The most common mistake brides make with the dress is leaving it too late. The second most common is the opposite, panicking and ordering nine months out, which creates a different problem entirely, because bodies change.
Here is the honest timeline, with numbers.
How long a Lace & Love gown takes
- Production: five to six weeks for gowns. That is measured from when we receive your measurements to when the finished gown leaves the studio.
- Shipping: three to five business days by DHL or UPS Express to most destinations, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of Europe.
- What we recommend: order 10 to 12 weeks before the wedding. That covers production and shipping.
Every gown is made to order, in a standard size or Custom Made to your measurements, and shipped with duties and taxes prepaid where they are shown at checkout.
Counting backwards from the date
12 weeks out, the ideal
Room to talk through measurements with Shany, settle any changes to the design, and still hold a buffer for the unexpected.
10 weeks out, comfortable
The standard timeline. Nothing has to be rushed.
8 weeks out, still workable
Write to us before ordering so we can confirm current capacity, and you should be fine.
7 weeks or less, rush territory
Contact us straight away. Rush production is sometimes possible for an additional fee, depending on what is already in the studio.
Browse the gowns, or the Custom Made collection.
If you are still deciding between ordering online, a salon order and an off-the-rack dress, our editorial journal sets the three timelines side by side, month by month: when to start looking for a wedding dress on The Gown Journal.
When to take your measurements
As close to the order date as you can, not months ahead. Bodies change, and the dress should fit the person standing at the altar rather than the one who measured in January.
If the wedding is more than six months away, wait until roughly three months out to order and send measurements. Shany reads every set personally before anything is cut.
If your body changes after you order
Small changes, within an inch or two, can usually be accommodated up to four weeks before production ends. Tell us as soon as you notice. We would far rather adjust early than have you open a box to a dress that no longer fits.
Because Custom Made gowns are cut to your measurements, that adjustment is part of the process rather than an exception to it.
Rush orders
If the wedding is under 10 weeks away, write to us before you order. Rush production is sometimes available depending on capacity, and you will get a straight answer about whether we can make your date, including no, if that is the answer.
Questions
How far in advance should I order?
Ten to twelve weeks. That covers five to six weeks of making, express shipping, and a buffer at the end.
How long do production and shipping take?
Five to six weeks from receiving your measurements, then three to five business days by DHL or UPS Express. Duties and taxes are prepaid where they are shown at checkout.
When should I take my measurements?
As close to ordering as possible. If the wedding is more than six months out, wait until about three months before so the fit reflects your body on the day.
Can you do a rush order?
Sometimes, for an additional fee. If the wedding is under 10 weeks away, ask first and we will confirm whether it fits.
