Wedding Dress Help

andreaheileman

So I am getting married October 4th, 2014 and I haven't started looking at wedding dresses yet. People have been telling me that I should get one soon, because I want to be able to have time to alter it. What is your opinion on this? How soon should I get a dress? I just don't feel ready to start looking yet because I'm not that close to my goal weight. My goal is to be down 47lbs by my wedding day... and so far I'm only down 17lbs.
Does anyone know how much they can take in a dress? When should I get a dress by? Any advice would be helpful! I just want to look amazing on my wedding dress and have a dress that fits me perfectly!

asianmonkie

That's a long ways away. Wait to get a dress. See how far you can push yourself. You might surprise yourself and lose more than you want. Besides, if you buy it now, it might go out of fashion in 3 months :P

LishieFruit89

Never looked at wedding dresses so I could be off here.

But the ones that lace up should be more forgiving to alter.

But you also have 10 months...
Thats a lot of time...

rml_16

I think it depends on how complicated the dress is. If it's simple, it shouldn't take more than a week for alterations.

_Calypso_

that is 10 months away. You have time.

I does depend on the dress and how busy the bridal store is, but you can usually get a dress and have it altered within 6 months. I'd probably get one by the beginning of March at whatever size you are at that time. Its easier to take in the dress if you contine to lose than to buy a size small and have it let out if you don't lose anymore weight.

JojoInTheForks

But watch deadlines for designers...I know in NS Canada, it's a 3 month minimum for bridesmaid dresses from most designers. I already had my wedding dress, but left the bridesmaids kind of late. So I would imagine that a wedding gown would take even longer...

hotfitmomma2b

I bought my dress about 3 months before my wedding and they had lots of time to do alterations !! you have time

I_Will_End_You

I would wait if I were you. If you lose a significant amount of weight, you may find certain styles look better on you. You wouldn't want to buy a dress that looks good on your now, that you won't be as happy with later.

feelin_gr_8

I was engaged for less than 3 months...and I didn't have any problems finding something I loved in my size and have plenty of time for alterations that I wanted done. Might depend on how picky you are though.

RicaJamie

I would browse for awhile and find a style you really like. Then comparison shop different designers and shops. Also - talk to whomever will be doing your alterations and ask their opinion? Some dresses can be heavily altered for a dramatic weight loss - others cannot.

Of course the first dress I tried on "was the one" despite trying on many others. So it didn't take me too long to pick mine out and they were able to alter it no problem!

laserturkey

You can certainly start trying gowns on now, but I think you still have 4-6 months before you actually need to order one. Try on all kinds of styles-- even ones you think look awful on the hanger! I started out with an idea in my head of exactly what I wanted, then ended up going with something completely different because it looked better on me.

missomgitsica

I would wait. I think the most I've ever known anyone to leave for alteration time was 6 months so you should be good for awhile. It also depends on where you're buying your dress. If you're going to a less expensive/not designer place, like David's Bridal or similar, the alterations will probably be easier/faster because the fabric isn't as high end. But if you're going to an actual designer place, it'll take longer. Either way you're good to wait, I think.

onecatleadstoanother

Typically, a dress can be taken in 2 sizes, but some dresses with corsets are adjustable just because of that. It doesn't take that long to alter a dress. Try them on, but I would hold off buying until you're closer to your goal because you just can't predict where you will lose the weight from. This is personal experience speaking.

klynnshuck

I would wait. Have somewhere other than the bridal shop alter the dress. I bought mine in February and was getting married in September. The bridal shop wanted to start doing fittings in July. I took it somewhere else and she did it in 2 weeks or less.

TheGymGypsy

I think the best time to get a dress is 6 months before the wedding. That way there is plenty of time to have it altered. Anything shorter then that may be a tight squeeze depending on the kind of bridal shop you buy from.

kmbweber2014

I'm getting married next August, I bought my dress 3 months ago. I knew what I wanted and I knew that it was hand made in Australia (I live in the US), so I knew it would take 5 months to get here. I also know I am going to be making alterations to it. I still could have waited longer, I wasn't sure that with my weight loss if that would be the dress I wanted. I tried it on though and realized it the perfect dress and that was that. There is nothing wrong with checking things out and getting an idea but do it at your own pace. If you don't want to look yet then go ahead and wait.

MinnieInMaine

I think you could start looking, just to get an idea of available styles, etc and ask questions of each store's staff to see what the estimated time on alterations would be so you have a better idea of what your local folks can do. Some shops also carry accessories, favors, etc so you can start compiling your ideas on those as well.

As someone else pointed out, something that looks good on you now may not look good on you once you lose the remaining 30 pounds because your shape will be different. I'd still wait at least a few more months before doing serious looking, maybe longer depending on what you get for answers on the alteration time limits.

Somewhat related experience - I bought a shirt that I thought was cute but a bit too snug at the time. By the time I fit into it, I didn't like the way it looked on me anymore You just never know.

wildirishrose162

They say that around six months before the wedding is a good time to look. Plenty of time for alterations but not so much time that you'll see a picture of another dress and fall in love.

Just a word to the wise... research who you have alter your dress as well. My sister went to a place based on the advice of one friend. While the dress wasn't ruined there were lots of mistakes that my sister was very upset about when she picked up the dress. I ended up not having my maid of honor dress taken in and I just bought some padding to pad the chest area where my weight loss showed.

Enjoy the experience though, it can be lots of fun!

michaelsontag

Here is a man's opinion. When I asked my wife (now married almost 14 years) to marry me we looked at all that was needed to do it the traditional way. After we talked it over, we decided to elope, but in style. Yes we did get married in las Vegas, no we did not get married by Elvis, yes we did have a real (not drive-thru) chapel with flowers, pews, and a real minister.

We were able to go to David's Bridal, find a beautiful dress and get it altered within a week.

If you want to go to a fancy shmancy storybook location to buy your dress (like on TV), 10 months is running low on time, but still have a room for margin. If you plan on going to one of the more traditional places (aka David's or something like it), you have plenty of time.

Regardless, I would advise you to figure out now where you want to get your dress from. Go there, and start building a rapport with the team there. Tell them your timeline and your concerns. If you want to wait until as close as posible so you can get the finest dress, tell them. If financing is your concern, be honest with them. It is better to have them as your friend. The sooner they understand that you are a solid sales lead, but that you have conerns, the better.

They will not respect you showing up too late, and then crying for help.

elainecroft

Talk to whoever you might want to do your alterations and get their opinion. They can also help you with knowing what kind of styles may be more/less easily altered.

skinnybearlyndsay

I was recently married (10/13/2013) and bought my dress at the end of January (it came in at the end of May). Granted, I did a lot of looking around and went to two try-ons before settling on it. I actually would have liked to wait longer to get it, but they were discontinuing the style and I didn't want to risk it.

It really is what you're comfortable with. Don't leave it too late, though. 6 months is pushing it. The alterations alone took a month.