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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Too fat for my wedding dress

62 replies

321Bed · 29/06/2019 13:03

I get married in 8 weeks and have my first wedding dress alterations appointment coming up. I tried on the dress last weekend and I'm embarrassed to say that it's too tight!

It'll do up (just), but I'm not sure how much I'll be able to breathe and my boobs are pretty much falling out!

AIBU to expect that a good seamstress could 'let out' the seams or make adjustments to make it fit? Or am I literally going to have to starve myself for the next month and hope for the best? I have no experience with dressmaking so am trying to figure out how bad this really is...

OP posts:
PlaymobilPirate · 29/06/2019 13:04

Have you heard of Exante? Meal replacement shakes / bars etc. I've just started it. Some people lose loads quickly.

BlueSkiesLies · 29/06/2019 13:06

I’m sure a good seamstress can do something to help, but also a good crash diet will help you to (temp) loose some of that flab

Merryoldgoat · 29/06/2019 13:06

If it does up you won’t have to lose much. Go on meal replacement like Shake that Weight or Exante for 6 weeks - you’ll lose around a stone which will be fine.

MyOpinionIsValid · 29/06/2019 13:07

The seams can only be let out if there is sufficient material to do so. The majority of brides do lose some weight through sheer stress of the occasion.

Faddy diets aren't going to help; step away from the wine, the chocolate and the cake, and try and briskly walk a lot more.

Siameasy · 29/06/2019 13:10

They can let it out to a degree but not as much as they can take it in. How much do you think you need to lose? There are diets where you can drop weight quite quickly eg my DH has lost 5lb in a week on keto and other people swear by 5:2...it depends what you think suits your lifestyle and what you can stick to. Ps don’t bother frantically exercising (unless you enjoy it) because effort vs result in that short period is not worth it

Likethebattle · 29/06/2019 13:11

Cut back on snacks and carbs. Increase fruit veg and water in your diet and look st good sculpting underwear (breathable stuff). Try the 5:2 if you want to lose a little bit, letting the seams out can look terrible.

Jemima232 · 29/06/2019 13:12

I would never usually suggest meal-replacement shakes but this seems to be a circumstance where they would be desirable.

OTOH you can find a seamstress and ask her/his opinion.

I hope you have a lovely wedding, BTW. I bet your future DH will think you look amazing anyway.

Nimnoodley · 29/06/2019 13:12

Most wedding dresses have 2inch seams so can be let out. I’d try and find an experienced bridal seamstress and see what they can do, but you may want to see when’s the latest they could alter it is as you may end up losing weight/inches in the run up!

Original poster
321Bed · 29/06/2019 13:30

Thank you everyone, I'm so grateful for your advice!

I tend to be a comfort eater, so I'm more likely to put on weight with stress rather than lose it - not to mention that I've got my hen weekend coming up which will no doubt be boozy!

I am going to try really hard to lose as much as I can, but it's reassuring to know that dress alterations might actually work.

@Jemima232 Thank you. My DH to be told me he'd rather I blew the budget on buying a whole new dress than worry about changing myself, so I think I've got a good one there!

OP posts:
Justalittlebitfurther · 29/06/2019 13:46

I had to have my wedding dress let out as my Mum insisted I buy one too small as an incentive to loose weight 🙄 no one could tell on the day. I did a shake diet and made myself really ill so I wouldn’t recommend that.
I’ve just started the fast800 lost a stone in two weeks and feel fab. There’s loads of boards on the weight loss section.

Astella22 · 29/06/2019 13:48

I did the fast800 and lost 26lbs in 8 weeks
Wish I’d known about it before my wedding

Skinandbones · 29/06/2019 13:49

My cousin had us all done for bridesmaid dresses in a store with a fitter, I was in between sizes, so she went and got me a Natty Gann, I think it was, it took a couple of inches off all over and quite comfortable to wear. Might be worth a try.

Apileofballyhoo · 29/06/2019 13:53

I think one pound a week is a sustainable non crash diet weight loss. That's just over half a stone before the wedding, which should make a big difference. You have time.

PlanBea · 29/06/2019 13:56

When I got my wedding dress, the store told me it can be taken out up to a dress size, or taken in two. My bridesmaid's dress went up two sizes! Party of the reason proper bridesmaid/bridal dresses are so expensive, they have lots of extra fabric in them. If it can do up, you'll be fine with a seamstress altering it.

TomKittensMumisaFruitloop · 29/06/2019 13:58

My DH told me he’d rather I blew the budget on buying a whole new dress than worry about changing myself He is definitely a keeper bless him.

If you do want to try get into your dress I tried Exante too and it did help . Good for short term weight loss but I’d go for the bars rather than the shakes or meals because I thought they were totally vile and I’m not a picky eater. The double chocolate and the chocolate coconut bars are really nice and they do actually fill you up. They made me fart like an elephant however just so you’re warned 😊.

Whisky2014 · 29/06/2019 13:58

You could lose a fair amount in 8 weeks actually although you'll need to do it in 7 in case of alterations.
Eat well, don't drink except for your hen do and increase exercise.

mummmy2017 · 29/06/2019 14:00

Can you have it changed to corset back?

Stuckforthefourthtime · 29/06/2019 14:00

Your DH to be sounds lovely Smile

Please don't diet like crazy because (a) this should be a joyful time.and (b) crash diets are a really good way to gain weight in the longer term, especially if you already have any hangups around food or are an emotional eater as you say.

The seamstress will be able to tell you what is achievable. Worst case, there are some lovely preloved dresses out there, you can get one of those altered and will look beautiful and be comfortable.
Congratulations and I hope you have a lovely day

Loz90333 · 29/06/2019 14:21

OP, I 1000% recommend Exante, I lost 9lbs in 1 week. Other have lost a stone. Best of luck

User8888888 · 29/06/2019 14:30

It’s really hard if you have a very fitted dress to get it exactly right. I kept losing weight so they put chicken fillets in mine and said do not lose anymore with 2 weeks to go at my final fitting I relaxed a bit too much and I then had a panic the zip wouldn’t do up. I can recommend an Epsom salt bath to help get rid of fluid.

Ashleighc01 · 29/06/2019 14:33

I joined slimming world to loose my 'baby weight' and lost a stone in 6 weeks (still had treats in the night etc and bbqs) so you can deffo do it in 8 weeks. Enjoy your day 😀😀 xxxxx

MammaMia19 · 29/06/2019 14:34

I lost 5.5lbs in my first week at slimming world! Sounds like you only really need to loose 5-8lbs if the dress does up. You wouldn’t be starving on slimming world either and could do it over a hen weekend. On your hen try to avoid wine or Prosecco and stick to gin/vodka with diet mixers. Shake that weight drinks are really nice though!

Benjispruce · 29/06/2019 14:34

8 weeks is plenty of time. I wasn't overweight and lost 6lb in 2 weeks doing 18:6 intermittent fasting. Good luck!
Never buy a dress hoping to slim into it!

Notthetoothfairy · 29/06/2019 14:36

Your DH sounds fab! I did the same thing and crash dieted for a week or two (I was grumpy but it worked)

ThatLightIsBright · 29/06/2019 14:40

I would cut down on carbs. Not totally, but go low carb, ditch bread and pasta, and don’t eat carbs with dinner.
Then eat nothing except water between early dinner at 6pm until about 8am (10am if you can manage it).
This will get you to shed weight esp around the torso, and isn’t a crash diet, so should be more sustainable.