29 weeks pregnant at my wedding

[Meg1313]

Hi all, well I’m gonna be 29 weeks pregnant at my wedding! Our wedding was originally booked for nov 23rd, but I would have been a Few weeks away from giving birth! I’m due dec 26. We wanted it in the summer but my partners paperwork won’t be back in time for it. So we settled for october. My question is has anyone got married when being this pregnant? When I went dress shopping I was not pregnant but I did ask the lady if I had a bump woukd I still be able to wear this dress and she seemed very confident in saying yes I 100% will be as something to do where it sits is perfect for a bump and also it’s corset so can go up or down a few sizes. It’s not a big wedding, 18 people in a register office then a sit down meal, just something small and intimate, I don’t want to move the wedding till after baby is here so I have no choice lol. Am I crazy? I’ll attach a pic of my dress now too so you can see if you think it’ll fit obviously I don’t know how big I’m gonna get though as I’m only 6 weeks now!

Congratulations on both fronts!

The dress is beautiful but I think that style wouldn’t have worked for me personally at 29 weeks, it’s not just the bump, I found that my torso was just wider and that the bump sort of starts from just below the bust so that corset would be a bit too restrictive I think.

If it’s not too late, I’d consider an empire line dress with some give and no structure at the bust. Something like this picture.

There are lots of nice affordable high street ones. Maybe you could save the original dress for a later party?

The dress is lovely but I'm not sure it would fit / suit at 29 weeks. You need to remember your boobs will be bigger as well as the bump. That waist could look all wrong on a 29 week bump.

I agree an empire line would be a safer (and more comfortable) bet

Agree, empire line would be much better and a less rigid fabric too.

It’s not just the bump, my boobs got much bigger, my ribs were wider, it’s just a completely different shape.

The waist band on that dress is designed to be at the narrowest point (your waist) - at 29 weeks that will be your widest point so I don’t really see how it would work.

Sorry for the negativity but I think it’s best to be realistic.

Congratulations OP!

I totally agree with this post above. I personally found the third trimester the hardest from a body image perspective and I’m usually okay on that front. I bloated everywhere, also had the expanded rib cage, my boobs were swollen and sore... But I felt my best and most confident and comfortable in V neck floaty, drapey styles (with long 70s style bell sleeves too to cover up the water retention in my upper arms) like the one the PP suggested above.

But gorgeous dress and you look fabulous in it! I just think we never know what pregnancy will do to our bodies and how it’ll make us feel. Maybe just have a cheaper back up dress for the evening part which you could wear for the whole day if you change your mind - and can afford it? But I think the idea to have a delayed party with the fabulous dress (and your baby!) is a good one too. I’d roll the two celebrations into one.

@DPotter @Hazelnuttella @RosaSkye omg I’m gutted guys! My dress is non refundable! It was around £900 all together!!! Thank you for your honesty! I don’t know what I’m gonna do, my sister bought me this dress. I literally only bought it because I asked for ones specifically I’d be able to wear if I had a bump, oh Jesus 😂

Congratulations!

Unfortunately I agree with the others though. I’m nearly 24 weeks now and my bump isn’t that big but it starts just under my boobs (carrying high I guess) and my rib cage etc has definitely gotten wider so a corset top would feel so uncomfortable and probably wouldn’t fit the bump

Don’t panic! You have options (I do think they’ve misled you a little for a sale, sounds like they were probably quick to say “yes it’ll be fine”)

Either keep the dress and wear it at a later date for a bigger wedding celebration or sell it as unworn at a bit of a loss and use the money to buy a new one. That’s a shame if your sister bought it though.

If it’s not been altered, I’d be tempted to go back, quote the fact that you were told it’d be wearable and maybe say that you’ve consulted a seamstress who says it’s not adaptable for maternity? Push for an exchange?

I agree with @RosaSkye, and as long as they haven't customised or altered it for you have an argument.
We are all different. My df had her first when she was only 34 weeks and hadn't even started to buy maternity clothes yet. I went full term, but mostly just wore clothes a couple of sizes bigger. I only did my major expanding in the last two months.

I think you need to go back and get a written guarantee from them that it will fit at 29 weeks....and watch the immediate reverse ferret.....

100% you need to take this back, not because it WON'T fit you (it may depending on how your bump is) but because it is possible or even likely it won't fit.

I have a photo taken of me at 29 weeks, my bump is ENORMOUS....there would be zero chance I would have fitted in that dress....

This photo is not me...but I was like this or slightly bigger...

Yes OP, I was like this too from the start of the third trimester. A walking perfectly spherical uterus balancing on small hips, I looked like. So my waist would have gone out rather than in, defeating the object of a corseted dress. It could fit as everyone is different but I just wonder about how you’ll feel in it - comfort wise and if you think it’ll look nice with a potentially spherical belly like I had. Some great advice above though! All is not lost.

