Why do Wedding Dresses Take so Long to Arrive?

Are you wondering why wedding dresses take so long? If you've started wedding dress shopping, you've probably heard that gowns should be ordered 9-12 months before the wedding. Compared to a typical clothing purchase, this may feel absurd. That's why we've broken down the process so you can order your wedding gown with enough time to spare.

We’ve outlined the major causes of the lengthy wait time for bridal gowns below:

Just for you

The biggest difference between a wedding dress purchase and a regular trip to the store is that each dress is made to order. Quality wedding dresses are a far cry from fast fashion, as your gown will be custom created just for you based on your measurements. Since the dresses aren’t pre-made like most streetwear, it takes much longer for it to end up in your hands.

Waiting to make the gown until your measurements are received ensures that your dress fits you like a dream. Starting off with your exact measurements helps minimize the amount of alterations that are required after you receive the gown. Creating the dresses as they’re ordered also allows the designers to make any adjustments necessary if you’re looking to customize your dress.

Made with love

Another reason why the dresses take so long is that they’re made with love, and typically by hand! These high-end dresses aren’t usually machine made the way a lot of our everyday clothing is. Intricate beadwork, delicate lace, and custom measurements require someone to create each dress by hand.

The designers want to make sure that you’re getting the highest quality dress possible. After all, a wedding dress is a large purchase, and you’ll want all of the little details to be right!

Materials

Even if you’re buying your dress locally, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the dress is being created locally. Bridal designers are spread across the globe, and oftentimes, their materials are too. It takes extra time to source materials from across the world before they’re shipped to the designer to be constructed, and eventually to their final destination – with you!

The extra shipping time on materials can definitely add to the lengthy lead time that goes into ordering a wedding dress.

Peak wedding season

The most popular wedding dates fall between June and October, which means that there is an influx of brides wedding dress shopping in the 9-12 months prior! More brides mean more dresses, which can cause longer wait times when it comes to ordering your gown. Since the wedding dresses all require several hours of work by hand, an influx of dress orders can add up quickly on the designer’s end.

If you’re getting married during peak wedding season, that means there are lots of other dresses in production at the same time. In order to ensure that everyone’s dresses get the same quality care, designers take longer to return your completed dress.

Customizations

In addition to the dress being made specifically for your measurements, some brides also opt to add customizations. Things like adjusting the neckline, adding tulle, and removing sleeves require additional time on the designer’s end. Especially if you’ve requested many intricate changes, the wait time on the dress can increase substantially.

Worth the wait

At the end of the day, it’s well worth the wait to get your perfect gown. Wedding dresses are a large investment, and you’ll never make a purchase like it again! Unlike the usual shopping that we’re used to, these special dresses are made to-order and by hand. The extra TLC requires a little extra time! Giving the designers ample time to create a gown specific to your measurements and specifications will pay off when you end up with the wedding dress of your dreams.