Everything's perfect except for my dress!!!

Charmanda4614

Everything has been going GREAT with the wedding planning....except for issues with my dress and I need advice!

1. I bought my dress a few months ago and am going to have it altered this weekend. My wedding is January 17, 2015, so not really close but not a long way off either. When I bought the dress I knew I was already losing weight and wanted to lose more, so I bought the size dress that I needed for that day that I tried it on. Well now about 6 months later..... my alterations lady is telling me that she may not be able to take the dress in enough!!! <begin freak out mode!> In total I've lost around 50 lbs and wanted to lose another 20 before the wedding. Not JUST because of the wedding, but because I want to be healthy. Thoughts/Comments/Suggestions with the whole dress not being able to be taken in enough?

2. I bought a strapless dress knowing I wanted to add sleeves of some kind since it is a winter wedding. I couldn't find any dresses that already had sleeves that I liked as there were not that many out in April. I can't find any lace that matches my dress to make sleeves without buying a whole new dress. (Which is definitely NOT in my budget), so I was thinking about doing an illusion neckline thing. Biggest problem though is I don't know what color since my dress is champagne and ivory. Opinions? [a photo of my champagne/ivory dress is at the bottom]

My wedding is less than 3 months away now and I need to start alterations on my dress ASAP. Especially if they are going to be as drastic as I think they will need to be. So HELP please! I have to go see my alterations lady on Sunday!

Thanks ladies!

ElcaB

Congrats on your weight loss. Fifty pounds in six months is a lot --- I hope you're doing it the healthy way. 

Now that you're doing fittings, you need to stop losing weight and start maintaining (unless you want a dress that doesn't fit properly). 

Have you looked at bolero jackets? They make some lovely ones, unless you want sleeves to be part of your dress. Your seamstress/tailor should be able to help you find the right fabric for sleeves or an illusion neckline. If your dress is both, I'd use ivory for an illusion neckline. 

cowgirl8238

I agree with ElcaB on the fittings/weight loss, thats an awesome acomplishment but I hope you aren't killing yourself over it

I think if you are going to add an illusion lace you should use the ivory...however, I think the dress looks great on you without it!!!  I get the winter wedding, but the lace won't make you any warmer, so I guess maybe I'm not sure what exactly you were going for?  I don't know, I just don't see the need to change it. 

rainbows0215

 would ask for a piece of the dress after she hems it and take it to  a fabric store and match the ivory, then I would have the seamstress add the illusion neckline. Ask all she can say in no. Also maybe she can make cap sleeves from the material from the dress so it would match.

rainbows0215

I love the dress

southernbelle0915

First of all, congratulations on your weight loss and reaching goals!! Now your questions:

1) Is the picture of you pre-weight loss with the dress from the shop? Or is that photo of you in your actual dress (the one you ordered)? 

If the latter, I don't see why your seamstress would have a problem with taking it in if you lose a bit more weight. It's quite fitted now as it is it and actually rather tight in the hip area. So if you lose weight, she should be able to work with that. 

If the former and you are now 50 lbs lighter in that same size dress, I can see where she's coming from. With the additional 20 lbs, you would be swimming in it. If this is the case, I think you may need to get a new dress. Something off the rack since your wedding is in 2.5 months. Or order something online. 

2) This question might be moot if you can't use your current dress. If it's not, you could do the strapless for the ceremony (if church allows) and then get a fur shawl or a bolero. Try looking on Etsy.

So I have no idea what street size you are now, but here are a few examples of what's available on preownedweddingdresses.com that are similar in style to what you have now but with straps. If you end up needing to buy a new dress, it may be worth looking around on there.

http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/dresses/view/121027/Casablanca-Bridal-2004-Size-8.html

http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/dresses/view/38918/Other-Private-Collection-8950-Size-8.html

http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/dresses/view/25214/La-Sposa-Size-10.html

http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/dresses/view/41358/Demetrios-Size-6.html

Dignity100

I'm not a seamstress, but if you're adding sleeves/neckline, that should help some with the structural integrity of the dress.  Most dresses they are able to take down 3-4 sizes and USUALLY a size change is AROUND 20lbs, so judging by 50lbs, you've probably went down 2-3 sizes (??).  Are you trying to alter through the shop you bought the dress from or from somebody who is independent?

