Help...Need to buy wedding dress, but not at goal weight

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  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,531 Member
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    Why do you need to buy your dress now for a May wedding ??

    Unless you buy off the rack, 6-9 months ahead is common for ordering, making and alterations to the dress.

    I see....! Thanks for clarity.

    I bought mine off the rack 2 weeks before and they were able to make simple alterations in a quick time with no Up-charge. But then, I wanted to save my money for my house and not a dress :laugh:
    Do know that several sizes in alterations is really a "Do Over" for seamstresses.
  • Siobhan108
    Siobhan108 Posts: 80 Member
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    Loosing weight while planning a wedding is going to be tough, but is very possible. Look at how much you have lost since starting MFP, what are you averaging ? You will always loose faster at first so remember that. I would think if you are loosing 3 to 5 lbs a month now you might tell the salon that information and let them help you. It is sometimes difficult to take in a dress more then 1 size without loosing the style completely. My daughter wore my dress ( part of it was my mother's ) when she married 18 yrs ago. It was a size to big and she took it to a great salon and they were able to fit it to her and it looked BEAUTIFUL. Make sure you check with friends about their experiences with any salon you choose. The most important thing is a good fit , it will make you look FABULOUS ! Best Wishes.
  • cateyedkp
    cateyedkp Posts: 70 Member
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    I'll echo most of the sentiment from above (either buy it at the size you are now, or only one size smaller.)

    Once you pick your dress, ask your fitting consultant to talk to their alterations people about how easy your dress would be to take in- especially if you do lose 30 lbs. Some dresses are not made in a way that drastic alterations are that easy...so be up front with your fitting consultant, and they should be able to guide you. Have fun and good luck! :)
  • littlesis412
    littlesis412 Posts: 314 Member
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    I would wait a few more months. Look now to see what styles you like, but don't actually buy until four months away. You'll still have plenty of time for alterations, and you may have a better idea in three months about what size you'll actually be on your big day.

    Congratulations and have fun! This is a super exciting time!! :)

    Don't do this, please. Unless you're buying off the rack, it takes forever to order a dress and you want to leave time for alterations. I'd suggest getting your current size or maybe 1 size smaller. A corset back would be a good idea because they're so adjustable. Having that motivation helps but things don't always work out. I'm in almost the exact same boat as you but I bought a dress years ago (long story) and it's too small. I'm currently 170 and was about 135 when I bought the dress. Even with the motivation, the weight isn't coming off and it's just adding to my stress (which go figure causes me to eat). I'm not saying you won't have better success (I hope you do, actually) but don't do that to yourself. It's so much easier to take a dress in and not have to worry about it. Oh, and have fun! I love dress shopping!
  • glass2diamonds
    glass2diamonds Posts: 43
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    Most designer wedding dresses take 7 months to get in from the designer unless you go some where like davids bridal they will let you order or purchase of the rack with in a few months like 2 or 3. order one size smaller only. because most dress can only be taken down a maximum of 2 size below their current one to maintain the dress's stye and integrity. I had purchased my dress about a year in advance hope this helps!
  • UpToTheChallenge
    UpToTheChallenge Posts: 247
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    I bought my dress already and my wedding is 5 months away (April) - they are doing alterations beginning of February. My dress came in in just a few weeks, so you will have time if you're going to David's Bridal, otherwise I would start shopping now and find out the lead time on dresses so you ensure you have enough time. I would go try on dresses and let the consultant know that you plan on losing 30 lbs - they will be able to give you the best suggestion on what to do.

    congratulations & good luck!
  • cmurphy252
    cmurphy252 Posts: 279 Member
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    Buy the dress that fits you now. I was a member of a wedding website for years and I cannot count the number of brides that bought a dress smaller and in the end did not fit it and were doing crash diets in a panick. You can't choose where or how your body loses weight, and weddings can be very stressful. I've lost 12lbs already and a couple of inches an I'm still not anywhere near down one size yet. I'm not saying I don't think you can hit your goal, I'm sure you can. I'm just saying there is no way to predict what size you'll be or what life may throw at you in the next 6 months. It's not worth the risk.

