My dress. <Caution> May contain extensive waffling

Krystaltips

O.K. Here goes...

My wedding is in September and I have so far been very unproductive on the wedding dress front. There are a number of factors at work here.

I am trying to get the money together myself, our budget is big enough and OH is paying the biggest chunk out so I would like to do this one thing myself. However being on an extremely low income and having a small child it's very slow going and I'm managing about £20 a week (Most weeks) so £100 so far, with nothing extra going in this week...

I am overweight and in an effort to combat this problem have finally given in and decided to hand over the best part of a fiver every week to weightwatchers... This is usually the point where everyone starts telling me not to worry and he fell in love with me the way I am... But I'm not doing it for him, I'm doing it for me... Very vainly, I don't want to look at my pictures and think 'how awful do I look?' I just have visions of them looking like Mr Tips standing next to a marquee... (We're having our reception in a hotel)

So anyway, to get to the point... I think I've found the dress of my dreams, It kind of jumped out of a magazine at me and I can't get it out of my head... Haven't seen anything else I like nearly as much... And I think it's a good shape for my body. I'm planning on going to a shop near my mom's in a couple of weeks that stock the designer (Alfred Angelo) so I can get a look at the dress in the flesh so to speak, don't imagine I will be able to try it on as the chances of them having the display dress in my size are very slim (unlike me :rotfl: ) But I can get an idea of how it will look and I think that will do. This is where my dilema lies.

I have found the dress here http://www.bestbridalprices.com/alfred-angelo-wedding-dress-1146-p-21421.html?cPath=1_522 and if I factor in shipping and possible import charges it still comes in about £300 cheaper than over here (Plus they'll throw in a free veil and shoes which even if I choose not to wear I could potentially flog on eBay) but I don't know if I'm brave enough to order it online from over seas. I have looked all over the internet and haven't found anything bad written about the company and my mom has said I can use her credit card so we will be protected that way...

And the other dilema I have is... even if I decide to take the risk... what size do I order?!

It's a corset style top and wide skirt so I could probably get away with a size either way, but would I be pushing it if I ordered 2-3 sizes smaller than I am now?

Anyway, congratulations on getting this far down my post... and please, someone tell me what to do!

knithappens

YOu have to remember that wedding dress can be anywhere from 1-3 sizes smaller than you normally are, with my dress I am normally a 12 but had to get a 14, my friend is normally a 10 and had to get a 14, it depends on the dress range. you best bet when ordering is to tell them your measurements and ask them what size they recommend for you to get. Also I am trying to loose weight ( for me) for the wedding, I want to look and feel my best especially on that day, so I have ordered my dress to fit me now and nearer the time i will have it altered.

MrsE_2

Beautiful dress.

Go into the shop here that stocks it, try it on. sneak a look at the label, the US size will be 2 sizes smaller. So if you are a UK 14, you will be a US 10, but after trying it on you will have a better idea.

Leave it as late as you dare to buy, gives you more time to judge the size you need?

The shop can probably give you an idea what uk size you would be & you can work out the US one from that. I bet loads of brides to be go in with plans to loose some weight & they will have an idea of what you may need in the time frame.

Remember if your not sure, you can always take in a little if its too big, mind you, you could hit slimfast for a month if its a bit small, lol.

Don't be scared of buying from the US (I buy my contact lenses from there), but use the UK shops to try on & judge size.

Congratulations.

paddingtondoo

Phew made it to the end of the waffle (joke!)

first of congratulations for joining weightwatchers. I lost 2 stone with them 6 years ago and have kept most of it off. Its the only diet I could get on with as I could save my points for chocolate :rotfl:

most dresses take about 12 weeks to come this is about the middle of May. Are you losing steadily? if so can you work out roughly what you will be in 12 - 16 weeks time and order that size? As far as I've been told lace up backs give you a size either way without any problems. It also depends on where you lose it from mine always comes off the bottom half of me (fortunately)

You can always get it taken in but might be difficult to let it out. And if its roughly the right size when you get it you'll have something to aim for. I would be really gutted if my dress arrived and I couldn't try it on. This is of course just my opinion.

mum2one

Its absolutely beautiful, I would agree with the others, try on here, if you tell the shop owner that you can get it from xxx and the price, they may be able to do you an offer, no harm in asking.

Id also speak to the bridal shop, re diet, as wedding dresses dont go as normal dress sizes, I appriciate that there are factors to weight loss, and once youve done a couple of weeks with weight watchers, I think thay say 1-2lbs a week, thou plz check that.

Good luck with it all xxx

EricaB

Whether you decide to go for that dress or not can i suggest you try on a few styles first as i had a set idea in my head of what i did and didn't like and ended up with the opposite

MrsTinks

They can be 12 OR more weeks... so call them and ask how long the wait is on the dresses at the moment... That way you know how much time you have to leave yourself. Then make sure you leave yourself a couple of weeks for alterations as there is a good chance you'll need some minor alterations I'm afraid
Alfred Angelo is notoriously expensive sadly (bit like Maggie Sottero which my dress is by) so definitely buying from the US is a good plan, but I decided not to in the end as I just couldn't face the extra stress of my dress coming from that far away and what might go wrong etc etc...

feclmum

just a thought but have you read the thread on here titled ebay wedding dresses? its about buying your dress on ebay from china and they will make up any design you want to your measurements for about £100

littlelibrarylass

how tall are you ? you may need to have it shortened and then you may lose some of the beading and embroidery on the dress. i found that many of the dresses i tried on would have been ruined by being shortened which i needed as i am short.
LLL

MoneySavingStudent_2

What a beautiful dress! You have very good taste! Hope everything goes ok! If your really jumpy about ordering from abroad maybe its worth ringing them up just to give yourself piece of mind

Good Luck for the big day x

moke82

i got a dress off ebay from china whaen it come it was horrible i wouldnt even give it a way it went in the bin. try different dresses on first coz i went out looking for one thing and come back with another. have you looked at bhs and debenhams they have some new ranges and they are cheep.