I will be going with my daughter shopping for her wedding dress in the next couple of weeks. She is concerned because she is not the size she wants to be, she probably needs to lose around 25 lbs and she's working on it. Meanwhile, we need to look at dresses. Everything she has been told and read points to the fact that wedding dresses size small, plus many shops only carry average sizes to try on, like 8 or something. I am trying to pump her up and tell her she's beautiful right now even if she didn't lose anything else. Being a fitness and health nut, I hope she continues working toward the goal and loses the weight yes, but I think it's important to also be in the present and enjoy right now. So, I am hoping that this dress shopping experience will be a good one for her, I don't want her to be disappointed. Any tips, similar experiences, or any words of wisdom to help me would be appreciated. Guess I just felt like sharing and felt like I could use some support.
Need advice on wedding dress shopping
- Thread starter sophiem
- Start date
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
I say that the moment she starts getting down, get her out of there!!!
This is supposed to be a joyous and beautiful time that (hopefully) will only happen once. If it isn't going well, wait for another time. Tell her that you guys should go and discuss a course of action to get her where she wants to be. I am not sure how much time she has before the wedding but I boought my dress a year in advance and it sat in a closet for 10 months before it was alteration time.
This is supposed to be a joyous and beautiful time that (hopefully) will only happen once. If it isn't going well, wait for another time. Tell her that you guys should go and discuss a course of action to get her where she wants to be. I am not sure how much time she has before the wedding but I boought my dress a year in advance and it sat in a closet for 10 months before it was alteration time.
I can tell you that when I went dress shopping (a couple years ago) I learned that all wedding dresses pretty much run smaller than your actual size. So, I was larger than I cared to be on the tag but oh well, you only get married once! Yes, it is definitely good advice to be in the present and enjoy it now b/c she might regret it later. Also, don't let her buy a dress smaller than she is hoping to get into it b/c I think that just sets her up for failure. You can always alter what you have! Besides most importantly, she isn't going to have any size stamped on her dress. She needs to just wear a smile and I'm sure she'll be beautiful!
"you miss 100% of the shots you never take"
Debbie
"you miss 100% of the shots you never take"
Debbie
Sophiem: congrats on your daughter's upcomming wedding! it's a very exciting time. I just got married in June. I tried on over 20 dresses before i found the one i had to have. I wasn't at my ideal size either. Its a little frustrating, but try to reimind her that she has time to work on that. (IF she brings it up) Wedding dresses(unless you buy them off the rack) take about 4 months just to come in to the store. Then they have to be altered. there isn't time to wait until you lose weight before shopping. When i bought my dress, i was still in the process(STILL am)of losing weight. By the time my dress came in it was a little too big. Since my dress was corseted, it was an easy problem to fix. If your daughter goes with a corseted dress, chances are that only the hem will have to be done. Just a thought. Have fun and bring a camera so she can see the dress from all angles. OH, and the dresses do run smaller. The sales people should be helpful with that area. HTH
jes
jes
jes
jes
Agzo
Cathlete
Hi I just did this about 3 months ago. My dress was ordered but had to be rerouted because of hurricane wilma. Anyways I would say if she is a bigger size start at a place that is bigger like Davids Bridal...they have a lot of different sizes especially larger ones. I enjoyed the smaller boutiques once I visted the bigger stores to figure out what I like and didn't like. Also stress to her that it may take a few trips to find her dress. And always buy the dress a little big so when you get it altertered it will fit you like you want it too. That way she can lose as much or a little weight before the wedding. You can always go down but its very difficult to make the dress bigger. And this may be where she finds her motivation to see her through to her goal. Seeing the dress and visualizing how she wants to look in it may help her to get there. I lost 2 sizes after buying my dress (it still hasn't come in). Also one last thing...make it as fun as you can by mixing it up a little, do lunch, maybe look at Bustiers (sp?), shoes, jewerly, head pieces, as to not put so much focus on the dress if its a concern.
Good Luck and I'm sure she will have a good time!
~Angel
Good Luck and I'm sure she will have a good time!
~Angel
amyg
Cathlete
I agree with Angel!! When I first went shopping for my dress (3+ years ago) I went to David's Bridal with my SIL. She made me try on all kinds of wacky dresses we both knew I would hate. It was a lot of fun that way! I was so happy with The One I don't think I ever went into a smaller boutique.
