Wedding Weight Loss

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paprs
paprs Posts: 47 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi MFPs! I recently got engaged, and we're planning a wedding for October 2013. I'd like to lose 30-40 pounds by my wedding day on 10/18/13. (I've been on MFP since July and have lost 22 pounds so far this year.)

I've been told that I need to shop for a wedding dress 8-12 months from the wedding, which puts me at buying a wedding dress in January/February 2013 at the latest. I'm a bit worried about purchasing a dress at (or near) my current weight, and then needing significant alterations when it finally arrives, and then as I continue to (hopefully) lose weight.

My questions for you:
-Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Any advice on weight loss/ dress fittings before the wedding?
-How far in advance of the wedding were you told to "stop losing weight" or else the dress wouldn't fit? (IE no time left to do an alteration)

Thank you all in advance!
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Replies

  • paprs
    paprs Posts: 47 Member
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    bump :)
  • kellicci
    kellicci Posts: 409 Member
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    I ahven't bought a wedding dress but I did use to work at a bridal store and did lots of alterations.

    Unless the dress has to be special oprdered in your size you don't need a whole year...but it just depends on what you want.

    My advice is to reasses your goals and be very realistic. You've lost 22 already....good job btw.... how fast did that happen...now cut that down by 1/3 to 1/2 (b/c the less you have tolose the slower it goes) and do the math to see where you will realistically be in October.....Then when you go dress shopping tell your salesperson you intend to lose more weight be open with them...have you seen a lot more inches gone form certain areas...those kinds of trends usually continue. Also I would say set your goal to be at maintenance by 30 days before...you'll be stressed and it'll just be easier besides that way there shouldn't be big changes after your last fitting.

    Usually taking in a dress an inch or even 2 or three in the bust or waist is not huge problem but letting it out...well there's only so much fabric to work with....so be realistic and maybe go with a lace up back if you miss your goal slightly it's easier to go loose on the lacing than to squeeze into something with an unforgiving zipper.
  • paprs
    paprs Posts: 47 Member
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    Kelli - that is very helpful! Thank you!!

    It's taken me 6 months to lose 22 pounds, so your point about being setting realistic goals next year is well taken :). I will definitely look at my measurements to determine where I'm losing the most inches -- great tip.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    "Unless the dress has to be special ordered in your size you don't need a whole year...but it just depends on what you want. "

    ^^THIS. I ordered a bridesmaid dress while 9 mos pregnant because the bride insisted - the wedding was not for six months. It took something like a week for the dress to arrive.
  • WillardsMommy1
    WillardsMommy1 Posts: 54
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    When I got married I was engaged & married within six months so I had NO time for anything! I bought my dress 4 months in advance of my wedding, I got a sample size 2 & I couldn't afford alterations so I purposely had to stay at my weight in order for my dress not to look goofy on me. ( it was a tight mermaid style).

    I wanted to lose the 10-15 lbs I had gained before my wedding prior to getting married but there was NO way I was going to waste the beautiful dress & i just couldn't find the budget for the alterations. So I had to stick with it. Fast forward 1.5 yrs stil trying to lose the 10-15 lol.

    I think its importnat you feel beautiful at your wedding so if that means you have to make a last minute alteration I'd do it. Depending on the style of dress it could be either very simple or not possible to make a drastic alteration...so maybe think about that & ask those questions when dress shopping.

    Congratulations & Good Luck!!!
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,721 Member
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    I bought my wedding dress six weeks before the wedding. My problem was it was too big and I couldn't afford to have it altered so I put on some weight for the wedding lmao
  • paprs
    paprs Posts: 47 Member
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    @Annin - I've heard those kinds of stories as well! Something to keep in mind.

    @Willards - You make a great point about asking the sales associate about which types of dresses will be easy to alter. This is the shape I'm going for, so I'm hoping it won't be as difficult to take in as, say, a tight mermaid style: http://www.smartbrideboutique.com/shop/item/view/paloma-blanca-4104-size-20-ivory-sweetheart-a-line/10826/

    @Onyx - that's hilarious! Not a common bride problem ;)
  • Snikkee
    Snikkee Posts: 295 Member
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    Hi MFPs! I recently got engaged, and we're planning a wedding for October 2013. I'd like to lose 30-40 pounds by my wedding day on 10/18/13. (I've been on MFP since July and have lost 22 pounds so far this year.)

    I've been told that I need to shop for a wedding dress 8-12 months from the wedding, which puts me at buying a wedding dress in January/February 2013 at the latest. I'm a bit worried about purchasing a dress at (or near) my current weight, and then needing significant alterations when it finally arrives, and then as I continue to (hopefully) lose weight.

    My questions for you:
    -Has anyone else been in a similar situation? Any advice on weight loss/ dress fittings before the wedding?
    -How far in advance of the wedding were you told to "stop losing weight" or else the dress wouldn't fit? (IE no time left to do an alteration)

    Thank you all in advance!



    For my wedding I anticipated losing another 20 lbs before the date... and bought my dress one or two sizes smaller then what I was... eesh.. mistake... always buy bigger then what you are so alterations can be made for it to fit you perfectly.. alterations should be done about 4 weeks before the wedding.
  • paprs
    paprs Posts: 47 Member
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    @Snikkee -- good advice! Out of curiosity - what happened to the dress you bought too small?
  • daisiemae123
    daisiemae123 Posts: 277 Member
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    I lost 50+ lbs before my wedding (of course put most of it back on with baby, but that is a different story :smile: ) I had final alterations done on the dress 2 weeks before the wedding. Find a great seamstress and it shouldn't be a problem. Whatever you do, don't order a dress smaller than you are when measured. Dresses are easier taken in than let out. A friend insisted she was going to lose 3 sizes before her wedding and didn't. She almost couldn't wear her dress. The seamstress managed to make it fit, but she looked like she was going to bust a seam at any moment.
  • Snikkee
    Snikkee Posts: 295 Member
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    @Snikkee -- good advice! Out of curiosity - what happened to the dress you bought too small?

