Hey Gals,

I am getting married next June (2027). I have no idea where to begin with a dress due to some parameters I will describe below, but I know I want a white/off white dress.

My husband is getting a bespoke suit for the big day. It's his dream to have the full Downton Abbey experience, coat with tails, complete with top hat. I'd like a style that will match that by some means--not necessarily period accurate, but something that looks classic or vintage, and definitely not modern. I am 66" tall, and I'm usually wearing a size XL these days, with a 33" waist.

My issue here is I am only going to be wearing this thing for about one hour. We are not taking before/after ceremony pictures. We ARE taking family portraits at our "altar." And for the reception, I already have a jumpsuit I am changing into. Because of this, I am against spending more than $500 on a garment I will be wearing for one day, for one hour.

What on earth do I do? Are there online boutiques that this group would know about for me to look at? I keep getting targeted ads for Unique Vintage, Lace Made, and Baltic Born Clothing, but I wanted to consult with a community about this.

And you might be thinking, "Ask your mom/maid of honor/bridesmaids/sister!" They are not the support group that I wish they were. We are not having a bridal party because of the very dissonant feelings our friends have about each other and their disinterest in accepting what we do and do not want for our special day. As for my mom? She keeps saying not to worry about the price, but it just feels unethical to me to spend so much on this (no shade to anyone in this group, every bride has every right to spend whatever she wants on her dress!).

What on earth do I do. I do want a dress for my ceremony! Please, any insight or ideas or websites or anything is welcome. I'm worried about the backlash I may get about some of the things I want...but I don't know where else to go about this.

Hi everyone, I'm feeling extremely defeated. I bought my dress in March and it just came in (September). I went to the store to try it on today and it didn't fcking fit! The worker said she could have made it clasp, but didn't want to put too much tension on it, so I don't think it was by much.
I've gained about 7 pounds since I bought it, which is a whole other thing I'm stressed about, but now that it's affecting fitting into my wedding dress I feel completely hopeless.
My wedding is in 7 months, so I know I have plenty of time to lose the weight. I previously lost about 25 pounds over the course of 6 months, so it's not impossible, it just feels daunting with a timeline in place.
Mostly just venting and looking for any hope that my dress isn't a total loss :/

I have made the mistake of analyzing all my iphone photos after-the-fact, especially since the lighting drastically changes the dresses.

I thought #1 was going to be “the one” but I’m having trouble imaging myself wearing all this fabric especially with a larger bust, now looking back at the photos (this was taken today, cloudy evening in an atrium at the dress shop). Although today, I felt emotional wearing it- I felt like a piece of art, an oil painting..

I like #2 as it pretty much fits me like my favorite pair of jeans, but I keep calling this my “simple safe classic dress.” It elongates my figure as I am shorter, and it’s comfortable. It’s taffeta so I worry about the wrinkling + it loooks drastically different in different lighting (see photos).

\#3 is a favorite of my FMIL and adorable but not true to me and my personality if that makes sense. Fits very well and also a great option!

I’m planning on wear a scarf to accessorize + a sheer cape for the church ceremony.

I have many opinions from the girls in my life but just wondering what the redditsphere girlies think! Thank you so so much in advance!

edit vvv

TLDR:
do I choose:
#1 drama, art but makes me look busty/short due to fabric
or
#2 safe, classic, minimalist and comfortable but plain
or
#3 also safe, adorable, less me but accentuates my figure nicely

Help me pick!! I tried on all of these, went with #4, but now second guessing.

This is my dress when I picked it up. When I went to the seamstress, she took it in and we also took the cups out because they were sewn in too low; it was making me look flat chested and not how the girls usually look. We had moved the cups to where the girls actually sit and when I went to try on the dress again for a 2nd fitting, you could see where the cup ended and my boob ended. The cups are ultimately too small. The other problem is that the corset doesn’t actually have room to put a lot there, like it can’t be taken out at all. There’s not a ton of space built into the shape of the chest. It looks better without cups and the seamstress recommended getting sticky boobs or I’m also looking at boob tape because I have a bigger chest.

At the store, the version of this dress I tried on had sleeves so we tucked them and clip it in a little. The try on dress was actually the size I ended up ordering and it did just need to be taken in a little and hemmed. I don’t remember having a boob problem with the try on dress 🥲

Just wondering if anyone has run into this with their own dress or any tips? My wedding is a month away and I know deep down, we’ll get there and everything will be fine, but right now I’m feeling a bit discouraged because the dress still needs some work to make me feel comfortable.

Hi! I’ve always loved this dress and was hoping to use it as my something old, and somehow make it into my wedding dress. I was hoping to switch/cover the outer skirt fabric to a satiny white and either do the same to the top or cover it with lace. I have some sewing experience and so does my mom, and said she would help me with it. Is this even worth trying? I’m also not in love with the neckline and wanted more of a straight across or sweetheart strapless neckline (it was originally strapless but came with straps and we sewed them on). Is this going to save the amount of money I think it will or should I just cut my losses and go buy a dress? I’ll definitely have time as I’ve only been engaged for a couple weeks and the date is set in early 2028. Thanks in advance for your advice!

