My best friend is getting married in October, and she wants us to order our bridesmaid dresses in 2 weeks... except I plan to lose 50 lbs by her wedding. I'm not really sure how long it takes to get a dress made, and I don't know what size I'll be in October since I haven't been 250lbs since 9th grade (I think? Maybe it was earlier than that!)

I also don't know if shops do the alterations or if I should get it altered myself? Or when I should get it altered (would 2 weeks before the wedding be too close??) HELP!

Most places that sell wedding and bridesmaids dresses also offer alterations, but if not you will have your dress in plenty of time to get it altered - especially if you line someone up ahead of time.

As for sizing, order your size now. Get measured. Try not to pass out when they tell you what size it will be because - fair warning - the bridal industry has mostly not given in to vanity sizing. Order whatever size they tell you and have it altered. You can always make a too-big dress smaller but you can't do much with one that's too small.

I've actually been through this on both sides - as a bride and as a bridesmaid. When I got married, I had found out I was pregnant very soon before the wedding and knew I wouldn't be able to buy my dress until right before. It still ended up a bit too revealing in the chest, as my breasts grew tremendously when I was pregnant.

With my brother's wedding I was losing the baby weight and I waited until the last possible second, bought a dress that was too big by the time of the wedding, going back and getting an exchange for a smaller dress. Depending on the store and if it's off the rack, you can sometimes do that. The second dress was too big by the date of the wedding, but it wasn't my wedding, so I didn't need to look perfect.

You just don't want to have a dress that is too small.

I advice you to get the dress in the size you are now. I can't express this enough. It is much easier for a seamtress to take a dress in over out.

When I was fitted for my sisters wedding in Oct 2007, I weighed 270, when her wedding came around in July of 2008, I weight roughly 225, and I did have the dress taken in....twice.

Another of her bridesmaids, said to herself "I wear a size 14, I don't need to get fitted, plus, I'm gonna lose more weight" got the dress in a 14, and had to had material added.


Life is unpredictible. Get fitted and order the dress in your size, and when it has to be taken in, you'll beam about it.

I work at a bridal store, and like Nicole said, bridal doesn't care about vanity sizing. Anyways, like some of the others have said, order the dress the size you are now, if you are in between sizes, and are totally committed to losing the weight, getting the smaller one is an option.

Taking a dress in is wayyyyy easier than letting it out. A dress can be taken in a good 2-3 sizes before it starts to look different than the rest.

I could not agree MORE!!!