When to buy the dress?

Posts: 37
5/23/10 8:01 P

I would first find a dress that you like, then ask the people at the store you are buying it about how long it takes to come in once you order it, and how long alterations take to complete. Just keep in mind you can always take fabric off a dress!

Posts: 1,360
5/23/10 5:33 P

I had to order my David's Bridal Dress, and it took less than a month for the dress to come in (they told me it would be 6 weeks maximum)

When you start going out and trying on dresses, talk to the salespeople and find out how long it will take for the dresses to come in, and give yourself a 6-8 week 'grace period' between when they tell you it will come in and the actual wedding date.

Posts: 409
5/22/10 11:04 P

To TeteMarie:
I have always had bad experiences with David's Bridal. The problem with trying on a dress at the store is that you don't know if it has been an altered return, or new from the factory. What they also don't want to tell you is that the dress you need may be at one of their other stores, if you live in a place where there are multiple within driving distance. My bf couldn't find the one in her size, and we were worried about ordering. We left the store with the dress info and called the other stores. Low and behold and hour drive later she was trying on the exact dress and we didn't have to order after all.

Good luck and congrats!

Posts: 861
5/12/10 11:25 A

To ORANGE_TABBY:
The usual would be to purchase a dress at least 6 months or more. You want to lose weight, but look good in it. Remember it's easier to take it in than add more material. When I planned mine almost 21 years ago, I got so stressed out that I gained weight and my last fitting, the seamstress had to add more material. I was devastated!

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Posts: 66
5/12/10 11:09 A

I'm happy to hear other people are having long engagements too! We're not getting married until June 2011 and my short term goal is to lose 30 pounds. In the long term I'd like to lose 40-50. I would have to agree - make sure to buy the dress at least 6 months in advance. Several of my friends had issues with their dresses coming in late! If you get a corset back, very little alterations will have to be done. Good luck, I hope you all have a wonderful wedding!

Posts: 15
5/8/10 7:29 A

My wedding is in May next year and I'm planning on losing about 50lbs by then as well. I'm going "preliminary" dress shopping in august to see if there's any particular styles that I like, but wont buy it til November, by which time I should be at goal (she says). I wouldn't leave it less than 6 months before, wedding dresses can be notorious sometimes, but DO tell the shop owner that you're planning on losing more weight and they'll be able to recommend styles that can easily be taken in or ordered a the last minute!

Good luck to all of us!!

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Posts: 11
5/7/10 4:18 P

Our wedding is over a year away and I am planning to lose at least 50 lbs by then... I am thinking of starting to shop 9 months ahead and making friends with a seamstress!

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5/6/10 1:56 P

I really don't know what to recommend. I purchased a dress in 1/2010 and by the middle of of March I had lost so many inches that my dress didn't fit. So with situation I was in, they had me try on a smaller dress similiar to the one I had to see what would be the correct size. The new dress came in 2wks ago and it doesn't fit....it's too small. My wedding is 6/19/10 and back to dieting for me. I'm stressed and not happy with David Bridal's.

Edited by: TETE_MARIE at: 5/6/2010 (13:58)

Posts: 480
5/4/10 11:59 A

I am getting married on 7/10/10 and got my dress on 5/1/10. It is a strapless dress, so if I lose 5 pounds, it will still fit me. I don't pick it up until 6/4/10, so I believe it will be fine. I believe you should not wait too long, maybe 3 months before.

Posts: 409
4/30/10 12:45 P

I would suggest purchasing a dress with the lace up back, that way it will need less alterations and if your chest changes shape, then it is easier to adjust. With a zip or button back you just don't have that flexibility. I would also be cautious about styles. If you get an empire hem, a-line dress, with straps, and lace up back, you will have the most flexible dress, but it might not be what's right for you. Many ladies are going for the strapless styles, and more power to you if you can pull it off, but it would be much harder to alter with weight gain/loss.

Good luck!

Posts: 137
4/28/10 1:37 P

Girl,

I would becareful of waiting too late. It can take over 6 months for the dress to come in sometimes. I would come up with a "wedding day weight". A goal that you can maybe reach by October and stop there until after the wedding because you also don't want to run the risk of losing too much weight after purchasing the dress and not being able to have it altered that much. Best of luck to you! By the way I'm a June 2011 bride as well!

Posts: 472
4/27/10 4:14 P

Beware of ordering a dress that is TOO big if you plan on losing some weight. Dresses can only be altered so much. TRUST me...this happened to me last year. If I had it to do all over again...I'd lose the weight I wanted to lose and maintain it for a several months prior to ordering my dress. My dress was ordered late Feb for a June wedding. I lost almost 40 pounds and the CHEST was too big. They could only do so much to pull it in.

I say go dress shopping and find a style that you like at least 9-12 months in advance. Then work with the DRESS shop to determine when you need to be measured to order the SIZE you need and still have them guarantee the delivery and alterations on time. Most dress shops do alterations based on DUE date of when it needs to be done. You may be able to work with the shop to order it later than usual and still guarantee a good fit and done on time. Also ask the dress shop if the dress you have picked out can be ALTERED if needed to accomodate your decreasing size. Some dresses are easier to alter than others and the shop can point you in the right direction on choosing one that will work best for you.

Good luck all !

Posts: 365
4/15/10 8:44 A

I am newly engaged and wanting to lose 25lbs...I am looking at March 2011 to buy...I can't decide either if it is smarter to wait until I am the size I wanna be or go looking when I am a bit larger?

