Tamzen's Bridal at Butler Manor

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The Most Common Wedding Planning Timeline Mistake

A clearly defined timeline for your wedding preparations is essential for limiting your stress (and pretty much everyone else’s) in the year(s) and months leading up to your special day.

One of the most common mistakes brides make is waiting too long to choose their bridal gown. Let’s be real you, as the bride, will be the center of attention on your wedding day and need to ask yourself if you can truly and confidently make the rest of your wedding day decisions without first having decided on a gown.

Often times, whether you’re aware or not, your wedding dress influences the style and overall vibe of your wedding. For example, if you were to choose a flowing, Bohemian-inspired gown, you likely would not choose structured flowers like roses for your bouquet. Or, once you’ve chosen a gown that compliments the cowgirl boots you’ve been dying to wear down the isle for years, you likely won’t choose to get married in an elaborate cathedral.

See what we mean? Being sure to decide on your gown early in the planning process is essential for the cohesion of your wedding. With your gown decision down, you can now direct your attention to bridesmaids’ dresses, the grooms attire and let’s not forget the groomsmen. While they may be secondary or even tertiary thoughts in your mind they are still important and it can take significant effort to coordinate this aspect of your wedding.

It is also important to check choosing your wedding gown off the wedding planning “To Do” list for the sake of time.

Once you’ve chosen your gown and we place the order for your gown with the company, it can take between four and six months to ship. We also recommend our brides pencil in one to two months if there’s a need for alterations. It can take a seamstress quite some time to get your gown fitting like a glove. So yes, from the moment you choose the gown until it is ready for you to wear down the aisle, it can take up to eight months.

Of note, many bridal boutiques can place a rush order on your gown, however, that can add up to an additional $300 to your bill in some cases. Think of all the other ways you could spend that money. . . on a Chinese lantern send off, on a signature cocktail, or even on an added excursion to your honeymoon.

So when is too early to purchase your dress?

It’s never too early. Taking into account all of the time needed to make sure your gown is perfect and all of the exciting decisions yet to come that undoubtedly revolve around your dress. . . it is never, ever too early to share that special moment with your mother, girls or loved ones when you breath that sigh of relief and say, “Yes to the dress!”

You will feel a weight lifted off your shoulders and that is when the fun of wedding planning truly begins!