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Please help me find a wedding dress

42 replies

ineedawhitedress · 19/11/2022 18:04

Please can anybody who enjoys/is good at this kind of thing help me find a suitable wedding dress. Budget £500 but would be prepared to go up to £800 for the right thing. I'm a size 10 with defined waist, bust on the large side, but 5ft4in and I feel like everything makes me look short (I don't like wearing big heels so will wear maybe a 1 or 2 inch heel on the day). My preferences are:

  • I definitely need to wear a bra so not backless (could be slightly low in the back and I could wear one of those bra extender things, but backless bra not supportive enough)
  • Ideally with thick enough straps to cover bra straps, could wear a strapless bra and go for spaghetti straps. Don't really like completely strapless dresses/ don't think they suit me
  • I like my arms and like having them out, so probably sleeveless, but open to sleeves, though probably not short/capped ones as I think they make me look short somehow
  • No/minimal train (going for simple city registry office wedding vibes)
  • Column or subtle a-line shape with defined waist
  • ankle to floor length (but I find midi dresses will often be long enough anyway on me!)
  • not tooooo much cleavage
  • I accept I will have to get almost anything rehemmed to make it the right length for me!

These are two dresses that I liked from Coast ( www.coastfashion.com/strappy-slim-column-dress/ACC03146.html www.coastfashion.com/embroidered-sweetheart-neck-maxi-dress/BCC01380.html) , tried them both and they suited but the first just a bit too plain without any overlay dress/skirt (I didn't like the ones on offer and don't plan on wearing a veil or other big accessories which would make it more exciting). The second wasn't very well made and just looked a bit poor quality in person. But the shapes/styles of both were lovely. Does anyone know of anything similar?? Thanks so much!!

OP posts:
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blitzen · 19/11/2022 18:09

I'm really not the best at this but thinking something from ghost might fit the bill, from your description.

www.ghost.co.uk/olivia-dress

blitzen · 19/11/2022 18:11

www.ghost.co.uk/olivia-dress2-d04g012-m12

ineedawhitedress · 19/11/2022 18:13

blitzen · 19/11/2022 18:09

I'm really not the best at this but thinking something from ghost might fit the bill, from your description.

www.ghost.co.uk/olivia-dress

That is a lovely one. I tend to avoid empire line though because of the larger bust, and for the same reason normally don't go for such a high neckline ( I find it emphasises the boobs and makes me look a bit matronly). Unfortunately that rules out loads of Ghost, a shame because they have so many beautiful dresses!

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ineedawhitedress · 19/11/2022 18:17

Thanks for the suggestion though blitzen, I might order it to try anyway because sometimes things don’t fall exactly how you expect and look better

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USaYwHatNow · 19/11/2022 18:26

Just playing devil's advocate, I bought my dress off the peg for £900 from a boutique. I have a similar waist/bust dimension as your description, and as it was fitted to me I didn't need to wear a bra and got the dress for a decent price... Might be worth visiting a couple of shops

ineedawhitedress · 19/11/2022 18:34

I suppose I’ve been avoiding proper bridal shops because a) mostly they’re in the £1k+ price range and even if they have some below that it’s not many and b) from what I can see on the websites of various local ones/ones which have advertised themselves to me since the search algorithms realised I’m looking, they tend to stock Proper Wedding Dresses- with lace, trains, tulle, big skirts- and not the more simple thing I’m looking for

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blitzen · 19/11/2022 18:52

ineedawhitedress · 19/11/2022 18:17

Thanks for the suggestion though blitzen, I might order it to try anyway because sometimes things don’t fall exactly how you expect and look better

Ah no worries at all. I know what you mean. For my own wedding I had a very simple dress made by a local dressmaker. I got the most luxurious silk I could find and although simple, it was unique to me. And a bargain!

ineedawhitedress · 19/11/2022 19:06

blitzen · 19/11/2022 18:52

Ah no worries at all. I know what you mean. For my own wedding I had a very simple dress made by a local dressmaker. I got the most luxurious silk I could find and although simple, it was unique to me. And a bargain!

Ooh if I had a dressmaker I knew and trusted I would love to do that!! Sounds fabulous:)

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blitzen · 19/11/2022 19:13

I found someone local, I think through fb, or through a friend of a friend. Might be worth a trawl online. Good luck with your search. X

Ps or if you live near Durham let me know and I can send you my dressmakers name! x

bravotango · 19/11/2022 19:15

Second the suggestion of a dressmaker! I got mine made for £650 including all the silk, she needed about 4 months notice

Zengarden001 · 19/11/2022 19:17

So I was searching for something very similar recently - a wedding dress at which wasn't too big and bridal - ideally with not too much cleavage and back coverage. It was sooo hard to find something!!! All the dresses which seems simple and nice at the front were always backless, or else had very itchy lace.

I would highly recommend looking on eBay or vinted. You need to have a seamstress lined up to to adjust the height and fit (buy slightly larger and get it taken in) but it is definitely worth it.

Zengarden001 · 19/11/2022 19:19

What kind of style are you looking for? Boho? Simple/minimal? Gatsby/art deco?

GetOffTheRoof · 19/11/2022 19:27

Wed2B only go up to £799, so are well worth a look. You buy off the rack as well, so you can actually try them on in your sizes.

www.wed2b.com/wedding-dresses/sheath

Waterfalls39 · 19/11/2022 19:43

www.needleandthread.com/collections/bridal-dresses

Some of these are beautiful - I nearly got DD hers from here but she ended up with a longer length from Monsoon.

Fortuny · 19/11/2022 19:49

Very classis and simple but beautiful

www.whistles.com/product/161259.html

OrchidFlakes · 19/11/2022 19:54

Are any of these to your taste?
www.phase-eight.com/wedding/dresses/#sp=[sessionstorage]

ineedawhitedress · 19/11/2022 20:59

Fortuny · 19/11/2022 19:49

Very classis and simple but beautiful

www.whistles.com/product/161259.html

I actually just tried this on earlier today! Absolutely gorgeous dress but the back was super low (much lower than I’d realised from the pics). The train was also really quite long, but for the right dress could easily get it shortened when rehemming anyway

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ineedawhitedress · 19/11/2022 21:02

Zengarden001 · 19/11/2022 19:19

What kind of style are you looking for? Boho? Simple/minimal? Gatsby/art deco?

I think simple/minimal or potentially boho (as long as not super floaty). The gatsby/Art Deco silhouette with the dropped waist doesn’t seem to suit me, I need a waistline at the natural height which is at least slightly fitted/defined/shaped

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Lcb123 · 19/11/2022 21:14

Another suggestion to look at a custom made dress if you like parts of different dresses. I had a beautiful custom made dress from a shop in Brighton called ‘Dig from Victory’ it was about £450 made to measure

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