristin, our goal is to make any timeline work - whether you need a rush order, an honest opinion, or both. But knowing the general timeline helps you enter your bridal era with calm, clarity, and confidence. Whether you’re dreaming of minimalist silk, dramatic ballgowns, or chic column silhouettes, this guide breaks down exactly when to shop, when to order, and how alterations fit into the process.
This is your ultimate wedding dress shopping timeline:
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12–18 Months Out: The Inspiration Phase
You said yes, sent your ring pics to the group chat… now it’s time to curate your vision. Use this window to explore Pinterest, Instagram, and Real Brides features in blogs and magazines. Save everything that speaks to you from silhouettes and fabrics to necklines and overall mood.
This research helps you discover your bridal style and choose the right boutiques. Every store carries different designers and styles, and when you know your taste, you can book appointments with purpose instead of overwhelm or wasted time.
Questions to guide your inspo:
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Do you prefer something modern, vintage, boho, ornate, or fashion-forward?
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Ballgown, A-line, or form-fitting? What’s your favorite shape?
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Are you drawn to satin, Mikado, lace, crepe?
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Do you like beading and texture?
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Does the gown fit with your venue and time of year?
Brides who do this early save time, avoid decision fatigue, and walk into appointments already feeling grounded in their vision.
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10–12 Months Out: Book Your Bridal Appointments
This is the ideal time to grab your crew, book your appointments, and start trying on gowns! Not because you need a full year to find a dress, but because of what happens after saying yes.
Most made-to-order wedding dresses take 5-8 months to produce, depending on the designer and style. At Alyssa Kristin, our standard production time is around 5 months. Which means in bridal math time, you need to start shopping 10-12 months before your wedding date. Why? Because you need time to visit multiple boutiques, flexibility to attend trunk shows in your area, and space to explore without feeling rushed. A lot of modern brides also love visiting showrooms to try on a designer’s full collections, so sometimes that requires travel. Think of this as the moment the search officially begins!
You can try on our full collections in our Chicago showroom and work with one of our expert stylists to talk through your vision. Book your appointment here.
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8-10 Months Out: Say Yes to the Dress!
This is the sweet spot for saying yes to your dream gown because once production is complete, you still need time for the real magic to happen: expert alterations, fittings, accessory shopping, and any custom design details. Most brides need 2–3 months of tailoring to achieve that flawless fit, which means ordering your gown 8–10 months out keeps everything smooth, effortless, and free from any rush fees.
Saying yes at this point in your journey also gives you more room for any custom options. At Alyssa Kristin, we offer modifications on most of our gowns so your dress feels entirely yours. You can swap different skirts and necklines, change the fabric, and add slits and buttons. Starting early ensures our team has the time and flexibility to bring your vision to life!
Trust us: nothing is more stressful than a last-minute “yes” with a compressed fitting timeline.
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5-6 Months Out: Find Your Accessories
Once your gown is ordered, the next step is completing your bridal look with the right accessories. The 5-6 month mark ensures everything arrives in time for your fittings, especially pieces that impact tailoring, like shoes (hello, hem length!). Also most times veils are made-to-order and require their own production time. So lock in your look now!
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3-4 Months Out: Finalize Your Second Look or Party Dress
This is the best time to secure your second look or after-party outfit, especially if you want something fun, modern, and dance-floor-ready! At Alyssa Kristin, we offer a selection of chic little white dresses designed for bridal events and beyond. Our custom mini builder lets you mix seven necklines with three skirt options for a semi-custom look that feels entirely your own. And bonus: AK minis are meant to be worn again: honeymoon, anniversary, summer party… you name it.
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2-3 Months Out: Begin Alterations
Your gown has arrived - yay! Now it’s time to get to work. The most common concern we hear from brides is that they’ll put the dress on and it looks nothing like how it did with those beloved clips. But don’t stress: almost all gowns need tailoring! This is the moment when your gown is sculpted perfectly to fit your body. Most brides will need two or three fittings to perfect the bodice, hem, and silhouette. This timeline also gives your tailor enough space to refine details like the bustle, structure, and overall fit without rushing. Whether you need small tweaks or more custom adjustments, this stage transforms your dress from “beautiful” to “perfectly custom-fitted to you.”
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1-2 Weeks Before the Wedding: Pick Up Your Gown!
In the final one to two weeks leading up to the wedding, you will pick up your gown - freshly steamed, perfectly tailored, and ready for the aisle. At this last appointment, make sure to confirm the fit, review the bustle one more time, and ensure every detail looks flawless. Your stylist will pack the dress properly for transport and provide instructions for storing it before the big day. But don’t forget to always have a steamer on hand during your wedding weekend. Most times, you’ll need to run through it once more when it's out of the bag and hanging in your bridal suite. Whether you’re getting married locally or traveling to your venue, this timing allows the gown to stay pristine while giving you peace of mind. It’s the moment when everything becomes real: your dream dress is all ready for you!
A solid timeline keeps the dress-shopping chaos at bay and lets you enjoy all the fun parts: trying on gowns, finding the one, and celebrating every little bridal-era moment. Trust your instincts… your dream dress is already waiting for you.
Book your appointment to try on the full Alyssa Kristin collections in our Chicago showroom.