Off-the-peg wedding dress - any ideas?

[IggiBurns]

Hello, getting married in April and had no idea I needed months to buy a dress in a "regular" wedding dress shop!

So, a ready-made one (perhaps an evening dress type) looks like my best option - trouble is, I haven't a clue which shops to start looking in, which is where I hope some of you might help!
I live in a city so have a lot of choice, if anyone can suggest the right shops, or indeed has seen a dress..?
I do want long, cream/gold/silver fine, not meringue type but not too figure hugging as I'm too big (16 - prob 18 post Christmas).
Fingers crossed ..

Coast have some gorgeous dresses for under £200.

I know that you said not figure hugging, but you may find that something that makes the most of your curves is really flattering, so I am throwing this into the pot:

Coast savannah

There is also this:
Coast Allure dress

And this (just under £300, but utterly gorgeous and really elegant):
Coast bandeau dress

A trip down to Leeds this week? www.bridaldesignersale.com/BridalDesignerSale/bds.nsf/Home?OpenForm

I went to one of these when I was looking for my dress and found a beautiful dress, although decided against it in the end (it was one of those 'next time' dressses!!). You need to be able to make snap decisions as the staff can be pretty pushy, and take some friends with you to fan out and grab as many in your size as possible to try on, but they do have good stuff you can walk away with at the end of the day.

Weelll
Back from my shopping trip, tried on 3 dresses only - not through want of trying!
Debenhams, BHS, House of Fraser - all didn't have bridal wear in "this" store - I thought in a city I'd be fine, but seems I need to go to the bigger city! Negociating day off with DP to go to Glasgow.
Tried on 2 dresses in Monsoon, one in phase eight www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/fashion//Beaded-lace-wedding-Dress/200725107?colour=neutral(which was kept in the basement - I only got it coz I asked!) Have learned that lace (which I love) is quite clingy, and the more A-line skirt of a floaty one in Monsoon looked better on me. And strapless looked as bad as I expected!
I did venture in to a regular bridal shop, and was told they had lots of samples I could buy without waiting - have appointment there tomorrow.
6 months the assistant said was a standard ordering time!
Thank you for all the ideas - I will definitely post picture of the winner!

Sounds like a pretty fab day.

RIGHT - Have a bridal mag here :

Anne & Bobbies' and The Marriage Room - Sizes 6-32 - in stock. King Street Bathgate. www.weddings-in-scotland.com

Butterfliesbride.co.uk - Grassmarket

Kudos Couture Bridal and Evening Wear - 66 Morningside Rd kudoscouture.co.uk

Do you have a photograper sorted? If not, I know someone fab - she's a MN'er, based in Edinburgh - did mine. (pic on profile I think)

Anything else just shout - I love weddings, and am thinking of getting into planning!

xxx

I had a similar timescale 2 years ago - but found a bridal shop who were selling off some of their dresses to make way for new stock - got my gorgeous dress for half the price it had been previously AND the shop gave me the alterations and cleaning for free!

PS - just realised you mentioned glasgow - the shop im talking about was there (im in inverness)
Angelique Lamont Bridalwear
181-185 Howard Street, Glasgow, G1 4HF
sales assistant was the only one who didnt look at me in total state of shock when i mentioned the date of the wedding......

Can I be your business partner ?

OP - it might be worth looking at bridesmaid dresses as well. Order times tend to be 10-12 weeks max and there are some lovely ones around (obviously available in white/ivory etc.). Jim Hjelm, Dessy and Watters websites are all worth a look. Something like this or this

I got married three months ago in a Monsoon dress and I loved it (it cost £100 in the sale). It got shredded at the reception what with all my drunken dancing and cavorting so I was glad it didn't cost too much! I did have it tailored so it fit really well, that helped to make me feel really good in it.

Bridesmaids dresses came from Next as did b.maid shoes, cardigans and tiaras. All fab.

iggi - you must go THIS WEEK to shops in Edinburgh and try on lots of different styles to see what suits you. then look for something similar online

if you go to bridal shops, don't tell then the date of your wedding or they will show you the door snooty cows

i agree with the others that you will get much more choice in evening wear

another option would be to get it made for you

forgot to say, lovely wedding photos geordieminx. though you scrub up well

Thank you thank you. Think I needed the moral support as much as the dress, really!
I will be following through with all your suggestions - unless I find perfect dress tomorow of course!
Why are bridesmaids dresses quicker? That purple one is gorgeous Tilly.
Geordie I have couple of ideas for photographer but nothing definite. Does your friend have a website?

her website is here

She is absolutely amazing - she was with me all morning while I was getting ready - it was like having a friend there! At one point we were stood outside hotel, me in dressing gown, having a ciggy. - It was October.

