Scared to loose weight for the sake of my dress.

Girlllll, I am in the same boat! I am stressing about losing weight because I definitely want to lose weight before the wedding, but I am worried I will lose too much and it wont be able to be altered correctly. They typically say a dress can be taken in about 2 sizes (depending on dress details like beading and such).

I'm on the other side of this. I lost about 20 lbs, so about a dress size or so, and now my dress that fit perfectly when i bought it is huge. As much as i love my body and wardrobe now, i may gain some of the weight back so I fill out the dress again.

It also depends on the type of dress. I am kind of having the same debate, but my dress is a ballgown and it won't make that much of a difference if I lose 10-15. The measurements that count in my dress are the bust and natural waist line, and I can always add cups and my ribs aren't really going to be changing size.

Also in the same boat...I've lost 8 pounds since I bought the dress and plan on losing about 10 more.

@FB99 - Your comment makes me feel better, because if two sizes is up to 44 pounds I don't have that much to lose, so I should be good..

@Jessica LOL I'm in the same boat. The seamstress told me to loose no more than 5 pounds.

@FB99- that does make me feel better. I would LOVE to lose 40 pounds, but that is definitely not my goal. My goal by May is 15-20. My dress just fits so perfect(except for length), and the way that the couple spots that have beading land, I'm worried that part will no longer look the same..

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one worrying about this.

@FB99 I definitely feel better now, I never knew that. My dress is a ball gown so if it needs to be taken in one size it should be very doable.

When I bought my dress, I'd already lost about 30 lbs. When it came time for my first alterations appointment, I'd lost AN ADDITIONAL 30 lbs (-61 lbs total by my wedding day). My dress was a fit-and-flare style and altering down 2 dress sizes was NO PROBLEM! Yes it was expensive, but meeting my weight loss goal and feeling like a million bucks in my dress on my wedding day was worth every penny! Just some perspective from someone that said, "screw the cost, I want to see my goal weight on the scale!"

ETA - If it helps, pic on left is the day I bought my dress and pic on right is my last alternations appt after I'd lost another 30 lbs.

I was told the average weight between dress sizes is 10-15 pounds, though it depends on the size and the body. It's generally less of a difference in the smaller sizes because "regular sizes" are only an inch apart, and becomes a larger difference in larger sizes because "plus sizes" are 2 inches. As a size 2, I'm only 5 pounds away from both a 0 and 4, but for a size 14 there could be 14-16 pounds to get to a 12.

I'm having to alter my dress down a size and a half between buying on consignment and weight loss. I will say, I lose weight in my bust first so 10lbs is about a size for me to start and then takes more weight the more I lose to lose a size.

How much did it cost to alter your dress two sizes? @BeachBride

ETA: or anyone who's done this?

I am in the same boat and am scared to death to lose anymore weight, so I quit trying to lose weight. I bought my dress 2 weeks ago and it fits like a glove. I am still working out religiously and watching what I eat, but I am not longer a tyrant on food choices.. Like, I eat ice cream because why not now? lol. If I lose 5-10 lbs more I think that is manageable with the dress and when its altered it wont look different. I am afraid if its more than that, then it will swallow me and I will be completely screwed and dressless by wedding day :/

The store I bought my gown at said I could lose 90 pounds.

They told me they can take my dress in 2 sizes. So unless you are planning on loosing more than 2 sizes you are fine

@Kaitlyn - My total alterations costs were just under $600, but $275 of that alone was for my hem (I wore flats - beach wedding - so had to get a lot taken off the bottom and had a scalloped lace hem) and I think my bustle was probably another $100. She basically charged me $75 per area to take it in and I did that from the top of my dress/bust through my knees.

Thanks everyone.. I think with all this knowledge, I'm going to try to keep with my goal for now.. Maybe I just wont put as much pressure on myself to reach it as I was originally planning..

I say as I shove a cupcake into my mouth...

@FB99, I mentioned that, I know it definitely has to do with measurements. Like I said, smaller sizes are only an inch apart, so it won't take as much weight loss to move between sizes, but larger sizes it will. I think those horror stories are because brides don't pay attention to the sizing. If a woman is on the wider side of a 12 expecting to lose 10lbs per size, 20lbs will probably only get her to a comfortable 10, not the 8 she's aiming for.

On a side note, I never weigh myself anymore, because it doesn't really mean much. I only take my measurements to see how I'm maintaining my size, which is what I recommend.

FB you are right! I've lost 45 lbs and I am down 2 sizes exactly. Good luck, OP!

@BeachBride Okay that's not as bad as I thought it would be! I have to get mine hemmed as well, I'll be wearing flats because FH is short haha.

Thank you!

If anything, I think your dress would look even better on you because YOU will look more confident and happy. I wouldn't worry about it. Continue working on your goals and let your seamstress work their magic when the time comes!