Bridesmaid Dress Sizing for Pregnant BM

Re: Bridesmaid Dress Sizing for Pregnant BM

• MobKaz member

  

  January 2016

  laurag524 said:

  I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant (due in May) and am in my brother and FSIL's wedding taking place in July.  She picked out a few dresses from David's Bridal for us, but I have no idea how to go about buying a dress right now that will fit me when I'm 6-8 weeks postpartum.  Should I buy a dress that fits me NOW and have it altered down?  I haven't found the people at David's to be especially help, so I'm hoping there's someone else whose been in this situation! Any suggestions?  Thanks!

  It is going to be difficult to guess what size will work for you two months postpartum.  Even if you lose all the weight gained during pregnancy, your body type could still be altered, particularly in the bust area.
  
  Is it possible the bride will let you purchase a dress 'off the rack' in the bridal party color?  That is what is most often recommended on the boards.
  
  
  

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• laurag524 member

  

  January 2016

  I'm not sure what off the rack means...she's letting us pick any dress from David's, as long as it's in the color she's picked.  My bust has already grown from a 32C to 40D, so I'm a little nervous about that!
  
  I've thought about going after the baby arrives to have a better idea, but I don't really know how realistic that's going to be considering the closest David's is about an hour away.

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• artbyallie mod

  

  January 2016

  "Off the rack" means buying a dress in a normal store (or I suppose from the sale racks at David's if you can find the right size/color combo) that is ready-to-wear rather than ordered from a warehouse or manufacturer. As in, you can try it on and walk out with it in the week or two immediately prior to the wedding.
  
  FWIW, my SIL bought a dress at David's about 6 months before my wedding... and then got pregnant. (Note: I didn't tell her to get a dress that early! I gave the bridesmaids the colors and told them any dress from anywhere at any time that was convenient so long as they had it for the wedding!) So, she ended up buying another dress elsewhere in a similar color to accommodate her six-months-pregnant belly.
  
  Hopefully the bride will not give you a hard time about getting a dress after you give birth.

  

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• Blackbird230 member

  

  January 2016

  I'm in a similar situation and am a bride. My sister is pregnant, due in April. Wedding is in September. She ordered a dress size up or so and has until July when David's will do a size exchange. She's lucky since it will be a few months after the baby that she can exchange it. It has to be harder on a closer schedule I'm sure.

  
  

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• laurag524 member

  

  January 2016

  Thanks so much for the info!  I was wondering if you could do an exchange or something, but I couldn't find any information on their site.  I know the girls who already went said their dresses will be ready the first week in May (eek!) so I'll have to see what they say.  Thanks again!

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• OliveOilsMom member

  

  January 2016

  Some dresses at David's cannot be exchanged, so becareful with that.  OP, I would wait to purchase your dress until after the baby has come.  Your initial bump will be gone, so if you lost anymore weight after you order the dress, you will just need to have it taken in.  DB dresses can be taken home with you, as long as they have your color and size in stock.

  Since you are an hour away from the closest store, I would probably shop online.  There are usually tutorials on how to measure ones self, then you can just go by their sizing chart.  I would also make sure that your dress is returnable, some clearance dresses are not.  So instead of having to drive there, you would just have to go to the post office to make your dress return, if necessary.  It also lessens your chance of having to return to DB and pick up your gown, if it needs to be ordered.

  I have purchased dresses from DB both in store and online.  Each time, the dresses arrived quickly for pick up.  The dress would arrive faster if you purchase online (in case it needs to be ordered while in store shopping), since you can only buy from their in stock items.

  

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• artbyallie mod

  

  January 2016

  laurag524 said:

  Thanks so much for the info!  I was wondering if you could do an exchange or something, but I couldn't find any information on their site.  I know the girls who already went said their dresses will be ready the first week in May (eek!) so I'll have to see what they say.  Thanks again!

  No doubt this is what the sales associate told them, but David's generally doesn't take more than 6 weeks to get a dress. My wedding gown came in in just two. But I still think off-the-rack is your best bet, even better if the bride will let you shop at a department store or whatever.

  

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• MairePoppy mod

  

  January 2016 edited January 2016

  Looks like dresses ordered ONLINE may be returned exchanged within14 days from the shipping date. Some sale items are final sales so make sure you ask before you order.
  
  Ditto artbyallie - dresses come in faster than the DB sales associates say they will. My DD's wedding dress came in about a month. When she placed the order, the sales associate was able to see inventory, so she knew the dress was ready to ship. Plus your sister is allowing you to pick any style, in a specific color, so you should be able to grab something fairly quickly. 
  
  

                     

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• laurag524 member

  

  January 2016

  Ya, when I spoke to the associate at David's she said that there are a few "custom ordered" dresses in the color she wants that can take a while so they don't recommend (obviously) but the rest are pretty much off the rack so I'm going to just get measured by my local tailor a week or two after I give birth & order online to give enough time for alterations and/or exchanges.

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