Once alterations start, it is recommended you stop trying to lose weight.  If your back is a corset, it will allow for A LITTLE extra weight lose, but I'm talking no more than like 5lbs.

Would you be able to ask the manufacturer of the dress if they are able to sell you a small piece of the overlay fabric?

theartistformerlyknownas

I agree with PP that if there's that much that needs to be cut from your dress, perhaps that could be used to make a little cap sleeve. If you wanted a full lace sleeve you're likely better off buying a bolero. If you do the illusion neckline, I'd go ivory.

Wedding dresses don't really go by strict seasons though, FYI, so the reason you couldn't find a dress with sleeves in April has nothing to do with it being April and everything to do with most wedding dresses not having sleeves and most stores not carrying them in stock. April was the perfect time to buy a dress for a winter wedding, so if there was going to be more "winter dress" stock that would have been the time. Not that that matters, of course, but more for lurkers.

MrsMarende

AH I am scared of this happening to me! I go in for my measurements tomorrow, but I have been dropping weight and will probably lose another 30-35 by the time my first fitting happens. I am worried they won't be able to take it in enough. I was actually considering buying the dress 1 size down.

How many sizes have you dropped? 

littlemushroom

Just wanted to say congrats on your weight loss! That is awesome.

And 50 lbs in 6 months is right in line with healthy losses. It is recommended that losing 1-2 pounds per week is the healthy way to lose weight. 2 pounds a week for 26 weeks (6months) is 52 pounds.

I am no help for your alterations. I lost so much weight when I was a bridesmaid that my dress could not be taken in enough to actually fit. I had to stop losing for a month so it wouldn't be too big to wear. I ended up wearing it with it being slightly too large. So it is possible for them not to be able to make it small enough.

Start looking at new dresses now just in case. If you got it from Davids Bridal, they may let you exchange it for a different size before you alter it. They have done that in the past around where I live.

aggiespartan

I am a small framed person and I can tell you what one dress consultant told me.  I went in to look at their sample dresses and she told me that sizing a couple of sizes down would be incredibly expensive for many dresses.  She also told me that some dresses just can't be taken in that much due to the structure of the dress.  

If a seamstress is telling you that taking it in that much would sacrifice the integrity and shape of the dress, it may just be time to list that baby for sale and start shopping for a new one.  

kvruns

I talked to a seamstress who said she could take a dress down maybe 2 sizes but that is about it, anything more could affect the dress.  I'm sure it depends on each dress but I would trust the seamstress.  If you  have a DB near you maybe go look during their sale now?

For sleeves what about a bolero type thing, that might be better than sleeves.  Plus you might not want sleeves for the reception if it gets hot on the dance floor

Charmanda4614

Thanks for all of the info. everyone! Just a quick update: The 50lbs is a total loss for just over a year, so not all within 6 months. I stalled out around the 35 lb mark until two months ago. With that being said, the picture of me in the dress is probably around 25lbs heavier than I am now. I honestly can't remember. 

As far as the fit goes, I went to my seamstress (who is an independent lady in my hometown and not david's bridal where the dress came from), and she pulled and pinned the dress to fit me perfectly. She said she was confident that she could take it in enough but I don't need to actively try to lose a bunch more weight. I have been listening and haven't lost more than a pound or two in the last month or so.

I ended going with the ivory chiffon fabric for the illusion neckline. I did call David's Bridal and since it was a dress from the store's line they said they were not able to sell me additional fabric. I also looked into bolero's but the lace never matched correctly. So....in the end what I am going to do is have the illusion neckline and sleeves put in and then my seamstress will remove a few lace appliques from where she has to take it in, and put those on the neckline and sleeves to make it a seamless transition.

I go back to her this Sunday, November 16, for a second fitting and I am VERY excited. I don't know how much she has been able to get done but I can't wait to try it on again. When I put it on before I was really unsure of the dress at all because it didn't fit. However, after she pulled and pinned it, I fell in love all over again.

Seriously though, thank you all for your help and advice!