Got The Same Dress As My Friend

MegEn1

My friend got married a few years ago and her dress was stunning. It was kind of slinky lace but it had sparkle all over it, she glittered when she came down the aisle. I raged about her dress for years later.

Fast forward to my wedding. I got a dress yesterday - I'm a street size 14 so I can't try on dresses at most places. There's one specialty boutique in town that stocks bigger dresses, so it's really the only place I could shop. When we went, I knew I'd have to pick out my dress that day - which was fine, I'm not that fussy. We found one we thought was it, pretty lace with long lace sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. But since there was time in the appointment we decided to try on a few more. I realized I did kind of want something sparkly - originally the wedding was in the afternoon, so the plain lace would have been fine, but now that it's in the evening I wanted a bit of glitz. She put me in a Maggie Sotero Jennifer I think it's called and we loved it. It had lace and glitz. We're getting it altered a lot, making the back more modest and building long lace sleeves.

But I realized after we left I think it's the exact same dress that my friend had for her wedding two years ago. I wasn't trying to find her dress, it's just sort of how it worked out. She's chill so I know she wouldn't say anything, but might it be a little upsetting to her when I walk down the aisle basically in her dress? I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to copy her, it's just how it turned out. I'm hoping the dramatic alterations will make a difference, but I just thought I'd ask. 

chibiyui

It's been years, so it shouldn't be an issue. 

Shit, The Knot magazine had a feature once where 4 brides wore the same dress, one after the other and styled it different ways. I think with long sleeves added the original bride might not even recognize it. 

Can you post a picture of the dress? I just love seeing dresses. But you could also probably add a belt or sash to further differenetate the two.

jacques27

Non-issue.

1) Honestly, between how dresses look on different body types, alterations, and accessories, a lot of dresses don't even look exactly the same from one person to the next even if you were standing next to each other.

2) She's probably pretty smart and realizes that Maggie Sottero made more than one of the dress she wore and other brides out there will have also picked that dress.  I don't get why it would be upsetting - I remember the basic gist of my friends wedding gowns from two plus years ago, but not specifics.  And unless you have a habit of SWF-ing your friends and copying everything about her and her wedding (guest list, accessories, menu, flowers, spouse) in a covert plot to assume her life, she's not going to care, let alone care to the point that it's upsetting.

I think people who are in the midst of wedding planning and picking out a dress worry about this sort of thing because they've spent the time going over dresses to find the "perfect" one, but outside of the planning process your average person will just see "pretty white dress" and not gasp in horror that it's the same pretty white dress someone else wore, too.  Wedding dresses, unless really over the top, sort of all look alike to most people when comparing like styles - it's really not all that surprising for people to wear a similar or even the same dress - particularly with popular and generally affordable designers like Maggie Sottero.  Unless your friend is a pretty high maintenance special snowflake, she should be just fine.

theartistformerlyknownas

Total non-issue.

blabla89

Nope. Enjoy YOUR dress and don't worry about it!

jenna8984

I loved my dress so much that I would be thrilled if my friends wore the same one! Honestly, I think it's so beautiful that I'd love them to wear it haha. Really don't see why anyone would ever be mad about that.

labro

I think your friend would probably consider it a huge compliment that you admire her style so much that you'd pick her dress for your own - IF she even recognizes the dress on your body with the alterations you're planning. You're totally fine here.

MegEn1

Thanks guys I really appreciate it!

I did buy a belt too - super sparkly! - to go with it, so when all is said and done I hope she doesn't recognize it.




This is the dress (obviously not me), I want to do it with crystal and pearl chandalier earrings, a nice updo, and of course long lace sleeves. This picture doesn't do the sparkle justice though, it's very  classily done - doesn't look like vegas sequins or anything. I'm very happy with it.