    Agree with this 100% - "you cant choose where or how quickly your body loses weight". I'd play it safe and buy the dress in the size you are now. Thats one less stress you'll have to deal with as its easier to take the dress in if its too big. Congrats on your upcoming wedding :-)
  • eheinze12
    eheinze12 Posts: 58 Member
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    alterations can be altered down two sizes.. so if you are sure you can lose at least another dress size before.. then order a size down but it is not necessary.
  • scubaknit
    scubaknit Posts: 1 Member
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    I was in the same position. I bought my dress to fit me at the time...before I lost any weight. When the wedding rolled around I'd gone from about 165 to just under 130. The seamstress acted like it was no big deal to take it in. I went from a size 10 to a size 6. My dress looked awesome! She did a beautiful job and you wouldn't have known she pinched out about 6 inches all around.
  • JNettie73
    JNettie73 Posts: 1,208 Member
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    I planned on losing weight before my wedding. I ordered my dress smaller. Of course when it was time for my fitting, I didn't lose the weight I had intended. So I was stuck with a dress that was too small and my dress had to be let out. I was in tears. Thankfully, there was enough material that they were able to do that and it all worked out fine. I put myself through unnecessary stress for nothing. I strongly suggest you do yourself a favor and save on stressing yourself out. Buy the size you are now. Definitely discuss this with the store you are ordering your dress from and ask them for their opinion.
  • ILuv2help
    ILuv2help Posts: 5
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    Don't worry you say you have 7 months. How is your nutrition? Are you going to the gym? What have you tried to help your situation?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Why do you need to buy it 7 months in advance??????? If you are losing weight it woould be better to try on dresses to find the style and shape you want but leave the buying until nearer the time ask at the store you plan on getting the dress how long you would need to leave for alterations to be on the safe side. I am getting married in June and havent tried on one single dress yet .

    unless you buy one off the rack, a wedding dress will take 6 months to be made... thats why you should start looking 9 months before.....
  • bf43005
    bf43005 Posts: 287
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    I bought a dress that laced up the back for this exact reason. I heard too many stories of woman who couldn't fit in their dress on the day of their wedding. So I bought a dress that fit well and then had the option of lacing it up a little tighter/loser on the wedding day.
  • sssgilber
    sssgilber Posts: 90 Member
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    If you buy your dress now, ask the store's seamstress's advice on the ease of alterations for weight loss. Some designs are simple to alter, regardless of where your weight loss occurs; others are a nightmare and will be costly and time-consuming. You can easily spend hundreds of dollars altering a dress.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
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    I am also getting married in 7 months! :smile:

    My advice to you is find the dress you want, and explain your situation to the shop. They see this all the time; let's face it, a lot of brides want to lose a bit before their wedding day.

    The shop I bought my dress from has booked me in to take the measurements 12 weeks before the wedding. It takes 10 weeks to make, then 2 weeks before the wedding I will go in and have the fitting, then any adjustments can be made then. It's cutting it fine, but I know I'm going to get a good fit.

    Most shops should be able to accomodate you, but start searching (and paying) for your dress now.

    ETA: A corset back is also a good buy rather than a zip, as they can be easily adjusted on the day.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
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    I don't have much advice on the matter. The reason being that when I got my wedding dress, it was 24w, but I lost weight between the time I had bought it up until the wedding day. I was also pregnant at the time, and they tried to take it in, but were afraid of taking it in by a lot in case I started to show (mind you, I didn't start showing until a week after. Also before anyone judges, my husband and I at that point had been together for 3 years, engaged for 2 and had been planning the wedding for 2 years. We have now been married for 2 years, been together for 5).

