Few aspects of wedding planning cause more stress than coordinating bridesmaid dresses. Between selecting styles, managing measurements across multiple bridesmaids, waiting for international shipping, and allowing time for alterations, the timeline can quickly become complicated. Starting too late leaves you scrambling; starting too early may result in sizing changes or closed businesses.
Australian brides face particular timing challenges. Many popular bridesmaid dress brands ship from overseas, adding weeks to delivery times. Our wedding season peaks during the Northern Hemisphere's off-season, which can affect production schedules. Understanding these factors helps you create a realistic timeline that accounts for potential delays while avoiding unnecessary rush fees.
The Ideal Bridesmaid Dress Timeline
Six to Eight Months Before the Wedding
This window represents the sweet spot for beginning your bridesmaid dress journey. Starting six to eight months out provides ample time for every stage of the process while remaining close enough to the wedding that bridesmaids can commit to their measurements with reasonable confidence.
During this phase, focus on research and selection. Browse styles online, create mood boards, and discuss preferences with your bridesmaids. Consider factors like budget constraints, body type diversity in your bridal party, and any bridesmaids who may be pregnant or planning significant lifestyle changes before your wedding.
Planning Milestone
By six months before your wedding, you should have narrowed your choices to two or three finalist dresses. Schedule virtual or in-person viewings with bridesmaids to gather feedback before making your final selection.
Five to Six Months Before the Wedding
This is your decision and ordering window. Finalise your dress selection and collect accurate measurements from all bridesmaids. Most bridesmaid dresses are made to order, meaning they are manufactured after purchase according to the provided measurements. This process typically takes four to eight weeks, depending on the manufacturer and current demand.
When placing orders, confirm the following details with your retailer:
- Expected production time for your specific order
- Estimated shipping duration to Australia
- Whether tracking information will be provided
- Return or exchange policies for sizing issues
- Any potential delays due to holidays or peak seasons
Order all dresses simultaneously when possible. Fabric dye lots can vary between production runs, meaning dresses ordered weeks apart may have subtle colour differences that become apparent when your bridal party stands together. Ordering together ensures colour consistency across your group.
Three to Four Months Before the Wedding
Your dresses should arrive during this window if ordered on schedule. Upon arrival, each bridesmaid should immediately try on her dress and report any issues. Check for the correct size, colour accuracy, construction quality, and any manufacturing defects.
Address problems promptly. If a dress arrives damaged, incorrect, or significantly different from what was ordered, contact the retailer immediately. Most reputable sellers offer solutions for manufacturing errors, but delays in reporting issues may limit your options for resolution.
Important Check
Have each bridesmaid photograph herself in the dress and send images to you. This allows you to verify that all dresses match in colour and style, catching any discrepancies before the alteration process begins.
Two to Three Months Before the Wedding
This period is dedicated to alterations. Most bridesmaid dresses require some adjustment to achieve a perfect fit. Common alterations include hemming, taking in or letting out seams, adjusting straps, and modifying necklines. Even standard size dresses rarely fit perfectly off the rack.
Schedule alteration appointments early in this window. Experienced tailors and seamstresses book up quickly during wedding season, and your bridesmaids may need multiple fittings. A typical alteration timeline includes an initial fitting, actual alterations, and a final fitting to confirm the adjustments. Allow at least two weeks for straightforward alterations and up to four weeks for complex modifications.
If bridesmaids live in different cities, each will need to find a local tailor. Provide guidance on what alterations are permitted to maintain dress cohesion. For example, you may allow hem adjustments but request that necklines remain unmodified to preserve the design aesthetic.
One Month Before the Wedding
By this point, all alterations should be complete. Schedule a final check where each bridesmaid confirms her dress fits properly and any accessories like sashes, belts, or removable straps are secure. This is also the time to ensure bridesmaids have appropriate undergarments and shoes to wear with their dresses.
Address any remaining issues immediately. If an alteration was unsuccessful, there may still be time for correction. If a dress was damaged during alterations, you have a narrow window to source a replacement or explore alternative solutions.
Wedding Week
Dresses should be cleaned, pressed, and stored properly in the final days before the wedding. If bridesmaids are travelling to your wedding location, ensure they have appropriate garment bags and understand how to transport their dresses without wrinkling or damage.
