Allow at least 30 to 45 minutes to get into a couture gown, with hair and make-up finished first and one or two calm helpers who have practised the fastenings. Corset lacing, buttons, bustles and veils all go more smoothly when someone has learnt them at the final fitting. Catherine offers a wedding morning dressing service for brides who would like her there.
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How long does it take to get into a wedding dress?
For a simple gown with a zip, a few minutes. For a couture gown with a laced corset, many buttons or layered skirts, plan a calm half hour or more, and build in a buffer. Photographers often want the gown going on, so tell them when you plan to dress.
| Before leaving | What happens |
|---|---|
| Morning | Hair and make-up, in a button-front shirt or robe |
| About 90 minutes | Underwear and shapewear on; gown out of its bag, steamed if needed, and hung somewhere clean |
| About 60 minutes | Into the gown, lacing and fastening |
| About 30 minutes | Shoes, jewellery, veil, final check, photographs |
| Leaving | Train gathered for the car, bustle loop ready |
These are planning suggestions. Your photographer and hair and make-up artist may want different timings, so agree them together.
In what order should you get dressed?
- Hair and make-up finished, so nothing goes over your head after the gown is on.
- Underwear and shapewear you wore at your fittings.
- Step into the gown rather than pulling it over your head, with a helper holding the bodice. A clean sheet on the floor protects the hem.
- Lacing, buttons or zip, from the waist up.
- Shoes. Sit down to put them on, with the skirt lifted.
- Jewellery, then veil last.
How do you lace a corset wedding dress?
Laced backs are tightened gradually, a little at a time from the middle outwards, rather than pulled hard from the ends. The bride stands tall and breathes normally. The bodice should feel secure without restricting breathing or lifting your arms. Whoever laces you should practise at your final fitting, because the right tension is easier to feel than to describe.
How do bustles and detachable skirts work?
A bustle lifts a train off the floor after the ceremony, usually with hooks, buttons or ribbon loops that attach under the skirt. A detachable skirt or overskirt comes off entirely. Taharna’s detachable skirt came off to reveal a fully beaded gown for dancing. Make sure the person who will bustle you knows how, and that it happens before the first dance.
When does the veil go on?
Last, once hair is finished, so the comb sits securely in the style your hairdresser planned for it. Long veils, like Alexandra’s six-metre veil, need someone to carry and settle them as you walk. Many brides take a cathedral veil off after the ceremony. We also design custom wedding veils to match the gown.
Who should help you get dressed?
One or two people is enough: often your mother, a sister or your maid of honour. Choose people who are calm and have practised. A crowded room makes fastening slower.
Catherine offers a wedding morning dressing service. On Samantha’s wedding morning, Catherine was by her side, dressing her as she got ready. Ask about it at your consultation or fittings.
A wedding morning checklist
- Gown, still in its bag, hanging high and away from food and make-up
- Underwear and shapewear from your fittings
- Shoes, jewellery, veil and hair pieces
- A clean sheet for the floor, safety pins, needle and matching thread
- Tissues and blotting paper
- Instructions for the bustle, or the person who knows it
Read more about wedding dress fittings, or book a consultation to start your gown.
