Any brides out there with advice about dress shopping?

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 died a little when I read this. lol not in a bad way, and you do give solid advice. Just a personal level. I dreamt about my dress - yes I'm one of those annoying girls. I searched for dresses long before I met my husband. I am actually planning to wear my dress again... out with my three sisters... all in wedding dresses lol. I tell my husband all the time if I can get some help getting my corset back tied up he might come home and find me sitting in my dress drinking wine and eating cookies on a bad day lol

aww nothing wrong with loving your dress!!

When it comes to the whole bridal gown situation....I think a LOT of women are like you, and a lot of women are like me, and still others are somewhere in between :-)

I am instead a little bit obsessed with colors...super informal elopement type of ceremony when I married my husband last October but it was extremely important to me that everything was matched shades of cobalt and orange and we had decorative stuff galore even though it was just the two of us! We all have our things.

I do think some women are kinda "shamed" into getting a more expensive dress or going to a very fancy boutique etc, just because it's "the thing to do"...kwim?

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. Get what you want and then have them take it in if it is too big.

idk if this helps, but when I ordered my dress, it came in within a week! so you can definitely put off dress shopping for a while, while you learn how and where your body is losing weight from

It really depends on where you are shopping and what you want. You can buy a dress and walk out the door with it or it can take several months to come in or anywhere in between.
Where I live, you don't have the option, you try on a sale model and order your dress, which takes months. Or shop online, which again can vary. We don't even have second hand options, with the exception of classifieds. Larger cities will have more options.
I would put ordering off as long as possible, but I would definitely investigate what my options are based on what I want first.

I agree with so many other who are saying DO NOT buy a dress that is the size you hope to be, or even a dress that is smaller than the size you are when you purchase it. I'm sure you will be successful with your weight loss, but bodies are unpredictable in the way/speed they lose weight. Also, life is unpredictable--who knows what could come up between now and wedding day that could have an effect on your weight loss journey?

A lot of your decision will depend on where you buy your gown. Larger bridal outlets will often let you buy a gown very close to the wedding date, so if you're planning to purchase a dress from a place like that, that will give you some time to get closer to your goal before you buy. And then if you lose more weight before your final fitting, good for you! Let the seamstresses take it in, as many times as they need to! Smaller boutiques, on the other hand, may require you to purchase much more in advance, but you'll still be able to have alterations done. In fact, I think alterations of one kind or another are fairly standard.

I think someone else mentioned this, too, but corset-style gowns often allow for a little bit more wiggle room, in terms of sizing, if that's a look that appeals to you.

I'm going to echo a lot of these responses. Buy what fits now, corset back if you like that style, and just let the weight thing fall where it falls. Because as much as you want these goals to be met, life happens and wedding planning is stressful! You don't know what may happen in these next few months, and you certainly don't want to add to your stress or ruin the fun of it because you're worried about fitting into a dress that you ordered too small. And yes, it's SO much easier to take a dress in than let it out.

Also, remember that no matter what, you will be absolutely beautiful on your wedding day! Best of luck

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.

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.

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?

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:

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.