    Save yourself the stress and buy the size you are now and if need be have it altered later.
  • NickeeCoco
    NickeeCoco Posts: 130
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    So...my wedding is 7 months away. I am 160 lbs. I want to be in the 130s by the wedding. Very doable! But... I need to get my dress soon! What size do I buy? I know it's a bad idea to buy a dress too small and hope to fit it. Do I buy one size smaller because that's realistic?


    First off, CONGRATS!

    I got married last summer. I, too, was 160lbs when I chose my dress, and I, too, wanted to be in my 130s for the wedding. I ordered my dress one size smaller.

    DO NOT wait to order your dress. Most dresses can take months to come in. They are often made to order. My dress took five and a half months to come in.

    A good seamstress can take it in for you. You should have alterations done anyway. Unless you're having it specially made, wedding dresses come in pattern sizes, and no woman's body is exactly like the pattern. In the end, my seamstress had to take it in quite considerably. Went from a size ten wedding dress to a size four. (I got down to 134lbs for the wedding, and I'm only 5'3") It cost me $350 for the alterations. My final fitting was a week and a half before the wedding, I picked up my dress from the seamstress three days before the wedding.

    That said, DO NOT ORDER A SMALLER SIZE IF YOU ARE NOT ONE HUNDRED PER CENT COMMITTED TO LOSING THE WEIGHT. I was. I worked out seven days a week. No rest days. I followed a strict diet. I planned all of my meals in advance. I did my grocery shopping based on it. It's been said before in this thread, it is very hard to make a dress bigger. A lot of dresses you can't, and that's because the only way to do it is to let out seams, but most seams are only 1/4 inch, so as you can see, that doesn't give you a lot of extra room. Some dresses can have extra panels added to let it out, but it has to match the dress. The only way to get the exact fabric is to order it at extra cost from the company who made the dress, and that can takes weeks and even months to be delivered as well. There's no such thing as rushes in the wedding dress business.
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
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    Congratulations!! Please do not order your dress smaller than what you are now. Many brides get stressed out planning their own wedding and with life that it becomes hard to keep losing weight at the rate you want. Not to say that you can't or won't but it would be one more hting for you to stress out over.

    I had a friend who ordered her dress a size smaller as she was determined to lose weight and was training for a marathon. The dress didn't fit, she had to have a corset back put in, and it's not a pleasant feeling.

    If you lose 30 pounds and have to have it taken in you can do that without losing the integrity and style of the dress.

    I would double check with the boutique you order it with but unless you are already between sizes (in that case, go ahead and take your pick) I would not recommend a size down. It's SO EASY to take a dress ina nd you will feel soooo amazing knowing you have to do that.

    Wedding planning is stressful - and time consumign - especially near the end. Don't add to it :)
  • CarolynKlum
    CarolynKlum Posts: 48
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    I did the same thing: I just lost a little weight and had it taken in! Look at how it turned out!:
    (our highlight video)

    You can do it too!!! Don't worry!
  • SisterC
    SisterC Posts: 121 Member
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    I have worked in the alterations department of a wedding store. Please buy the size you are now; but, keep a few things in mind. The more beading on the dress, especially in the bodice on the side seams, the more time it will take to alter. Those beads have to be removed one by one, the seams altered, and then the beads sewn back on, one by one. There are also many layers to a wedding dress, the bodice can have at least three layers, all of them need to be altered. Between fittings, alterations, bustling and hemming, you could be looking at $200-500 in extra costs. If your dress is too small, those cost can raise greatly. There would need to be extra fabric added, and then to find a way to cover that extra fabric, so it doesn't scream to the world that your dress was too small and pieces had to be added to make it fit.

    One of the ways to enlarge a wedding dress, that is too small, is to add a corsett back...even if your dress isn't designed that way, most wedding gowns can have one added. As long as your dress is not an unusual color, a seamstress will be able to find fabric to match your dress pretty closely. If you have any other concerns, just let me know. Good luck on your weight loss and may your wedding day be beautiful!

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