Arrange for any last-minute steaming or pressing at your getting-ready location. Even carefully transported dresses often need touch-ups before photographs. Confirm that an iron or steamer will be available, or arrange for professional pressing services near your venue.
Factors That Affect Your Timeline
International Shipping
Many affordable bridesmaid dresses ship from overseas manufacturers. International shipping to Australia typically takes two to six weeks, depending on the shipping method selected and any customs delays. Express shipping options reduce transit time but add significant cost.
Factor in potential customs hold-ups, particularly during busy periods like Christmas or when shipping volumes are high. Parcels may be held for inspection, adding days or weeks to delivery. While most orders clear customs quickly, building buffer time into your timeline protects against unexpected delays.
Made-to-Order Production
Unlike off-the-rack dresses available for immediate shipping, made-to-order bridesmaid dresses are manufactured after you place your order. Production times vary from two to eight weeks depending on the manufacturer, current demand, and dress complexity. Peak wedding season creates longer production queues.
Confirm production times before ordering and verify that the quoted timeline is current. Production estimates on websites may not reflect actual wait times during busy periods. Contact customer service directly to confirm expected timelines for your specific order.
Alterations Complexity
Simple alterations like hemming take less time than complex modifications involving multiple seams or structural changes. If you anticipate significant alterations, build additional time into your schedule. Bridesmaids who fall between standard sizes or who have specific fit requirements may need more extensive modifications.
Alteration Timeline Guide
- Simple hem adjustment: 1-2 weeks
- Taking in sides: 2-3 weeks
- Bodice restructuring: 3-4 weeks
- Multiple adjustments: 3-4 weeks
Bridesmaid Locations
Coordinating bridesmaids in different cities or countries adds complexity. Shipping may need to go to multiple addresses, and each bridesmaid arranges her own alterations. Communication becomes more challenging, and verifying that all dresses match requires photographs rather than in-person comparison.
Consider having all dresses shipped to one central location for inspection before distributing them to individual bridesmaids. This allows you to verify colour and style consistency before the dresses scatter across multiple locations.
What If You Are Running Late?
Three to Four Months Before the Wedding
You still have workable options at this stage. Focus on ready-to-ship dresses rather than made-to-order styles. Many retailers stock popular styles and colours for immediate dispatch. You may have fewer style options, but you can still achieve a cohesive bridal party look.
Prioritise Australian-based retailers or those with local warehouse stock to minimise shipping time. Expedited shipping adds cost but may be necessary to maintain your timeline. Calculate whether rush shipping fees are more economical than the potential cost of last-minute alternatives.
Two Months Before the Wedding
Options narrow significantly at this stage. Consider off-the-rack options from local department stores or bridal boutiques. While selection is limited, you can see dresses in person and take them home immediately. Focus on finding the closest match to your original vision rather than achieving an exact style.
Alternatively, consider a colour-coordinated approach where each bridesmaid sources her own dress within specified colour and length parameters. This reduces your coordination burden and allows bridesmaids to find locally available options.
One Month or Less Before the Wedding
Emergency territory. Your best option is coordinating colour rather than identical dresses. Provide bridesmaids with a specific colour swatch and general style guidelines, then allow them to source their own dresses locally. This approach can actually create a beautiful, intentional mismatched aesthetic that many modern weddings embrace.
Another option is rental services. Some companies offer bridesmaid dress rental with rapid shipping. While selection may not match your original vision, rental provides a cohesive look on short notice without requiring bridesmaids to purchase dresses they may never wear again.
Planning for the Unexpected
Even with careful planning, complications arise. A bridesmaid becomes pregnant, loses or gains weight, or drops out of the wedding party. A dress is lost in shipping or arrives damaged. An alteration goes wrong. Building flexibility into your timeline helps you navigate these challenges without panic.
Consider ordering one extra dress in a common size as a backup. The additional cost provides insurance against last-minute emergencies. If unused, the dress can often be returned or resold to recoup some expense.
Maintain open communication with your bridesmaids throughout the process. Encourage them to report concerns about fit, timing, or other issues promptly. Problems identified early have more solutions available than those discovered at the last minute.
Finally, remember that perfection is not required for a beautiful wedding. If a bridesmaid dress ends up slightly different from the others, if hemlines are not mathematically identical, if colours vary slightly between dye lots, your photographs will still capture the joy and love of your celebration. Focus on progress, not perfection, and trust that your wedding will be memorable regardless of minor dress details.