dress shopping?

My wedding isn't until October 2007, but I've been starting to think about dress shopping. Is it too early? It seems like it can take a while to get the dress in, plus the time for alterations...

so:
1. How early did you start dress shopping? Did you feel this was too early? Too late? Just right?

2. How long before your wedding did you actually purchase your dress? Do you feel this was a good choice? Bad choice?

3. How long did it take you between starting your search and actually finding your dress?

4. If you already actually have your dress in your closet, how long did it take between ordering it to the point where you actually had it in your hands? How long between ordering and getting it in? How long between getting it in and having the alterations done?


also, on a totally different topic - with this site, is there a search engine for the chat threads? or do you have to just do it manually? Whenever I use the search engine at the top of the page, it only comes up with vendor pages, etc.

thanks ladies!

IMO, it's a little early for you to dress shop. if you find something you love now and order it, it will be hanging in your closet for a LONG time and you don't want anything to happen to it.

I ordered mine 7 months before my wedding. it only took 2 months to come in and it was hanging in my closet for months before my 1st fitting. I was so worried about it. Everything turned out ok, but I can't imagine having it for a year +. besides, you may find something you love even more and then have buyers regret. I've seen that happen on here so many times.

I ordered my gown today and was told to expect it in august...they told me it normally takes 9-11 months

I was told to order the dress 9 months before the wedding date and that's what I did. But I don't see any reason you can't start trying dresses to get a feel for what you like. I just wouldn't place the order so early.

Good luck with shopping!!!

You can get it early... just look for a place that will store your dress for you inbetween. I know Bridal Reflections has a climate controlled room to store their dresses
As for ordering.... 7 months from ordering to delivery..... Alterations took 3 months, but i used a private seamstress because the salon was not willing to do a bussell.... they were lazy.... also, they hd to take the dress in 15 inches cause i lost 50 pounds....
Just make sure you are happy roughly with your body size prior to shoppng

My wedding is October '06. I ordered my dress in August, it's expected delivery date is March '06. I spent about a month online looking at different dresses to figure out what I liked.

Designers put out new styles twice a year. The spring collection which is generally announced November/December, but not in stores until January, and then the fall collection in June/July, but not in stores until September. For your wedding there are 3 new collections you could be looking at: Spring '06, Fall '06 and then Spring '07, not to mention all the hot sellers that the designers keep from season to season, and all the trunk sales that you can go to.