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Original poster

Wedding Dress Advice

21 replies

MissWooWoo · 29/01/2012 12:24

I'm getting married in approx 6 months time. I have very little cash for a dress and am fine about buying second hand/online. I've got a couple of styles in mind and really do need to go somewhere to try a few on. I've been losing weight (currently a 14) and planning to be a 12 by the time of the wedding. Should I book an appointment at a dress shop and try some things on now or wait until I've got down to a 12 (3 months time I'm thinking). Is it very bad form to book an appointment at a shop to try on and then never buy anything from them?

what did other budget (and dieting) brides do?

OP posts:

ilooklikegrotbagstoday · 29/01/2012 12:43

I tried lots of dresses in different boutiques to find the style i liked. I went to America to see my parents and tried on a few more with my Mum and found THE dress while i was there. I bought the display dress, at a fraction of the price and it was a size too small. It was 4 months before my wedding and certainly gave me the incentive to lose the weight.

Once home i did my own diet. It was called 'The Don't Eat Anything Nice Diet' Which basically meant no cakes, chocolate, biscuits. No more fish n chip fridays etc. I think i just ate Special K, fruit and veg 4 weeks before the wedding. It worked because i had to get into that dress and my Dad would have killed me after paying for it.

It is a risk buying a smaller dress but it certainly kicks you up the behind when it comes to losing the weight. Good Luck.

latrucha · 29/01/2012 12:56

You do need to try on a few styles. I ended up buying something completely different to the dress I imagined. Personally, I think there is a distinction to be made between tryng on dresses in a small boutique where they invest time and skill in helping you make a choice and trying a few on in a department store where you book an appointment but are basically ignored.

I did both and did buy from the boutique, but the dress happened to be fairly cheap.

What;;s your budget?

Original poster

MissWooWoo · 29/01/2012 13:08

good name Ilooklikegrotbagstoday (showing your age there, and mine! ha ha)

I'm doing WW and admit to not really getting "back on track" since christmas but a proposal has certainly focused me. I should have plenty of time to get down to a 12 and still have a few months left to get a dress.

Good idea about the department stores latrucha very small budget - ahem - £150ish for the dress.

OP posts:

JobCarHouseNoBaby · 29/01/2012 13:16

OP, I am getting married in October and am also trying to slim down for the big event. However my grand ambitions of trying to lose 2lb a week since Xmas have failed big time - I'm just about managing 1lb if I don't eat all day then weigh myself in the evening

I have been told by many different bridal shops that you should always buy a dress to fit you now, as a dress alteration can reduce a dress by up to 2 dress sizes nearer the time. You can take material away but you can't add it in!

This is certainly my plan - my stress levels cannot cope with enforced dieting (imagine the nightmare when you can't do up the dress on the day) so I'm going to order my dress in a few weeks at whatever size I am and then get it altered in the last month before the wedding.

Of course if you are on a real budget I can see why you would want to avoid the alterations completely, but IMO I'd rather feel 100% comfortable in it than squeeze myself into something not quite right and be gutted on the day.

Hope the rest of your plans are going well!

Original poster

MissWooWoo · 29/01/2012 13:20

thanks job and congrats yourself!

I'm not in a hurry to buy a dress so will hold off for a few months by which time I hope to be a size 12 (once again), I just really want to start getting it clear in my head what style I'm going to get (makes looking online easier). I think I know what I want but will it suit me? only way to find out is to try some on. To complicate matters if it looks a bit bluergh on a 14 will it look fine on a 12??!!

OP posts:

mummysfirsttime · 29/01/2012 13:26

Congratulations on the wedding! As your budget is small I would advise against a cheap dress made in god knows where and look at a pre-owned dress that you could get cleaned if required. Just a thought as I have a couple of friends who wasted money by buying cheap dresses from china and they were truly awful. Real visible glue where they have been stuck together, bits falling off etc. worth asking at local shops also as they may have some ex display dresses that just need cleaning. Enjoy trying all the dresses on

ilooklikegrotbagstoday · 29/01/2012 13:32

It was a name change after a serious bout of Hypremisis when pg with DS2 and just stuck .