Posts: 4,812
4/12/10 3:34 P

Our wedding is Sept 2011. I plan to lose some weight and buy my dress somewhere between the end of August to mid September. I figure this gives me plenty of time to lose some weight without having a drastic drop in lbs and inches within the year before the wedding.

I don't want to lose too much weight and then not be able to take it in. My other fear though is to lose the weight and then put it back on and not be able to take the dress out to fit me.

Posts: 5
4/12/10 3:12 A

I am getting married on December 4, 2010 and am working towards getting into a smaller sizes for my wedding. I think you should go look at dresses and get an idea of what you want, but I would talk to the store and see what they recommend. I talked to the store that I found a lot of dresses I love and she told me when I would absolutely have to have my dress ordered by.

Posts: 20
4/11/10 6:03 A

I'm too chicken to buy a dress this early! I keep having nightmares about putting weight on & it not fitting!

Something else that worries me, what about changing shape when you lose weight? I'm thinking that if your shape changes, then the style that looked really good to start with might not be so flattering...

Posts: 855
4/10/10 9:58 P

I found one off the shelf about 7 months before my wedding. I probably should have waited but I fell in love and it went on sale. I didn't do alterations until about a month before because I had heard horror stories of people who did them right away and then changed sizes or shapes a bit before the wedding. I don't know that I'd be brave enough to order something. I am a see, feel, and try on kind of person. Some of the things I thought I liked looked HORRIBLE on me, so I'm glad I didn't go for those. Plus, the sizing was weird too.

Posts: 6
3/30/10 9:55 P

Darn it! I found a gorgeous dress last Friday, but was too chicken to buy it! 3 sizes too small! Well, it *is* my size in the real world, but wedding dresses and my boobs don't seem to mix.

Posts: 16
3/25/10 4:41 P

You ladies are fantastic! Giving me inspiration to take off weight this year. I don't say lose because I don't want to find it again!!!!

Posts: 15,379
3/24/10 7:44 P

Dresses DO come in wrong sometimes!

If you don't leave enough time to reorder it, then what will you do?

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Posts: 601
3/24/10 3:44 P

I bought my dress last May, picked it up this past February and will have alterations done near the end of June for my wedding at the end of August. I am losing a bit more than 2 pounds a week and for me it was wierd for the "bosom" to be too big on the dress - I giggled! After that the cut of the dress will flatter 10-20 punds difference so I am lucky. I LOVE having my dress at home, I look at it often and it is a HUGE motivator! A friend took pictures of me when I was trying it on so I look at those and talk to myself about how positively gorgeous I will look on my wedding day. Trust me - this is a challenge! However I am happy to say it is working. 5 months to go!

Posts: 16
3/24/10 2:42 P

Maris,
Listen to your instincts. Order in May and your seamstress will make modifications as needed. Unless you buy something with A TON of beading, there shouldn't be anything that isn't tooo difficult for her. Try on the dress again, see if they have it in the next size down, if you're close, order it in that size then you have your goal!

Good luck!

Jo

Posts: 28
3/24/10 12:47 P

I'm joining this board!!!

I've been debating over this the whole week; I've been consistently losing weight around 1lb per week; my wedding is July 24, 2010. I found a dress I like, and they guarantee, I will get it 4-6 weeks after ordering it; I also found a lady that does alterations and she said, she needs a month advance to do wedding dresses. So, I'm thinking of ordering the dress in the middle of May, so that it will give me almost two months to lose more weight and enough time for alterations.

I don't know what to do, everyone tells me that's too risky! but I don't want to order it now, then lose weight and have to do major alterations to it.

Posts: 4,812
3/24/10 10:54 A

I have 18 months before my wedding. I found the dress I want but I haven't exactly purchased it yet. They have a lay-away so I put a down payment so they can order my dress but I told them to wait until Sept-Oct so I have time to lose a few lbs and tone up. That way I know for sure which size to buy and will hopefully have minimal alterations.

Our wedding is Sept 24, 2011 so Sept or Oct of this year will give me 12-11 months for the actual dress to come in and make any alterations that need to be made. I just can't wait to pick it up!!!

Posts: 26
3/23/10 10:21 P

Definitely bpurchase it at least 8months before. that way it will come in and you can see if it fits just right or if you would like to losemore weight and have it altered.


Good Luck ....so exciting!

Posts: 6
3/23/10 9:14 P

Man, I wish I had the guts to buy a dress two sizes smaller. I guess we'll see. Thanks!

Posts: 16
3/23/10 9:01 P

Hi OT,

I'm in the same boat! I have actually bought my dress already. Knowing that I will have 2 months before the wedding, 4/11 to have the dress altered if needed. I bought my dress 2 sizes smaller than I am now. I would suggest buying a dress in Jan/11. Then you will have plenty of time to have it altered (2 months before) and you will still have time to lose more lbs before your fitting!

Jo

Posts: 6
3/23/10 7:32 P

So, I'm getting married in June of 2011. My fiancee and I are going for the whole gradual weight loss thing. My goal for now is to lose 75 pounds, but I may go for more depending on my progress. Here's the thing - how much time do I need before the wedding to buy the dress and have it altered? If I get it too early, I run the risk of it being too big. If I order too late, I worry about it not being ready at all! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!