Any brides out there with advice about dress shopping?

devil_in_a_blue_dress

I would buy the size you currently are when you buy the dress.

I am a wedding professional too. You know what's not cute to photograph? A bride that squeezed herself into a dress that is 2 sizes too small.

Not saying that you won't meet your goals, OP. I think you will. Just just have no clue where you will lose your weight from to know if a 20w is actually the size you need.

Kadoober

I am getting married one month from today. (typing that 'out loud' just freaked me out! Goodness!)

Anyways, I ordered a dress that was a the next size down for me, once it was confirmed that, if necessary, it could be taken out. I ordered it in February, and have had it since mid-March.

I tried it on last week...and I am sooooo close to not needing to have it taken out! I go in for alterations on Tuesday and I am not trying it on again until Monday, lol.

If you decide to order smaller than you are now, I would suggest not going more than one size down. As previous wise posters have said, it's much easier to take it in, than take it out.

princessofredrock

Your dress can always be fitted!

That said...... when I got married I looked at new dresses and was actually going to wear my grandmothers dress!

I went used dress shopping to find brides maid dresses and happened upon the perfect dress! It needed no alterations!

So that my hubby did not know we pretended to still alter my grandma's dress.

Keep your options open and if you find that perfect dress.... remember that you are better off getting what fits and once you get closer to your wedding day get it fitted for how much you have lost!

Good luck and a happy future to you!

:flowerforyou:

ladykaisa

You should just buy the size dress that you are NOW. Do not buy a smaller size for a weight that you think you'll be in October. God forbid you do not lose all of the weight you want and are stuck with a dress that is too tight! I can't imagine anything worse happening right before one's wedding. The good thing about buying a dress in your current size is that the seamstresses on staff at most bridal shops are able to take in dresses and make them fit you at a smaller weight. It's so much easier to take in fabric than it is to let it out! The real challenge for a seamstress is letting a dress out to accommodate someone at a heavier weight, hence why I strongly suggest you do not buy a smaller size! Also, keep in mind that most wedding dresses run SMALL. On my wedding day, I was a size 6 dress size, but was wearing a size 12 wedding dress (I had lost some weight and had it taken in, but was not a size 12 in regular clothes when I bought it). This is my advice! Enjoy the dress shopping and don't wait too long if your wedding is in October 2014!!! Mine took seven months to arrive at the shop after I ordered it! :noway:

This. Buy it for what you are *now*. I planned on losing 20lbs before my wedding, and was thrilled that I ordered my size with a corset back, because I ended up putting on 10lbs before the wedding.

PikaKnight

I would buy the size you currently are when you buy the dress.

This^ There have been quite a few threads from brides who post about buying a dress way too small and then panic when they are 4-6 weeks out.

MickyMo

Congratulations to a fellow engaged person!

I'd say that when dress shopping, ask how easy it is to alter each style when you try it on. Significant alterations can cost a chunk extra-- and on some styles are hard to do.

Maybe consider a dress from BHLDN, where you can order a dress, you get it quickly, and can send it back if you don't like it, rather than a traditional bridal salon where you have to order so far in advance?

I second britishbroccoli's suggestion of getting measured for it and ordering as late as possible.

What is BHLDN?

3dogsrunning

Congratulations to a fellow engaged person!

I'd say that when dress shopping, ask how easy it is to alter each style when you try it on. Significant alterations can cost a chunk extra-- and on some styles are hard to do.

Maybe consider a dress from BHLDN, where you can order a dress, you get it quickly, and can send it back if you don't like it, rather than a traditional bridal salon where you have to order so far in advance?

I second britishbroccoli's suggestion of getting measured for it and ordering as late as possible.

What is BHLDN?

It is apparently a brand - that is actually the name (I thought it was an acronym). I had to google.

hig17

From a fellow bride, please order the dress in the size you are now!!!!!!

I have heard way too many horror stories about dresses not fitting and even experienced this myself. While I don't know how you are, I have been engaged since December 2012 and didn't start my weight loss journey until January 2014 (all along saying I would start as soon as I got engaged, my wedding date is 6/14/14) . With that being said my wedding dress was bought last year in the size I wore then, it took 6 months to come in and this past November when it came in, IT DID NOT FIT! I was devastated...luckily I got my A** into gear and it is okay now, I just don't want that to happen to others. So point is I bought mine at the size I was and it still didn't fit, don't buy it smaller, it is easier to take in than to let out (if its just a few sizes).

Congratulations on your engagement and wedding! Feel free to add me as a friend, I am currently #sweatingforthewedding!

:bigsmile: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I'd also add-- weddings can be so stressful. We had a tiny backyard wedding and it was STILL stressful. Don't add trying to lose 10 lbs the last week before the ceremony to your list of reasons to be stressed. :flowerforyou:

caitlyn30

I know some people (like the second response you received) order their dresses from boutiques and stuff, and it takes months to get them and then many fittings and alterations and so on.

I've been married twice and I quite frankly did not have the time, money, or patience for any of that business!! The first time I wore a friend's dress and the second time I did strictly off-the-rack.

I definitely wouldn't buy a size 20 dress when you are committed to losing weight. But I also wouldn't buy a 14, 16, or 18, either. Because you just don't know what is going to happen to your body in the next several months.

Unless you are extremely set on a specific dress or style and really must have the "dream dress" in your mind, I'd recommend waiting until like mid-August (yes I know others will gasp and disagree) to shop for a dress and then you could still err a bit on the large size because as the other post said, it's much easier to alter DOWN a size or two than up (which is nearly impossible).

Good luck!!

^I agree with this one unless you are somebody that has dreamed of what your wedding dress would look like. that just was never me. I liked the first one I tried on. I bought mine off the rack- and they altered it a bit.

NickeeCoco

My dress took almost SIX MONTHS to come in. It was made to order, so ask questions. I know some are saying that it only took a week for them, and that's great, but that's not the norm.

I ordered my dress one size smaller than I needed. I ended up dropping 3 sizes, so I had to pay almost $500 in alterations (plus a French bustle) to bring it in.

If you do have to bring it in, make sure you don't have a lot of beading at the seams, because that makes it a LOT of work for the seamstress, and you'll be charged for all of that. Luckily, my dress didn't have a lot of beading there, but that's because I did that on purpose. I didn't want my arms to chafe when I was dancing.

Also, from what I hear the seamstress can only bring it up or down by 3 sizes, so don't over shoot.

BurghGirl03

Thank you everyone so much for your help and suggestions! I will definitely not be ordering my dress a size smaller than what I actually on the day that I order it. Luckily I plan to purchase mine from Davids Bridal so most likely the dress will be off the rack. if they do have to order it, I think the max time it takes for a dress to arrive is 4 weeks, thats for designers like Vera Wang, Oleg Cassini and Melissa Sweet.

I will definitely start making a plan and figuring out when the best time to order will be and all of that. Thanks again for your help!! :happy: