Buying a wedding dress online means making a decision before you can try the gown on. You can study the photos and read the description, but you may still wonder how the lace will feel, whether the sleeves will let you move, or what happens if the dress needs an adjustment.
At Lace & Love by Shany Sasson, we've collected questions from our customers over time. We've brought them together here, with the wording edited for clarity, to help you through choosing a gown, placing your order and trying it on when it arrives.
For an online wedding dress order, start with the exact design and sizing option, accurate measurements, and a delivery plan that leaves time for a fitting. Check the return conditions before ordering, especially if you're choosing a gown made to your measurements.
Before you choose your wedding dress
1. How can I feel more confident about buying a wedding dress online?
Look for information you can check: who makes the dress, how to reach them, photos from customers, and written delivery and return terms. Read reviews for the details that matter to you, such as sleeve fit or communication during production.
Lace & Love is Shany Sasson's bridal label, with a studio in Israel. You can meet Shany and browse our real brides. If you're unsure about a detail that matters to you, get an answer before ordering.
2. Will my wedding dress look like the photos?
Use the photos to check the design, while allowing for differences in lighting, screen color and how a gown sits on different bodies. Look at the back and close views of the lace as carefully as the front.
If a customer photo shows a neckline or lining you prefer, check whether that bride requested a change. Save the exact product link and confirm any changes to your own order in writing.
3. What makes a wedding dress boho, and can I wear one indoors?
A boho wedding dress often combines lace, a flowing skirt or relaxed details such as flutter sleeves. The term describes a style; it doesn't require an outdoor wedding. A boho gown can work in a city venue or an intimate indoor ceremony.
Think about the features you want to wear. You might love an open back but prefer a skirt with little volume. Those details will help you choose more than the label alone.
4. Should I choose chiffon or tulle for my wedding dress?
Chiffon usually gives a skirt a flowing drape. Tulle is a fine net that can create soft volume, depending on its stiffness and the number of layers. The finished dress matters more than the fabric name alone: lining, construction and skirt fullness all affect movement and comfort.
For a closer comparison, see our chiffon versus tulle wedding dress guide. For an outdoor wedding, consider the hem and train as well as the fabric.
Getting the fit and details right
5. What's the difference between standard sizing and made to measure?
A standard-size gown follows the designer's size chart. A made-to-measure gown uses the measurements you provide. Made to order simply means production starts after an order; it doesn't automatically mean custom sizing.
Lace & Love offers standard sizing and a Custom Made option. Check which option you've selected. A gown made to your measurements can still need a local adjustment, particularly around the hem, straps or bust. Our made-to-measure guide explains the process.
6. How do I measure myself for a wedding dress bought online?
Follow the designer's measurement guide, use a flexible tape and ask someone to help. Keep your posture relaxed and record each measurement in the requested units. Don't substitute your everyday clothing size for body measurements.
Our measurement guide explains where to place the tape. If a number seems surprising, measure again. For Custom Made orders, Shany reviews the measurements before cutting and follows up if something looks inconsistent.
7. What if I'm between sizes, petite, tall or fuller busted?
Compare all the measurements in the size chart before choosing a standard size. A size that works at the waist may need adjustment at the bust, and choosing a smaller size to fit one area can make another too tight.
For a Custom Made order, send your current measurements and the gown you're considering. Explain any fit concern, such as wanting more bust coverage or extra room in the upper sleeves, so it can be considered for that design.
8. Do I need to choose my shoes and underwear before measuring?
Your shoes affect the finished length, and underwear can change how a bodice sits. Follow the measurement guide's instructions on what to wear and how to provide heel height. Don't add extra length yourself unless the guide asks you to.
If you plan to change into flats later, mention that before the hem is decided. Bring the intended shoes and underwear to any local fitting, too.
9. Can I order while pregnant, after having a baby or while my body is changing?
Body changes need an individual fitting plan. Tell the studio what may change and your wedding date before choosing the size or measurement schedule. Don't send a hoped-for future measurement as though it were your current one.