    I sucked it in for like 18 hours.. lol


    I had some last minute crappy alterations done
  • hark15
    hark15 Posts: 148 Member
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    I just got married in September. I started my weight loss journey about 11 months before the wedding but didn't REALLY get started until after I bought my wedding dress. Between buying my dress and the wedding I lost 18 pounds and about 2 dress sizes (2 inches from my waist and 4-5 inches from my hips). Even though the lady at the bridal store sort of rolled her eyes at me for "losing so much weight" (or, rather, getting back to a healthy weight) they were able to alter the dress (a style that needed to be fitted to look good - in my profile pic) and no one could tell that it had been altered several inches!

    Overall, I would say losing much more than 2 dress sizes might make it a bit more difficult and could add to the expense of the alteration - so if you can lose a bit between now and February/March when you should buy the dress you will probably be in good shape!

    Also - I bought my dress about 7 months before my wedding but this might vary from store to store so make sure you ask.

    GOOD LUCK and CONGRATS!!
  • paprs
    paprs Posts: 47 Member
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    @snikkee and @daisie -- wow, thanks for sharing these stories! I will definitely order my size at the time of the fitting and let them take it in, vs. ordering a smaller size!

    @hark - you look beautiful in your wedding dress! Good idea on calling the store -- there seems to be a lot of variation on the length of time required to order the dress before the wedding!
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 919 Member
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    I would order it around 6 months before your wedding and get it in the size you are at that time. I had many plans to lose weight before my wedding and with all the stress I ended up gaining - you don't want the added pressure of having to fit in a dress a few sizes too small!

    Congratulations and enjoy the next 10-11 months of planning!
  • notsosimplyabby
    notsosimplyabby Posts: 138 Member
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    SAME SITUATION! Adding you!
  • MrsPong
    MrsPong Posts: 580 Member
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    I got engaged December 22 2008 and married Feb 7 2009. I had NO time to worry, I bought what fit...and my wedding was 4 months AFTER my daughter was born.


    I would agree and go looking...if you find someone you love buy it and you can always get it taken in.
    Otherwise I would wait a little.
  • bzrpz727
    bzrpz727 Posts: 24 Member
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    Thank you for this post, you beat me to it! haha And thanks to all who respond with helpful tips!
    I'm actually getting married the weekend after your wedding, so I also have the same questions/issues/goals as you. Congrats on both your engagement and your weight loss! It's such an exciting time isn't it? But it's definitely been more overwhelming than I had imagined! I just started back on here about a week ago, so I feel very behind with my goals. I'd love to lose at least 15 pounds before I even try on dresses and I want to hold out as long as possible to purchase one, so that I know for sure the dress I love loves me back lol. Like you said, that would be around February based on what most have told me. I'm clueless and really no help as far as your questions go. The only thing I've really been told is to try on all kinds of dresses, because you never really know what you may fall in love with or look the best in, and to be honest and open about what it is you want and how you want to look. Since you're a little ahead in losing the weight, may I ask what you've been doing to lose it? Feel free to add me if you'd like, maybe we can help keep each other motivated! Best of luck with everything! :smile:
  • dreamin2bethin
    dreamin2bethin Posts: 111 Member
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    You do NOT need a whole year. I went wedding dress shopping found a dress and I can pick it up when I pay it off. Unless you are looking online or at a catalog at the bridal store you do not have to wait for it to come in. The only reason to order a dress is for a change of color of the dress or sash, sleeves, or the dress is no where near your size.

    My wedding dress is big but nothing that can't be altered. I expressed that I didn't plan on gaining weight and that I have been losing weight and they said I have nothing to worry about. I am picking up my dress this month and my wedding is in March.

    I was also told before I found my wedding dress that the average time when ordering a dress is 4-6 months.

    My best advice is to go to near bridal shops and ask them yourself, they can clarify everything for you. I was very nervous going in because my husband-to-be proposed in August and we are getting married in March so I thought that I would be dressless and guess what I am not, just have to pick it up. And I told them that I have lost a lot of weight and I am continuing to do so and they said that is fine, it is common for brides to do either or.

    Hope this helps =)

    P.S. They are starting alterations about 1-2 months before the wedding and I will go in 2 weeks before and 1 week before. I found someone who has made wedding dresses and has been doing this for 20+ years, she is a God sent. I am not worried at all.
  • lunarastro
    lunarastro Posts: 32 Member
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    I got engaged November 6th of this year and our wedding is on January 4th. I bought a dress 4 days after our engagement and I am going for my final fitting in 2 days. FInd a good seamstress and make sure you have enough for alterations in your budget. THe lalerations on my dress cost as much at the dress itself. ( the dress was on a really deep discount) Good work does not come cheap, but it can come quickly. A corset back may help in instances where you loose weight or gain weight for that matter- much more forgiving. I guess my point is, i have planned and will be ready for a semi-formal wedding in 2 months flat. Not that I would necessarily reccomend that quick of a time table, but you definately dont need to get your dress a year out. Good luck!
  • recee96
    recee96 Posts: 224 Member
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    great post! I'm in the same boat as you. I'm recently engaged and my wedding is October 4, 2013. My family and friends want me to go dress shopping now but I want to wait until after the holidays. So I will probably try on my first dress in February. I have ideas of what I like though. Add me if you like as we go through this journey together :)

    Congrats!

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