It was a marathon day, I remember that, but there was so much to do at David's Bridal that when we got tired of dresses we'd go play with the other items like veils, etc.
I did order the dress size 14 (in January for my November wedding), then I took it back to them in August and asked them to reorder me a size 8 since I had lost weight. I had spoken with them about doing this before ever ordering the dress in the first place, and I also spoke with my friend who designs wedding dresses about the possibility of sizing it down from a 14 to an 8 if David's changed their policy. It all worked out.
Have fun!!!! And of course bring your camera!!!! I've got some really fun photos of me in each of those crazy wacky dresses.
It was a marathon day, I remember that, but there was so much to do at David's Bridal that when we got tired of dresses we'd go play with the other items like veils, etc.
I did order the dress size 14 (in January for my November wedding), then I took it back to them in August and asked them to reorder me a size 8 since I had lost weight. I had spoken with them about doing this before ever ordering the dress in the first place, and I also spoke with my friend who designs wedding dresses about the possibility of sizing it down from a 14 to an 8 if David's changed their policy. It all worked out.
Have fun!!!! And of course bring your camera!!!! I've got some really fun photos of me in each of those crazy wacky dresses.
Everyone has given you such great advice!!
Just wanted to tell you that my daughter, who had lost 50 pounds and wears size 8, ordered her dress in a 12 (per body measurements; they only had a 10 in the store). It was almost a perfect fit! So much for sizing......
David's does have a LOT of dresses in many sizes! You can look at them online also at:
http://www.davidsbridal.com/index.jsp
Julie
Just wanted to tell you that my daughter, who had lost 50 pounds and wears size 8, ordered her dress in a 12 (per body measurements; they only had a 10 in the store). It was almost a perfect fit! So much for sizing......
David's does have a LOT of dresses in many sizes! You can look at them online also at:
http://www.davidsbridal.com/index.jsp
Julie
acatalina
Cathlete
Better too big than too small. You can always have them taken in.
I would buy a little bigger. Then a month before alterations.
You don't want to waste all that money.
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8227804&uid=3969941
I would buy a little bigger. Then a month before alterations.
You don't want to waste all that money.
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8227804&uid=3969941
Gosh, I'm feeling much better after reading all of your responses. Sounds like finding a good person to do alterations is key. This may be a dumb question, but how do you try on dresses in the store if the ones in the store are too small to fit? How could you get a good idea of how it will look on you?
amyg
Cathlete
I've never understood that, either. I can't imagine buying arguably the most expensive thing you will ever wear and having no idea what it will look like on you...
That's why a place like David's Bridal is so great- they have so many styles of dresses, you can get a very good idea of the type of dress you like and then go to boutiques for the details of a dress. Does that make sense? If you've seen yourself in a big, white, A-line dress and you love it, then you'll know at a boutique you'll love the big, white, A-line dress with fantastic beading even more.
As for me, I gave up immediately when I tried my dress on at David's Bridal. $500 was enough for me to spend on the dress! Why spend 3-10 times that just to say it was really expensive? I was gorgeous because I was the bride and I was marrying the man I love. I thought that was enough!!
That's why a place like David's Bridal is so great- they have so many styles of dresses, you can get a very good idea of the type of dress you like and then go to boutiques for the details of a dress. Does that make sense? If you've seen yourself in a big, white, A-line dress and you love it, then you'll know at a boutique you'll love the big, white, A-line dress with fantastic beading even more.
As for me, I gave up immediately when I tried my dress on at David's Bridal. $500 was enough for me to spend on the dress! Why spend 3-10 times that just to say it was really expensive? I was gorgeous because I was the bride and I was marrying the man I love. I thought that was enough!!
nancy324
Cathlete
Soph-
When I went with my DIL (to Macy's), all the dresses were size 12. They used clothes pins to hold the dresses in the back for my DIL, and there was a lot of fabric back there! They said that the dresses need to be a size 12 to accommodate most tryers. So, your daughter should have nothing to worry about.
Have fun!
-Nancy
When I went with my DIL (to Macy's), all the dresses were size 12. They used clothes pins to hold the dresses in the back for my DIL, and there was a lot of fabric back there! They said that the dresses need to be a size 12 to accommodate most tryers. So, your daughter should have nothing to worry about.
Have fun!