Ask which parts of your preferred design allow adjustment and when updated measurements would be needed. A flowing skirt may offer room at the waist while the bust or upper sleeves still need close attention. Leave room in the schedule for a fitting near the wedding.
10. Can I change the sleeves, neckline, back, lining or slit?
Some changes may be possible, but they depend on the gown's construction. Raising a back or changing a neckline can also affect support and how the bodice fits.
Send the product link with a short description or marked-up image of what you want. Have the agreed changes confirmed before production. A custom sizing option and a design change are separate requests; selecting one doesn't automatically include the other.
11. Will the dress be see-through, and what should I wear underneath?
Coverage depends on the lining and construction of the particular gown. A lined skirt can sit below an intentionally sheer lace bodice, and built-in cups, where present, don't necessarily provide the support of a bra.
Check the bust, waist, back and skirt separately. If you want to wear a regular bra, check that the back and neckline will cover it before choosing the gown. During your fitting, look at the dress in daylight and take a photo with flash to check whether anything shows through.
12. Is ivory different from white, and will the color suit me?
Ivory usually has a warmer tone than bright white, but bridal color names aren't standardized. The lace and lining together create the color you see, and a screen can make it look warmer or cooler.
Compare daylight images of the exact gown. If you're matching an existing veil or another garment, check the actual shades together where possible. Two pieces described as ivory may still look different side by side.
13. Will the lace feel itchy? Can I see or feel the fabric first?
Comfort depends on the lace, its edges, the lining and your own skin sensitivity. A photo can show the pattern, but it can't tell you how the fabric feels against your neck or underarms.
Mention any sensitivity and identify the areas you're concerned about. Request a close view of the lace and inside finishing, and ask whether a sample is available for your chosen gown. Don't assume that every fabric or style has a sample service.
14. How do I choose a veil that works with the dress?
Start with the shade and length, then look at the lace detail. A plain veil can leave the gown's lace visible; a lace-edged veil adds another pattern to consider.
Think about where the veil ends in relation to the train and whether you want the back of the dress visible through it. When browsing wedding veils, have your gown's product link ready so the pairing can be checked.
Timing, delivery and placing your order
15. How far in advance should I order my wedding dress online?
Allow for production, delivery and a fitting after the gown arrives. If you're traveling for the wedding, work backward from your departure date. The latest date you can receive the dress is earlier than the ceremony date.
Check our current production and shipping information and confirm your deadline before ordering. If time is short, get confirmation that your particular gown can be made and delivered in time before relying on a rush request.
16. Will I have to pay customs or import duties when the dress arrives?
For supported destinations, Lace & Love collects import duties and taxes at checkout. Where those charges aren't collected, local import fees may be payable through the carrier. Enter your actual delivery destination when checking the terms.
If anything is unclear, have the destination confirmed before paying. International delivery alone doesn't tell you whether import charges are prepaid. The shipping and duties page sets out the distinction.
17. Can I return a wedding dress if it doesn't fit?
Return eligibility depends on the sizing option, any personalization and the terms that apply to your order. Lace & Love's policy treats eligible standard-size orders differently from made-to-measure and custom gowns. Damage or a fault is also a separate issue from changing your mind.
Read the returns policy before ordering, including the steps and deadlines for your destination. If return flexibility matters to your decision, confirm the exact option you're choosing first.
18. How can I pay, and are installments available?
Use the payment options displayed in checkout for your order and destination. If you need installments or a particular payment method, confirm availability before placing the order; don't assume an option seen on another website or marketplace is available here.
Keep your order confirmation and any written agreement about changes to the gown. Never send card details in an email or social media message.
While your gown is being made
19. What happens after I place my order?
Check your confirmation for the gown, sizing option and delivery details. For a Custom Made order, follow the measurement instructions and keep the agreed design details in the same email conversation.
If you've discussed a special requirement, such as sleeve coverage, make sure it appears in the confirmed order details. Read any follow-up questions carefully. A measurement that needs checking is best resolved before the fabric is cut.