Really cant recommend her enough. Best thing to do if you like her work is give her a ring. If you tell her geordie from MN recommended her she'll know who you mean.

Wow, those photos are beautiful and the photographer obviously has that (rare) knack of making people feel relaxed and happy. I HATED our wedding photographer and it shows in all of the photos. I look like I am facing a firing squad!

I think I will have to go with Kristina's plan (pick a dress, try to get it online) - was in Bridal shop today, doing the whole stand-on-a-block thing, had one dress on which I really liked though it is nothing like what I would have thought - I will put a link but it really wasn't much like this, in ivory with dark gold embroidery for instance, but I loved the whole corset effect, my figure suddenly appeared!
I couldn't wear strapless, but they said they can put straps/cap/sleeves/long sleeves whatever you want on.
So, problem is I now feel spoiled for the corset-less dresses, but so few samples to choose from, and still so dear! (The one from today was £700, before alterations).
Thank you for (if anyone is!) continuing to follow my inane ramblings..
www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?style=J1001

Beautiful dress The corseting on Maggie Sottero dresses is fantastic. I got married just over a year ago and was originally going to go for an evening type gown but as soon as I tried on a Maggie, I immediately looked two sizes smaller (pics of mine on profile)

They will do a rush order as well. I think they charge about £50 extra but my dress shop "forgot" to order mine when I first went in and ended up doing it last minute (about 8 weeks before wedding date) and it came in time for alterations, pressing etc.

Hi Tilly, you're up early! Your dress looks so lovely
I'll definitely look into that. Surely it's better for them to make a fast dress, than no sale? You'd think so..

iggi - if you are a curvy 16/18 then you probably have the norks and shoulders to look great in a corset style strapless dress

tilly you look fab in that red dress

i was very skinny when i got married and needed sleeves to cover up the bones - scrawny is terrible in strapless

Been bridal-shopping again today, found one I really like, and then went to another shop and found one I liked better - issue with both is that they have to be put through as rushed orders, so won't know till next week if either possible.
Dress option#1 - lace up back, sparkly stuff down one side, dress made of ? with a chiffony layer over the top. That's the bit that worries me as think might be a bit cheaper looking? And would pluck/run like hell if my two year old does something to it with his sgian dhu.
Dress option#2 - lace up back, lovely sparkly bust bit, asymetric ruching.
alice-james.agility-it.co.uk/index.php/home-alice-james/bridal-gowns?page=shop.product_details&flypa ge=flypageimages.tpl&productid=129&category_id=7 But not in that colour!
Both would have wee off shoulder strap things added to hide bit of fat arms!
Sorry for prattling on. My bridesmaid spent day with new boyfriend rather that chumming me, and can't show picture to DP for obv reasons!!

i like ruching on second one, very flattering

bridesmaid in dereliction of duties IMHO

and your 2yo should defo NOT have a sgian dhu

forgot to ask, what are you wearing to keep you warm? i mean on top of your dress, not thermals

And don't tell me that April in the Lothians will be warm because it will be Baltic

Would you consider a shrug like this tbh this one looks hideous on her but you can get some nice ones, and it would keep your arms covered/keep you warm/look lovely in pics?

ebay

love the lace jacket with this

second on on RL person

this is nice and made to order

just a few suggestions of cheaper alternatives!

LOL at geordie - only a girl from the north east woudl equate being warm with a wee slip of lace

Thanks guys, and for making me laugh which I'm quickly forgetting how to do!
Yes, ruching is clearly my friend.
Had not thought about a jackety thing. Was anticipating daffodils and sunshine.
I do like some we white fake furry ones I've seen, though maybe April too late for fur.
Can't open the shrug-that-looks-hideous for some reason, and now desperate to see the photo!
Shop assistant yesterday spent ages trying to convince me that everyone looks at your best points and will not notice arms size of elephants legs. I remain unconvinced.

Kristina - a geordie who lives in scotland!!

better link to shrug thing here

I dont think April is too late for a shrug/stole/bolero type thing - especially if it would make you more confident.

I hate my upper arms too - there a few of my wedding pics where I am leaning against a bannister type thing with my arm along it. The way my arm is, it has pushed all the skin/fat up which makes it look like I have major bingo wings - yak