-Nancy
Agzo
Cathlete
I was also going to say that it might be fun to look through some of the wedding dress magazines to get an idea of what styles she likes. But once you get to try stuff on you might add to and sratch off her style list, stuff looks so different on each person.
Look in the phone book before you go and make a list of shops to hit, try to hit the bigger stores like Davids bridal first because they do have so many dress in so many different sizes (including the larger sizes). Also there will be someone to help you while your shopping. I believe David's bridal actually has their own alterations department. Also I believe if you leave the dress there after purchase you can change the size, like someone before said thats a good thing to ask and check on.
And the nice thing about wedding dresses is that they are meant to flatter all differnt kinds body sizes and types, depending on the style and cut. I'm sure once she gets out it will be fun. It can even lighten the mood to try on weird and ugly dress for fun...
good luck and I think she will relax once the process has started. Good luck and when is the wedding?
~Angel
Look in the phone book before you go and make a list of shops to hit, try to hit the bigger stores like Davids bridal first because they do have so many dress in so many different sizes (including the larger sizes). Also there will be someone to help you while your shopping. I believe David's bridal actually has their own alterations department. Also I believe if you leave the dress there after purchase you can change the size, like someone before said thats a good thing to ask and check on.
And the nice thing about wedding dresses is that they are meant to flatter all differnt kinds body sizes and types, depending on the style and cut. I'm sure once she gets out it will be fun. It can even lighten the mood to try on weird and ugly dress for fun...
good luck and I think she will relax once the process has started. Good luck and when is the wedding?
~Angel
I think you're right, once we get into the swing of it, she'll chill out and hopefully start to enjoy. She tends to worry, so I'm sure it's just the build up and thinking about it. My plan throughout this time is to be supportive, give advice and help when asked and to keep her and her fiances desires as priority. I know weddings can get so out of hand financially, emotionally, etc. The wedding is in May, so we have 7 months before the date. That's why we have to get crackin'!
Just another piece of advice...when she finds the one she loves, tell her not to buy it just yet. You can often find the same dress on the net for less. Check eBay, do a Google and a Yahoo search. My sister did this and saved $$$$.
Also, don't count out department stores if she wants something less formal. I bought my wedding gown in a mall specialty store, and then took to a fantastic seamstress. My wedding photos show me in the gown of my dreams! Too bad I didn't know Cathe back then, but I digress.
Let us know how it goes!
Also, don't count out department stores if she wants something less formal. I bought my wedding gown in a mall specialty store, and then took to a fantastic seamstress. My wedding photos show me in the gown of my dreams! Too bad I didn't know Cathe back then, but I digress.
Let us know how it goes!
One more piece of advice...
Check out that show "Buff Brides" on FitTV. It is a highly motivating show where the bride to be has 4 months to get in great shape. Also - you can get her Cathe's video "Get in Shape for your Wedding".
I had 10 pounds that I wanted to lose before my wedding, so I kicked up the cardio and started doing more weight training. I also cut back a little on carbs (only allowed myself 2 servings a day for 3 months before the wedding) and drank a lot of water, ate fruit and lean protein and veggies.
When we went to David's Bridal for my final fitting, my mom brought her camera, and I was flexing my muscles in my wedding dress while she took pictures. They are so funny. I felt like I looked how I wanted to look, and got so many compliments on how my arms looked
Your daughter will look beautiful, no matter what. But, she will find the dress that makes her feel like a million bucks. When she does, you will know it because she will grin from ear to ear, and not want to take it off in the store.....
Check out that show "Buff Brides" on FitTV. It is a highly motivating show where the bride to be has 4 months to get in great shape. Also - you can get her Cathe's video "Get in Shape for your Wedding".
I had 10 pounds that I wanted to lose before my wedding, so I kicked up the cardio and started doing more weight training. I also cut back a little on carbs (only allowed myself 2 servings a day for 3 months before the wedding) and drank a lot of water, ate fruit and lean protein and veggies.
When we went to David's Bridal for my final fitting, my mom brought her camera, and I was flexing my muscles in my wedding dress while she took pictures. They are so funny. I felt like I looked how I wanted to look, and got so many compliments on how my arms looked
Your daughter will look beautiful, no matter what. But, she will find the dress that makes her feel like a million bucks. When she does, you will know it because she will grin from ear to ear, and not want to take it off in the store.....