20. Can I change my measurements or cancel after ordering?
Contact the studio as soon as you need a change, with your order number and the exact request. What can still be changed depends on the production stage. A message requesting a change is not confirmation that it can be made.
For cancellation, get the applicable terms before placing the order. Don't rely on a general cooling-off period or another shop's cancellation window for a personalized gown.
21. Can I get progress photos, a video call or tracking updates?
If a call or progress photo would help you, discuss it before production and agree on what can be provided. Parcel tracking begins after dispatch, so it won't show you how the sewing is progressing.
Lace & Love sends gowns by tracked express delivery. Once you receive the tracking details, check them and watch for carrier messages. If tracking stops progressing or a delivery instruction looks wrong, contact the studio with your order number.
22. What if my wedding date or delivery address changes?
Send the new details as soon as you know them. Include the wedding date, any travel date and the complete delivery address, then request confirmation of what is still possible.
Moving the ceremony earlier may affect production as well as delivery. An address change after dispatch may depend on the carrier. Wait for confirmation before making plans around the change.
When your wedding dress arrives
23. What should I do when I unpack my wedding dress?
Inspect the gown promptly, then try it on carefully with the shoes and underwear you intend to wear. Keep the packaging and tags while you check it, particularly if you may need to discuss a return.
For the first fitting:
- Open the parcel carefully so you don't cut the fabric.
- Check the gown, lining and closures for any visible issue.
- Try it on in a clean space and fasten it without forcing the closure.
- Sit, walk and raise your arms to see how it feels in motion.
- Take clear photos of any concern and contact the studio promptly.
Check the care instructions before attempting to remove creases. Heat and steam aren't suitable for every fabric or trim.
24. Is it normal to need alterations on a made-to-measure wedding dress?
A made-to-measure gown can still need an adjustment. Measurements describe the body at a particular time; posture, preferred fit and later body changes also affect how the finished dress sits.
A bridal alterations specialist can assess the actual gown and explain what is feasible. For lace, ask how the work will affect the pattern and edge finish. Discuss a concern with the studio before having work done, especially if there may be a fault or return request.
25. What if the gown arrives damaged or the fit seems seriously wrong?
Contact the studio promptly with your order number, a description and clear photos. For a fit concern, include views of the gown properly fastened and explain where it pulls, gaps or restricts movement. Photograph packaging damage as well if relevant.
Check the returns and faulty-goods information for the applicable process. Keep the gown unaltered while the issue is assessed, unless you've agreed otherwise with the studio.
26. How should I store the gown, and can I take it on a flight?
Follow the storage instructions supplied with the dress. Keep it clean, dry and away from direct sunlight, and use the recommended support so its weight doesn't pull on delicate straps or lace.
For a flight, check your airline's current baggage rules before choosing a bag or case. A cabin wardrobe isn't guaranteed. Ask the studio how to pack your particular gown and arrange time at the destination for unpacking and any professional crease removal it needs.
27. How do I lift the train for dancing?
A bustle or another suitable fastening can lift the train, but the right arrangement depends on the gown's weight and construction. A loop for carrying the train by hand serves a different purpose from a fastening that holds it up for dancing.
Check what your gown includes. If a local alterations specialist adds a bustle, try it while wearing the dress and have someone who'll be with you learn how to fasten it.
28. How do I clean and keep the dress after the wedding?
Follow the gown's care instructions and choose a cleaner experienced with bridal fabrics. Show them any stains and identify delicate trims or altered areas. Don't assume every lace dress can be cleaned or steamed in the same way.
If you want to keep the gown long term, discuss suitable cleaning and storage with the specialist. Avoid treating a stain yourself before you've checked what is appropriate for the fabric.
Have a question about a particular gown?
Send Shany the product link, your wedding or travel date, and the detail you're unsure about. A question such as whether you can wear a regular bra with that back, or change into flats after the ceremony, helps us understand what you need from the dress.
