Why Wedding Gowns Take Months, Not Weeks
The gowns you try on at La Mariée are samples. When you choose your dress, we take your measurements and place an order with the designer. Your gown is made for you in their atelier. That means fabric is cut, lace is placed, and beading is applied by hand, often by the same artisans who have worked with that house for years.
Designers like Galia Lahav, Rebecca Schoneveld, and Sareh Nouri produce in limited quantities with a level of detail that simply cannot be rushed off a rack. The wait is part of what makes the finished gown feel so personal. It is also why we encourage brides to start shopping early.
A Simple Timeline to Work Backward From
If you like to plan (and most of our brides do), start with your wedding date and count back:
- Twelve to ten months out: Begin your appointments. This gives you room to try on, think it over, and come back for a second look without feeling pressured.
- Around nine months out: Place your order. This keeps you comfortably inside the six to nine month production window.
- When your gown arrives: We will let you know and check it in carefully before you see it.
- Two to three months before your wedding: Begin alterations. Your fittings are where the gown becomes truly yours, from the hem to the bustle to the fit through the bodice.
If you are still early in the process, our Wedding Dress Shopping Timeline walks through every step in more detail.
What If My Wedding Is Sooner?
It happens more often than you might think. A shorter engagement, a moved date, or a gown search that simply took longer than expected. The good news is that rush orders are available for most of the designers we carry.
Rush production timelines and any added fees vary by designer, so the best first step is to tell your stylist your date at the start of your appointment. She will guide you toward gowns that can realistically arrive in time, so you are never falling in love with a dress that cannot make it to your wedding day.
Tips for a Smooth Ordering Experience
- Share your wedding date when you book. It helps us plan your appointment around what is possible. If you plan to have bridal portraits taken before your wedding, share that date with us too. Your dress will need to be perfected before your bridal portraits.
- Bring the people whose opinions matter most. Making your decision in the room saves weeks of back and forth, any additional appointment fees, and allows you to truly experience the moment rather than diluting it.
- Ask about customization at the time of your order. Changes like added sleeves are often built into production, so they need to be requested before your gown is made. If a designer is for any reason unable to accommodate your customization themselves, we can almost always make it come to life in alterations. We just need to know beforehand if we will need to order any additional fabric or appliques.
- Keep your fitting dates in mind. Big events, travel, or fitness goals close to your wedding are worth mentioning to your stylist. We will guide you through the logistics of it all. Just let us know if you have anything planned that may impact the scheduling or fit of your gown.
Ready to Begin?
The earlier you start, the more relaxed the whole experience feels. Whether your wedding is a year and a half away or coming up faster than planned, our stylists will help you find a gown that fits your style and your timeline.
