While there is no time frame as to when you should start searching but it makes more sense to find the lehenga first. As you visit the shops, you can simultaneously shop for other clothes for your trousseau. Not finding the right lehega can make you stress out like crazy as everything takes time from finding to customizing and getting the right fit for your dream bridal outfit.
If you are wedding date is fixed and you haven’t started looking for your wedding lehenga yet, here are a few reasons why you and every bride must start early:
Find the right shops: If you want to go to visit as many bridal shops as possible, understand this will need time and it is a good idea to see what is available in the market before you make your big purchase. Start heading out for lehenga shopping, go out and explore shops from boutiques (in Shahpur Jat, Delhi) selling exquisite custom made lehenga to CTC to the by lanes of Chandni Chowk. Also if you loved a friend or friend-of-friend lehenga ask about shops and look for one which suits your budget and style.
I started searching for my lehenga in August end and by September mid I had zeroed on the lehenga for my early December wedding.
Some shops in Delhi to look for bridal lehenga: CTC, Frontier Raas, for the best and exclusive of Chandni Chowk head to Asiana in Chandni Chowk, says Anamika Sharma.
Lehengas take time to be made: Lehengas from high to low-end stores are usually custom-made, and can take anywhere between 1 to 3 months to be made. I for instance got my dupatta heavier (bad move it was) depending on the work on the lehenga and what all you add, plus the final fitting, it is a tedious task. Plus you want some extra time to get alterations made.
Avoiding buying your dream lehenga from the first store you visit: When you will first start looking around chances are you will find the ideal lehenga in the first few stores you visit but this is because you have not seen the trends. Ignore the urge to buy that lehenga if you have time. Because as you will visit more stores the idea of perfect will change and regret of buying the wrong wedding outfit or cancelling it is a sad thought.
Lie about your wedding date: Push your wedding date forward by a fortnight or month. It is a very good idea to lie about your wedding date; I told everyone I had a November wedding! This helps get your lehenga back in time and gives you extra time for fittings and buying matching accessories. Also tell the shopkeeper to keep margins for weight gain later. My friend who was petite and later gained more than a few kilos had to get extra panels made to fit into her super tight fish cut lehenga and this costed her a couple of thousand and the hassle of running around.
Find matching accessories: My lehenga was from Chandni Chowk and I found my perfect wedding shoes in Rajouri Market and for jewellery I went to Karol Bagh. The point is that getting the perfect look takes time for hunting down the right shoes, jewellery and other accessories.
Helps plan other wedding functions: Well the wedding lehenga in terms of style, colour and work should be unique and exquisite. Once your colour, style, fabric and work on the wedding lehenga is finalised you can decide what you want to wear on your other wedding functions like engagement, mehendi, sangeet, choora and reception. Ideally try not to wear the same colours twice as it can dull the effect of your wedding lehenga.
Wait for a sale: Many bridal shops go on a sale twice a year, usually January and July, so do your research and see if you can buy your wedding lehenga in the sale. But visit stores beforehand too, like CTC Moti Nagar, Delhi has a bridal week in July-August that showcases their upcoming collection. You can also shop for other wedding functions at the sale.
Get a sense of what’s available, the trends, plus your personal style and importantly your budget takes time. If you have that extra time before your wedding use it carefully. And please do take your mother along, the sentiments of seeing her daughter dress up as a bride are priceless for any mum and the bonding you two will share is priceless!
