One of the questions I hear quite often at Bridal Gossip is: “What happens if my body changes after I order my wedding dress?”
Perhaps you're planning to lose weight, you've recently had a baby, you've started a new fitness routine, or you're simply aware that your body may change between now and your wedding day.
It’s completely understandable to wonder whether you should wait before you start wedding dress shopping.
My advice is simple: you don't need to put off enjoying this part of your wedding planning because you're waiting for your body to look different.
Your wedding dress appointment is about finding a dress that makes you feel comfortable, confident and like yourself — in the body you have now.
Do I need to wait until my body changes before wedding dress shopping?
Not necessarily.
If you wait until you've reached a particular weight, size or shape before you allow yourself to start looking, you could end up putting unnecessary pressure on yourself — and potentially leave yourself with fewer options if your wedding is getting closer.
For a new-to-order wedding dress, I generally recommend beginning your search around 12 months before your wedding. Our gowns typically need around 6–8 months to order, and you'll also need to allow time for alterations before the wedding.
If your wedding is much sooner, don't panic. Off-the-peg dresses can be taken away without waiting for a new gown to be made.
The important thing is to tell me your wedding date when you visit so we can look at options that work with your timescale.
What size wedding dress should I order?
When we order your wedding dress, we'll take your measurements and use the relevant designer's size chart to determine the appropriate size.
Bridal sizing can feel confusing because the number on the label may be different from the size you usually buy on the high street.
That number really isn't important.
What matters is choosing the appropriate size for your measurements and the particular dress you're ordering.
Some of the designers I work with also offer split sizing at an additional cost, which can be helpful when your top and bottom measurements fall into different sizes.
If you'd like to understand this before your appointment, have a read of my wedding dress sizing guide.
What happens if my measurements change after ordering?
Bodies change. That's one of the reasons alterations are such a normal part of buying a wedding dress.
When your dress arrives, it may need adjustments so that it fits you beautifully for your wedding day.
How much a dress can be altered will depend on the gown itself, its construction, the fabric and detailing, and how your measurements have changed. That's why I wouldn't recommend ordering a deliberately smaller dress based on the size you hope to be in the future.
Instead, we'll work from your measurements when the dress is ordered and talk honestly about any concerns you have.
If you know that your body is likely to change significantly, tell me. We can consider that when we're looking at dresses and discuss the options available to you.
When should alterations happen?
Alterations are separate from the cost of your wedding dress and are carried out by a seamstress.
I can provide details of recommended seamstresses, but you'll choose and book your seamstress directly.
As a general guide, alterations usually begin around two months before the wedding, although the exact timing will depend on the work required and your seamstress's availability.
This later fitting stage is when your dress can be adjusted more closely to your body as it is nearer your wedding day.
What if I'm worried that the sample dresses won't fit me?
Please don't let this stop you from booking an appointment.
At Bridal Gossip, I have wedding dress samples physically available to try in sizes 10–32, with new gowns available to order in sizes 6–32 depending on the designer and style.
A sample dress doesn't need to fit you perfectly for us to learn from it.
During your appointment, I can clip and adjust samples where appropriate to help you get a better idea of the shape and style.
My job isn't to judge your body against the dress. It's to help you understand how the dress could work for you.
What if I'm planning to lose weight before my wedding?
You can absolutely tell me.
What I won't do is tell you how much weight you should lose or set a target for you. That's not my role.
What I can do is explain how wedding dress ordering works, talk through the timing, help you understand your options and make sure we're choosing a dress based on accurate information rather than putting pressure on you to reach a particular size.
If your body does change, we'll deal with the dress practically when the time comes.
You deserve to enjoy wedding dress shopping now — not only when you've reached a number you've set for yourself.
Your wedding dress should work for you
There is no ideal bridal size and no particular shape you need to be before you're “ready” to try on wedding dresses.
Come as you are.
We'll try different shapes, fabrics and styles, talk honestly about what feels comfortable and work together to find the dresses that make you feel most like yourself.
If you'd like to see the styles available at the boutique, explore our wedding dresses.
And when you're ready, you can book your bridal appointment at Bridal Gossip in Wadebridge.
Caroline Griffiths, Bridal Gossip
