Guide to weight-loss and wedding dress shopping
Wedding dress shopping is incredibly exciting, but if you’re on a weight loss journey, it can bring up some important considerations. Timing your dress shopping is crucial to reducing stress & getting the best fit. In this guide, we’ll discuss factors to consider when balancing weight loss with finding your dream dress.
When to start dress shopping
If you plan to lose weight before your wedding, consider waiting until closer to start shopping. Ideally, shopping around 3-6 months before the wedding allows you to:
Have a better idea of what styles you like & suit your body shape.
Avoid buying a dress too early and then losing significant weight, which could lead to costly alterations.
Alterations Considerations
While most wedding dresses can be altered to fit a smaller size, there are limits to how much a dress can be taken in without compromising its structure. Generally:
Dresses can be taken in about 1-2 dress sizes.
Losing a significant amount of weight (3+ dress sizes) can make alterations difficult and costly.
Certain styles, such as heavily beaded gowns or lace dresses, can be more complex and expensive to alter.
If you anticipate losing a large amount of weight, we recommend you opt to wait until closer to your goal weight before making your final purchase.
Choosing a dress with flexibility
If you’re planning to lose weight but don’t want to delay shopping, choosing a gown with a more forgiving fit can help:
Corset-back dresses can often be pulled tighter for small amounts of weight loss & tend to need less alteration.
A-line & ballgown styles can be more flexible for weight fluctuations compared to more fitted styles as they can require less adjustment depending on where you lose weight.
What if you lose weight after you’ve bought your dress?
If you’ve already bought your dress and then lose more weight than expected, don’t panic! Here’s what you can do:
Speak to a seamstress ASAP to discuss alteration options. Our recommended seamstresses may be able to adjust your dress easily, depending on the style and structure of the dress.
If you’re still losing weight, try to stabilise before your fittings start to avoid last-minute adjustments.
Consider adding extra support like padded cups or underwear to help the dress fit tighter.
Our final tips
We strongly recommend not to buy a dress in a smaller size as motivation. Choose a size that fastens at the time of purchase, just in case don’t lose weight where needed. It is harder to let a dress out than to take it in!
Find a supportive boutique that understands your journey & helps you make the best decision. We will give our honest advice about whether a dress would be suitable for your journey - we want every bride to be able to wear their dress and make the right choice!
If weight loss is part of your journey, timing your dress shopping right, choosing an adaptable style, and working with expert seamstresses will help you achieve the perfect fit. Remember: you know yourself, your own goals and what is realistic for you!
Drop us a message here if you have any further questions about this.