I would start looking around for a style now even if you don't buy anything yet. Like latrucha said, i ended up with something completely different than i first imagined (and it's fun!)

A friend of mine found someone that made her dress, copied from a popular design. She didn't pay very much either but it took a few months to complete.

Original poster

MissWooWoo · 29/01/2012 13:33

thanks for your advice mummysfirsttime I am very up for second hand (oh and any advice on good second hand bridal shops greatly received - I'm in London but happy to travel within reason) and was thinking more this for online buys than china.

I have seen some gorgeous frocks in preloved/vintgage bridal shops in London but alas most of them start at £300

OP posts:

mummysfirsttime · 29/01/2012 14:56

That link had come up as a chinese wholesalers?
There are a number of different pre owned websites. are you on any wedding forums? I was on you and your wedding when I was planning my wedding, and found often people advertised their dress on there after the wedding. Do you have any friends or friends of friends who have got married recently to buy or borrow? Also don't rule out charity shops.

nancerama · 29/01/2012 19:07

Berkshire Brides just outside Reading has the most incredible array of pre-loved, ex retail and sample dresses. I bought my dress there - a Ritva Westenius for a tiny fraction of the original price.

Don't be put off by the fact it's based out of a home rather than a shop. She carries just about all the designers. Her honesty is an acquired taste (if a dress doesn't suit you, she will tell you so).

I'm on iPhone so can't link to her site, but google her. I think one of her daughters has set up shop in London somewhere now, so it could be ideal for you.

memphis83 · 29/01/2012 19:15

Light in a box is a Chinese company, do you want to keep your dress? it it isnt important to you, you could always rent one?
Is there any bridal fairs near you? my friend bought an amazing dress from on for £200, it was worth a grand but it was last season, she bought a 12, was a 14 and she slimmed into it, then got told it could be let in or out up to 2 sizes.
Another option is at the moment most wedding shops (around here at least) are selling off the dresses that are display ones cheaper to make way for new season? Maybe also travelling just outside of the city may be better deals?

Good Luck on your search!

lilibet · 29/01/2012 19:25

Isn't there an Oxfam shop in London that specialises in wedding dresses?

MischeviousMum · 29/01/2012 19:27

I got a beeyyooouutiful dress for my wedding. Made to measure with a corset back in ivory £120.

My trick? I wanted just a plain simple strapless dress so I asked if they made bridesmaids dresses in ivory. They do!

So maybe look at bridesmaids dresses, they are soooo much cheaper!

lilibet · 29/01/2012 19:28

here are details

and there are some beautiful ones within your budget

Original poster

MissWooWoo · 30/01/2012 09:33

oh right, didn't realise Lightinthebox was a chinese company!!! anyone ordered from there?

Reading is doable, thanks nancerama and I do rather like the sound of being told if it suits me or not .

I do want to keep it so wouldn't want to borrow from a friend. Never occurred to me to look for bridal fairs so I will do that too, thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

MissWooWoo · 30/01/2012 09:37

Ooo! thanks lilibet there's an Oxfam bridal store about an hours drive away from me. Love that idea

OP posts:

latrucha · 30/01/2012 09:49

My wedding dress, which was full length satin and fitted by a small boutique was £300. Is that out of budget? I just thought I'd say in case you thought all of them were thousands.

There are some lovely ones ont he Oxfam site though.

Original poster

MissWooWoo · 30/01/2012 09:55

yes budget is £150 - ridiculous really as I almost spent that on a dress for someone else's wedding last year! haha

OP posts:

mrsmartin · 30/01/2012 10:42

I got a genuine vera wang for 140 on ebay last year. It wasn't my style but I knew I could sell it on. I put it back on Ebay two months later and it reached 980! So by all means go for second hand! And take a look at your wardrobe and have a clear out - then put it on ebay. I paid for my wedding buy selling things that I no longer wore and things that I no longer used.

latrucha · 30/01/2012 10:51

You can get something lovely for £150, even new eg

latrucha · 30/01/2012 10:52

Oh bum. Won't let me link. They do have at least two dresses I think are lovely for £125.

Have fun!

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