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Dear Melissa Sweet/Priscilla of Boston/purveyors of wedding and bridesmaids dresses everywhere:
Why, oh why does it take FIVE MONTHS for you to make a dress? I know I procrastinated on picking out bridesmaids dresses, but I just decided on my wedding dress! And how could I have picked out the bridesmaids’ dresses until I knew what I, the bride, was wearing? If I could have foreseen that the salespeople at your bridal salon in Dallas would LAUGH AT ME when I asked, in December, if I could order bridesmaids dresses for our April 4th wedding, I would have ordered them sooner! But, really, how was I supposed to know? You’ve already designed the dresses, and most of you only come out with a handful of dress designs per season (Melissa Sweet, I’m talking to you). You already have the materials and a factory of people to make them. So why does it take five months for a dress to be delivered once it has been ordered?
I have two theories about the cause of such delay:
1) ‘Bridesmaid Dress Manufacturers are Cheap’ Theory: The manufacturers are cheap and want to wait as long as possible to start production of dresses, so that they can build up a lot of orders and mass produce them at a lower cost.
2) ‘WIC (Wedding Industrial Complex) Conspiracy’ Theory: The Wedding Industrial Complex wants us to order dresses as soon as we get engaged. They don’t want us to think too hard about the high prices or the possibility of shopping around, for, say, eveningwear that can multitask as bridesmaids dresses. Instead of letting us have time to compare prices and think about the best option, they want us to make hurried decisions about dresses more than 6 months before our wedding date!
Here is the dress I fell in love with, the unavailability of which is causing my current strife.
Photo via Brides.com
Isn’t it cute?! It is a Melissa Sweet design. As a 7-time bridesmaid, I can say that I would definitely wear this again! The sparkles make it a cute party dress—I want to buy one for myself! And it comes in a light blue color called “French Blue” and in a coral color called “Nectar” (see the colors here). I had it all planned out. I was either going to go with this sparkly dress style and have the ’maids choose between Nectar and French Blue, or I was going to stick to one of the colors and have the ’maids choose between several satin strapless styles, like the sparkly number above and these lovelies:
Photos via Brides.com
But, alas, it was not meant to be. Let this be a warning to all procrastinating brides-to-be. On with the search!
Did you have to find bridesmaids dresses in a “short” period of time? Where did you go?
Awww, I love your top pick! It’s absolutely crazy how long it takes for an ordered dress (bridal or BM) to come in. I JUST heard that my Melissa Sweet wedding gown has arrived — after eight months! Maybe you can find a talented dress maker to copy your favorite design for cheap?
My BMs wore Nicole Miller dresses VERY similar to the middle blue dress above. I’d guess the price was similar, too. Just Google Nicole Miller bridesmaid or whatever to get to their site. I’m pretty sure they didn’t take too long to come in.
I read somewhere that it doesn’t take them 5 months to make the dress — it takes them 5 months to acquire enough orders that the shipping from China is worth it to the company. Good luck!
I procrastinated on my wedding (I just bought my dress in December) and bridesmaids dresses too. I wanted my girls to be able to wear their dress again as well. We tried to buy off the rack at places like Nordstrom and Macy’s, but we ended up going to David’s for most of the dresses as their turn around is quick. My MOH is wearing a Watters dress. The bridal store said they have a quick turn around. We didn’t even have to pay for rush shipping. We bought it last week and it will be here mid to late March.
Miss Kitten, be sure to check out style me pretty today, she has a real wedding post up with your colors.
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/02/04/blogger-favorite-elizabeth-anne-designs/
I think you can sometimes pay a small fee to have your order expedited. Is that not an option here?
Jcrew has a bridesmaid dress very similar to your first pic. Perhaps they need less lead time to order.
Can you call someone else to see if they can help to expedite the order? Or can you call the company directly to state your case?
We wore Vera Wang bridesmaid’s dresses in my brother and SIL’s wedding — I think we ordered in March for a June wedding and the dresses came in a few weeks before the wedding, so we were fine with that tight timeline! I wouldn’t take one person’s answer as the end-all, be-all answer if that is really the dress you love.
my order only took 3 mos through House of Brides, but probably too scary at this point, since they had estimated 4
J.Crew dresses come within just a few days! They are fantastic quality, so cute, and you can wear them again! If you like strapless, check out the Cotton Cady Erica Dress or perhaps the silk taffeta lorelei dress! Good Luck!
My wedding dress was actually a bridesmaids’ dress in ivory, and I had it made in less than a month under their “rush” designation for an extra $50. They told me it would take six weeks, but it was done well before the estimation they gave me.
I’m not sure if a bigger shop would have been able to make the same arrangements, because I’m pretty sure they had one local dressmaker doing all of their sewing, but always ask about a rush option!
How heartbreaking. I hope you’re able to find a suitable replacement in time for the big day! Looks like you’ve already gotten some great suggestions on places to check.
Sarah & Chendabride are right… J.Crew is always a beautiful, classy choice! Also, check out Ann Taylor Celebrations… they have fewer dresses to choose from, but they are nice and come quickly! They also have a blue color(Pacific Blue) similar to the ones above!
http://www.anntaylor.com/catalog/editorial.jsp?pageName=celebpreview&pCategoryId=193#8
once again Miss Kitten, GREAT taste! 
my ladies are wearing a mix of Melissa Sweet and Priscilla of Boston dresses in satin material and the color Fig. Each bridesmaid is wearing a different dress (there are 6 of them) and some of the dresses you listed above are some of the ones I picked for them to choose from! I LOVE these dresses b/c they look more like cocktail dresses and can definitely be worn again.
Sorry it didn’t work out for you to order them 
Her order time is ridiculous! most other dresses only take 12 to order. I ordered mine in December for a May 30 wedding and barely made it with alteration time to spare! good luck finding something else for your lovely ladies to wear!
There are some similar dresses out there, here are a few,
http://www.nicolemiller.com/SPECIAL_OCCASION_DRESS/pd/np/12/p/1226.html
Boo to Melissa Sweet. Those dresses are beautiful.
oh no! im so sorry!
i however, managed to choose my bridesmaids dresses first. before my dress. before th venue. so weird of me. apparently i am the most backwards bride ever. the dresses determined the color scheme. It may be weird, but it was important for me that the girls were happy and flattered on the big day.
Check out Jessica McClintock, Nordstrom’s, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, etc. I also think that target.com has some great dresses by Isaac Mizrahi, a lot of which are on clearance right now for amazing prices!
I am buying my maids dresses right now, 8 months before my wedding. They said the last day I could buy them is 6 months before my wedding. But they are from a bridal salon and are only costing me $124. Not too bad for an actual bridesmaid dress.
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Mrs. Kitten, Austin/Grand Cayman Age and Occupation: 25, Law Student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Dental Student Engagement Date: October 19, 2006 Wedding Date: April, 2009 Venue: The Grand Old House, Grand Cayman About Me: In 2009 I will get married (after a two and a half year engagement!), become an Army wife, graduate from law school, take the bar, move from Austin to Washington, D.C., and start my career as a lawyer! With all this going on, Mr. Kitten and I decided to have a tropical, "stress-free" destination wedding. Nevertheless, my micromanaging, detail-oriented, perfectionist side has prevailed---I am currently obsessed with every last detail of my "stress-free" destination wedding! But most of all, I'm beyond excited to become Mrs. Kitten on a fabulous Caribbean vacation surrounded by my friends and family!
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