The FastDay Forum

Fasting as normal for a Thursday and it's going fine.
The reason I'm feeling sad is because this diet is going so well! I'm already noticing weight loss in only my second week.
However, I was measured in January for my wedding dress. When I ordered it, they advised me to get a size 22 (Im a high street 16 top/18 trousers ) so that it would fit my hips. However they did say my chest measurement was only a size 14. Obviously I trust their judgement and know they will be able to take it in this much on the top. My worry is that I am losing weight, slowly but surely and I don't want to stop losing weight but am worried this will cause a problem with altering my dress.
I called the shop today and the woman said that as long as it was no more than a stone it would be fine, however she didn't stop to listen to my reasoning or look at my measurements to see that my dress will already be a few sizes too big. Argh.
I know nobody can really help but needed to vent. Sorry

First world problems, a nice problem to have. If you find a good seamstress you should be fine. I do have to say that I find it amazing they had you order one so much bigger than your actual size.

It's because anything smaller wouldn't have fit my hips.
The dress shop do the alterations.

Don't let them dictate how much weight you should lose. They're the ones providing the service, and if they have agreed to do the alterations then they should alter it to your requirements, not theirs!

It is (but isn't) a better problem to have though, good on ya!

Haha thanks you are right, its just my contract says they will only alter to one size but they already have to change it about 4 sizes.

Not well up on the subject- but they already knew they had to alter it by 4 sizes when they advised you in the first place, so I don't think I'd trust their judgement too much. I'd make a fuss about the advice given

Firdt of all BIG hug....organising your wedding day is stressfull enough without this extra worry!
ok...deep breath
you are going to look stunning..If your avitar pic is anything to go by you already do !
when are you getting married? and at a steady weight loss how much do you hope to have lost?
Most good wedding dress shops are used to brides dropping weight and wont be as anxious about it as the bride!
Go back to the shop and ask to speak to the manager/manageress
Explain your concerns....and tell them your target weight
Ask when the 1st/2nd and final fitting will be....how close to the wedding will the final fitting be?...2 weeks?...3 weeks?and keep monitoring your progress...dont panic it is easier to bring a dress down in size than insert material to bring it up!!!
As a back up ask friends/family if anyone knows a good dressmaker...there are loads out there...ask in dry cleaners ...local newspapers etc then go and have a chat!!!!...explain your concerns about the shop and see what time scale they might need if things go horribly wrong...be open and honest...they will appreciate that hopefully they too will give you guidance if not help!
you and your dress are the most important thing....dont let the shop fob you off...as chichi has said...they are the ones providing the service
I have no doubt that you will look stunning on your big day...good luck as you look forward to a healthier married life xx

The worst thing about worrying is all the possibilities/scenarios that go through your head.

Phone them, arrange to see the manageress and sort it out properly on your terms - you are the customer.

You will look stunning!!

Firstly, congratulations on your brilliant weight loss

The firs thing to do is make the appointment to see the manager, but don't be confrontational or upset when you do. There may be ways around the situation that you haven't considered, and that the staff haven't offered you yet either because of lack of training or a lazy attitude. Before you go, consider whether you are open to the option of choosing a different dress, maybe a sample piece even?

In defence of the bridal shop, I have to say that based on my own experiences (I've been married twice) and the fact that I have a friend who works in a bridal shop, there IS a limit to how far a dress can be taken in, and a lot of it depends on the design of the dress. I've been in your situation or similar twice so I do know how you feel!

The first time I got married, my dress was made to order by a truly lovely lady so went out of her way to accommodate my shrinking frame. I was doing ww at the time and lost a couple of stone. Between fittings I shrank considerably, and she had to make another toile (mock up old ice) as the boning lines and shoulders were all in the wrong places. When I shrank out of the next toile (not by as much) she said she cold adjust it, but time would not allow for this process to keep being repeated, so she could factor in a certain adjustment but no more. If I hadn't seen how badly the original toile fitted this might have been harder to accept, but if the original had been a dress that came in complete and she adjusted to the right size at the end, the bust boning wold have been under my armpits Her solution to allow maximum adjustment was to put a generous lacing panel at the back. that wouldn't work on all frocks though. So, I ended up bigger than I wanted on that first wedding day but in a beautiful dress

Second time around, I was a size 16 when i went to the shop and wanted to order a size 12. the dress I chose was more fitted, and I AM to this day somewhat annoyed that the owner of the shop pressured me into ordering a 14, so that I didn't put myself under too much pressure on the diet front and be miserable if I failed. I could see her point. As it was, she took the dress in so much in the end that it is a very small 12 now - more like a 10 that was let out slightly. Once again, it got to the stage where I was told not to lose any more weight, as she would be ale to take it in more without the shaping and embellishments being a problem. My dress for perfectly on the day, but my slender daughters who have their fathers willowy build would never have the option of wearing it (yes, I realise they probably wouldn't want to but still) as it can't be adjusted more.

My friend who works in a bridal shop frequently has to deal with brides who optimistically order a dress that is way too small and then have a nightmare trying to either order a dress that is big enough, or make massive and not always desirable alterations because the bride hasn't succeeded on the diet. Another friend who got married two years ago ended up with a dress off eBay because she failed to lose even one dress size having ordered a dress three sizes too small (she was a 22 to begin with). The dress shop kindly gave her back a good part of her deposit but it made me see why the shop where my friend works has a strict policy now about not ordering too small.

Sheesh that was a long ramble! Sorry, I just wanted to put both sides across.

OK, we obviously don't live in the same place so I don't know how they do things where you are but here, because all brides are on a diet till 5 minutes before the wedding, there are 3 dress rehearsals on the month prior to the wedding (besides the one when you buy the dress and after the first one or two alterations).
Is that your case as well? How was your dress when you tried it on? Did the 22 size seemed logical when you were wearing it?

If I'm talking nonsense and the procedure in England is different than don't mind me and listen to everybody else's advice. One thing I know too is that you are the client, you give the orders and you are entitled to want to make sure that everything goes well. Why don't you go by the shop for an out-of-schedule rehearsal? Many stressed brides do that here...

Thank you everybody I have decided I am just going to carry on with what I am doing and if I do manage to keep it up and keep the weight off I will go in and see them. The wedding is only 4 months away so who knows what will happen with my weight