Hi OP, I'm also getting married this summer when I'll be 29 weeks pregnant :)

Definitely second what other people have said. I'm looking at empire line dresses because I don't want to risk the dress not fitting or being uncomfortable. There are brands like Isabella Oliver who specialise in maternity wedding dresses and which are very affordable. But even so I'm only going to buy the dress one month in advance to have a sense of how much my body will change. I'm currently 17 weeks and I can tell my ribcage has already expanded so I can see how a corset dress would be really challenging!

Agree with others' suggestions that not all is lost and you can try and resell your current dress and recoup some of that money.

It says here only refund within 14 days :( I’ve had it about 2 months now! Gutted 😭😭

Go in anyway and see what they can do. The longer you leave it the more room they have to say it's too late to do anything. You could even potentially exchange it for something more pg suitable?

OPhave you ever seen someone 29 weeks pregnant?

I think you've been conned by the shop if they're telling you a 29 week bump will fit in that dress.

It really should've been obvious.

We just went to our friends wedding a few weeks ago- she was about 28 weeks then, and looked incredible, but yes, a very visible bump!

Whatever you decide to do about the dress, I’d really advise against putting off the wedding because of the pregnancy. I know a few people who have done this, and their kids are now 8/9/10 years old and they’re still not married! it’s just so difficult to plan and save when you’ve got kids to prioritise, so it’s never been the right time.

I guess i just listened to the professionals in this case

Congratulations! I will be 35 weeks for my wedding in June!

I went to try on some dresses a few months ago and I agree with the other posters - they were giving me empire ones to try on and it looks like yours comes a bit far down the stomach.

However the lady did say that corset style ones were good as they can be adjusted more easily. I would take your dress to a seamstress as they can better advise what adjustments may be possible.

I took my dress to 2 seamstresses and sadly not possible to adjust, and I’ve not been able to sell it online so have opted for a cheaper maternity wedding dress online from Tiffany Rose.

My other advice when nearer to the wedding and baby is to make lots of lists - there is a lot to do for both, but I have found it doable with being organised and now am nearly ready for both!

thank you and congrats to you too! I honestly didn’t think I’d get pregnant so soon but I did ask the question of if I’d be able to wear it and she said something of wear the boning in the dress is is good for the bump and cos the corset can be made bigger. God knows. Im just emailing them now to see if I can exchange maybe. I’d like to see if it can be altered I’ve messaged a seamstress number they give me. But I love my dress 😭 I’m gonna try it on later and stuff a bunch of pillows under it 😂😂

Haha - done this but with a hoody stuffed up my dress! My problem is more just below the boob area where I have expanded though though as opposed to the bump area. Hopefully the seamstress can give you some good news though if there’s a corset!

@Natpat81 I’ll definitely try this but in different ways 😂 I’m speaking to them now and tbh it seems they are willing to exchange. But I don’t want to exchange if it may fit ?! But then I don’t want to risk it. I just love this Dress it’s literally my dream dress!

@Meg1313 that’s great news they are willing to exchange! However as your dream dress I’d wait for the opinion from the seamstress before making a decision. If there was any doubt/worry though personally I’d just swap for another dress so I wasn’t constantly worrying/wondering if it will fit.
I’m a little sad I’m not in my dream dress, but I am more excited about the wedding and baby in general to let it bother me.

@Natpat81 I’m wondering if the shop will maybe wait till like 2-3 weeks before the wedding before I have to make any decisions so I can see if it fits me first? As I don’t know how I will carry I’ve never been pregnant before and I’m only 6 weeks right now! That’s true, I am so excited to marry my partner I’m sure I’ll get over it if I have to change my dress 😂 plus this is our rainbow baby so it’s well worth it but I’ll have to grieve for my dress a bit 😂

That band will be sitting 100% on your bump.There's no way it'll fit. Also, once it's been altered there's no way they'll take it back.

Honestly OP, that dress is lovely on you now, but it will be a completely different dress with a bump. Once it’s been altered that dramatically to account for the changes in your torso it’ll be unrecognisable from the dress in that picture.

If the shop won’t take a return, you could find an inexpensive but beautiful replacement dress from the high street, and try selling this one- you won’t get all your money back but you’ll get something!

Alternatively, you could maybe look at dying this dress (if possible) so you could at least wear it to formal events post pregnancy.

Honestly Meg you will not want the stress of not knowing what you will be wearing until 2-3 weeks before your wedding.

Unless your bump is very small and your boobs don't grow at all (and trust me - they will), there's no way you'll squeeze a 29 week beautiful pregnant body in to the dress.

Go in to the shop, with someone who has been pregnant (and who you trust completely) and have an honest conversation with them.

Ask around for recommendation for a seamstress, but I doubt they would be able to alter your dress enough, unless you can exchange it for a much larger size and then the seamstress can adjust down.

Ooo and whilst I think about it - my feet went up a width size too, so bear that in mind for your shoes