The wedding dress: fittings timeline, budget and questions for the bridal shop

In wedding planning, the dress has a special status. It is the most anticipated purchase, the most visible and the most emotional. It is also the one whose timing surprises people most: a new dress does not come off the rack, and the one you love most is often the one you needed to order from the start.

So the timeline comes first, before style and before budget. The other two follow from it.

The timeline: from first visit to last alteration

1. Twelve to nine months before: scoutBrowse, note what you like and what bothers you. Book fittings at two or three boutiques only. You have nothing to buy at this stage.
2. Nine to six months before: try on and chooseThe real fittings. Compare cuts, fabrics, finishes. Sleep on your choice for at least one night before signing.
3. Six to nine months before: orderA new dress often takes several months to make. The more elaborate the dress, the more margin you need. Ask for the expected delivery date, in writing.
4. Two to three months before: first alteration fittingThe dress arrives. The bodice, waist and hem are adjusted for the height of the shoes you will wear. Bring them.
5. Four to six weeks before: second fittingFix what was still off. This is the time to test the dress with the underwear, veil and hairstyle you have planned.
6. Two to three weeks before: final fittingYou walk, dance and sit in the dress. The details are settled and nobody touches it again.

The budget: four routes

The price of a dress depends first on how you get it. The ranges below are orders of magnitude: they vary a lot from region to region and shop to shop.

The extras people forget to budget

• Alterations: often €150 to €500, more for heavy work (changing a sleeve, adding a corset).
• Underwear: a piece suited to the cut, sometimes essential, to buy before the first fitting.
• Veil, cape or hair accessories: from a few dozen to several hundred euros.
• Shoes: choose them early, because they set the length of the hem.
• Cleaning after the wedding and storage: needed if you want to keep or resell the dress.

Keep a margin of several hundred euros on top of the dress price alone. Without it, you discover the total at the moment it is hardest to cut.

Getting the most from your fittings

• Tell the consultant your budget at the start. She will choose models accordingly, and you will avoid trying the dress you cannot afford.
• Limit yourself to two or three boutiques, and four or five dresses per appointment. Beyond that, nothing looks different.
• Bring the right underwear and shoes close to the height of the ones you will wear on the day.
• Take photos and short videos so you can compare calmly rather than in the heat of the moment.
• Listen to your companions, but choose with your own eyes: you are the one who will wear it for twelve hours.
• Never sign on the day of a crush. One night’s reflection will not lose you the dress.

Questions to ask before ordering

An order form often means a deposit of around 30 to 50 percent of the price, sometimes more. It is rarely refunded if you cancel. It is worth asking the right questions before signing.

1. What is the expected delivery date, and is it in writing?Ask for it on the order form, with a safety margin of two or three months before the wedding.
2. What size are you ordering, and why?The answer shows whether the consultant has thought about your real measurements. A size up is better.
3. Are alterations included?How many visits, and with which seamstress? If they cost extra, ask for the price in writing.
4. What happens if production is late?Some boutiques offer a replacement dress, others a partial refund. Better to know in advance.
5. What are the cancellation and refund terms?The deposit is often non-refundable, but the terms vary. Read the conditions.
6. What happens if the boutique closes?For a small business it is a fair question: a dress ordered and paid for should not vanish with the shop.
7. Who checks the dress on delivery?Inspect it on arrival: colour, embroidery, fastenings, and that it matches the one you tried.

Pre-loved and rented: the real advantages

The second-hand dress used to have a poor image. It is now a common choice, for a simple reason: you see it, you try it, you walk out with it, and it costs less. The downside is that it always needs altering, and the choice is limited to what exists.

• Check the seams, stains, fastenings and lining.
• Ask for an invoice or proof of provenance, especially for a designer piece.
• Add the cost of cleaning and alterations before you count the saving.
• For rentals, read the terms: deposit, cleaning included, alterations allowed, what happens with a stain.

After the ceremony: clean, store, resell

A wedding dress is not a home-wash item. Take it to a specialist cleaner within a fortnight: a wine or champagne stain that dries sets hard. Then store it in a breathable garment bag or an acid-free box, away from light and damp.

If you plan to resell, do it in the first few months: the fresher the dress and the closer to current fashion, the better it sells. Keep the order form and the invoice: they prove the model’s authenticity.