to change bridesmaid dress for evening wedding reception?

[smthngStupid]

I am shortly going to be a bridesmaid and unfortunately don't feel great in my dress (exposed arms etc). I am doing my best to low carb etc in 2 weeks prior to the wedding but will see.

Is it bad form to change into a new, eveningy dress for the wedding reception?

I'm going to be a bride soon and I wouldn't mind. I'd rather the bridesmaids were comfy.

I'd prefer you to wait until after the wedding breakfast, but any time after the formal photos is probably fine IMO.

Personally I wouldn't have minded at all as the bride but I would ask just out of good manners.

I changed out of my wedding dress for the evening reception but that was many moons ago and nowadays the bride seems to wear the wedding dress throughout.

I liked wearing my bridesmaid dress with the other bridesmaids, was a nice thing to do all being close and part of the bridal party supporting the bride

I thought it was the done thing.
After the formalities, I got changed into my reception dress

A reception dress? I've never in my life heard of the bridal party much less the bride changing for the reception. Why on earth would you. I know going away outfits used to be a thing but any weddings I've been to in about the past 20 years the bride has stayed in her dress til the reception was over and everyone was going to bed

I'm of the opinion that all bridal party members should change. Bride, groom, bridesmaids. I thought it was the done thing.

Nope.

I have been to numerous weddings and 3 this summer.

No one changed.

The amount of money I'm spending on this fecking dress DP will be pulling it from my grasping, determined hands on our wedding night. I'm getting my money's worth!!!

I'd be upset, I'm spending a lot of money on bridesmaids dresses, and everyone will have seen it already.
If it's your arms that your worried about can you not take a jacket or shrug to put on.

Hmm. I would think after going to the trouble of jotting people out in matching frocks that she likes, it would be considered part of your bridesmaidy duties to wear the thing for the whole wedding! I didn't actually have bridesmaids but if I had I'd be a bit miffed if someone wanted to bail out halfway through the event. It wouldn't occur to me to ask even if I didn't like the dress, I'd just grin and bear it! But I seem to be in the minority...

*kitting, not jotting

I think it's a bit off - you'll still be in photos. Though if you had to pay for it you'd have more of a case, I think.

My bridesmaid wore hers again (out of choice!) the following week at our (very casual) pub-based reception and I bloody loved her for it. :D But then again I both paid for it and let her choose it with no restrictions from me beyond a vague "wintery colours" theme.

I did - my dress wasn't that comfortable so I changed into something less bridesmaidy and more elegant (imho).
The bride didn't mind at all (I think all the bridesmaids changed, not just me)

I don't think you should. I think it looks ungrateful/resentful. Fine for you to add a wrap/bolero though.

I was not a bridezilla at all but id have been annoyed if my bridesmaids changed. It's one day out of your life. I wouldn't have minded if my bms wore a pashmina.

Just get pissed and forget about your arms.

When I was bridesmaid I changed into my own dress for the evening because the bridesmaids' dresses were truly awful. I hadn't been consulted over the colour and style of the bridesmaid dress. It didn't occur to me to ask permission to change for the evening - whoops 😬

I didn't like the dress when I was a bridesmaid, and yes, the bride knew, the other bridesmaids loved it so I was lumbered. I truly LOATHED the shoes though, they would have been an ugly shoe at any time, astonishingly so with a bridesmaid dress. They were a sort of beigey-nude mary jane with a rounded toe and a high FAUX WOOD heel. The bride picked them up when we weren't there, horrific. Anyway, I stuck it out with the dress, but changed shoes almost immediately after the ceremony with the excuse they were a bit high to be comfortable. They weren't, I just couldn't bear them longer than critical.

Get a suitable wrap or little shrug to wear to cover your arms.
I got all my bridesmaids cream pashminas as I knew some didn't like exposed arms. Super cheap and they all matched and looked nice.

Never ever heard of an entire bridal party getting changed! Is this a new modern thing? Or non-UK thing? Going away outfits even seem a bit old-fashioned now even though they used to be de riguer.

I think a shrug/wrap is the way to go, OP.

Ask the bride. If she's paid for your dress it would be bad form to change out of it.

Also, by the evening everyone will have seen your arms anyway - down the aisle, meal, photos etc so what's the point?

Call me bridezilla but if my bridesmaid changed her dress I would be annoyed. But I made sure all of my bridesmaids felt comfy and confident anyway before purchasing.

Oh shit, I changed out of mine when I was BM! And I didn't ask! But it was at about 10:30-22pm and my boobs and middle had stopped co-operating with the magic body I'd had to use under the dress. Everyone had seen me in it and I don't think the bride cared by then. I chose something the same colour.

The bride had paid, but I got the dress v v close to wedding despite me warning her it would need altering (which I paid for, obviously). Alterations more extensive than anticipated (no time to swap for size up) and it was a bit of a nightmare . I feel a bit worried I offended her now though!