Occasion dress at 18 weeks ... Any ideas?

[OstrichRunning]

So, I am getting married this Christmas. It's not a traditional wedding - a Registry Office ceremony followed by meal (immediate family only), followed by party for friends. I would like to get a really nice frock, though not a bridal one. The thing is, I'll be 18 weeks pregnant (which we're delighted about, to put it mildly). Anyway, that will be too early I think for a maternity dress and in any case I'd much prefer to splash out on a dress I'll get to wear again.

I guess I'll need something that goes out under boobs. But everything in the shops right now seems to go in at the waist! I don't imagine bump will be too big but I'm 10 weeks now and already can't get into a pair of jeans. Hence this rambly post. I'd be so grateful for any suggestions. Pregnancy is still a secret in RL so can't ask anyone I normally would...

Thanks

Well I attended a wedding last week and discovered none of my dresses fit me. I looked online and bought one of those evening style maxi dresses which had an elasticated back. It looked lovely and rather flattering considering I look more like a moose now (I'm 32 weeks)
I would recommend a maxi dress you can buy some lovely ones and they hug the chest and go floaty for your stomach.
Unfortunately it just covered my ankles so it wasn't long enough for me to get away with wearing trainers

If you don't get an elastic maxi dress maybe buy a few sizes bigger to accommodate boobs and any weight gain but they are quite floaty and nice

Asos do some awesome ChiChi dresses :) got one for a wedding in January. £30 in the sale!!

i got married at 6months pregnant and wore an asos maternity dress it was very comfortable and did the job!

although it wasn’t white in case that’s what your looking for

It's not white but something like this? I think anything with a sheared top will stretch for you.

rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F172834652211

www.curvissa.co.uk/products/Bead-Embellished-Chiffon-Maxi-Dress//A-977829_26?utm_source=ServiceMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CurvissaOrderConfirmation&utm_content=Item1Link&ns_campaign=CurvissaOrderConfirmation&ns_mchannel=email&ns_source=ServiceMailing&ns_linkname=Item1Link&ns_fee=0&cs_ev=OCE--itemPurchased--item1--none

This is what I wore / kind of thing I'm on about

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful. Think I might go with a maxi dress. It will come in handy on the honeymoon too : )

Also tempted by the trainers idea Hannabee123. Hmmm...

Haha I was devastated I couldn't wear my trainers I just wore some basic flat shoes instead :)
I have memory foam sketchers which I live in. Pregnancy is so glamorous

I am loving my fitflops at the moment ... might see if I can get myself a non-frumpy pair

I'd wait till after baby personally

I think it's a good idea to get something in a bigger size. In the last week, you could get it altered to fit you perfectly for the ceremony.

Congratulations! Why don’t you re-post this in style and beauty just in case they can come up with some ideas too?

Thanks everyone. MagicMoneyTree, that is a good idea - might just try that if I get stuck. From suggestions yesterday, I ended up going on asos website and bought four dresses! Plan is to hopefully be sending back three for refund ... I went with maternity ones in the end as I really liked some of them and figure I can always get the one I go with taken in afterwards to have it as a non-maternity dress in future.

That was very long-winded.

Anyway, thanks again