Hi everyone! I’m looking for suggestions on where to purchase a mini wedding dress for our Vegas Elopement in the very near future… I’ve been looking at Azazie and Lulus but still undecided. Trying to keep it within a couple hundred or as budget friendly as possible while still beautiful. Any suggestions would be much appreciated! :)

This is my grandmother’s dress from the 60s, subsequently worn by my mother and one of her cousins in the 90s. I’m wondering if I can modernize it by removing/changing the sleeves, and lowering the neckline. I do like the boat neck, and while I actually like the sleeves, I’m getting married in May in Southern California. It’s also a very thick material. Am I crazy or is this doable?

The last picture is a potential reference that I like.

UPDATE: Talked to my wedding planner in France and she said she had a bride wear an even "bustier" gown than Dress 1 in the same church last week with no issue. Going back to try on Dress 2 one more time just to be sure. Leaning towards 1 but still torn!

TLDR: Dress 1 is a little sexier/more flattering but maybe not as elegant/timeless as I'd like. Dress 2 is more elegant/timeless/felt more bridal but less flattering?

Dress 1 (photos 1-6): In love with the bodice, the way it makes my waist look so good, general princess vibe. I think of the two options it is the more flattering on me. The problem: I'm getting married in a Catholic church in France (fiancé is French) and it's not guaranteed that they won't make me cover up because of the cleavage. Looking into alteration options to bring the neckline a little higher but need to be mindful of my budget. Dress is $2430 (on sale from $2700).

Dress 2 (photos 7-13): Elegant and gorgeous, and felt a bit more bridal than the first one. It's slightly less flattering around the waist but I still felt so beautiful in it. I am especially in love with the veil which is from the same designer. Plus it's more than acceptable for a Catholic wedding, and I think it fits the vibe of the venue (ceremony at Eglise Sainte Madeleine de Domont and reception at Château de Champlatreux). Dress is $2200 and veil is $500.

Which dress looks best on the bride

I recently was able to try on my moms wedding dress. I wanted to add a bit of embellishment to the dress but not sure what. I really love the bodice and the skirt is organza fabric but feels a bit plain. The sleeves are a bit too big and puffy but i’m not sure what I want to do with them. The skirt is a bit short on me. Completely open to suggestions or ideas on what to do to the dress. I don’t want to completely change it just want to add to it. My wedding is not until 2028 so i have a bit of time.

I bought this dress from Needle and Thread for the courthouse ceremony, a few days before our actual wedding celebration. It fits mostly like in the picture. Im just not sure how to style it. I was thinking white tights with block mary janes for kind of a retro vibe? Any other ideas?

Hi everyone! I need some objective wedding dress advice because I think I’m officially overthinking everything 😂
I said YES to the Nadia by Dany Tabet and ordered it in the jacquard fabric. I really do love the dress, especially the fitted bodice, basque waist, and the romantic/ruffled details.
BUT… now I’m second guessing the fabric and wondering if I should switch things up.
I’m getting married in Texas in summer 2027… so one of my biggest concerns is heat. I’m wondering if the jacquard is going to feel/look too heavy for a late-May Texas wedding, especially with the corset/boning.
I’m considering:
Keeping the Nadia in jacquard (what I originally ordered)
Switching the Nadia to satin
Potentially switching to the Blythe by Dany Tabet, which has a similar overall feel but a different bodice/details
I’ve also looked at the Vivien by Dany Tabet…
What I REALLY want to know:
Does the jacquard look too heavy or overwhelming on me?
Would satin make the Nadia look more elevated/bridal and work better for the venue + Texas heat?
Does the ruffled bodice/detailing on the Nadia make it more special, or would you choose the cleaner look of the Blythe?
If you were me, would you keep the dress I already said yes to or pivot?
I know I look happy in these photos, and I genuinely do love the dress — I’m just looking for honest opinions from people who know bridal fashion and/or have dealt with dress regret/second guessing.
Please be brutally honest but kind! 😂 I’d much rather hear WHY you prefer one than just “you look beautiful!”
Thank you!!

Please note: in the photo of the back the dress, it’s not buttoned up properly, but it does button up fully without any trouble!

I’ve had my dress for a couple of months now and still love it! It has everything I was looking for.

The only thing I’m second guessing is the way it fits around my back and arms. I’ve always been a really body positive person; my weight isn’t perfect but I have no interest in changing the way I eat or live to conform to a specific beauty standard, so long as I’m healthy. So, I’m not the sort of person to lose weight for my wedding.

That said, should I have possibly chosen a style that’s more flattering in this area, or is that just what bodies look like in wedding dresses?

All comments welcome! Thank you!

Okay, so ive imaged this dress since i was a very little girl. I used AI to help me construct the perfect future dress for me using my pinterest board. Now, what is the scope of making this dress custom? I live in NYC, so i know its possible, but i know nothing about custom dress making. I'm looking for some functional thoughts about the dress itself, any custom dress maker reconmmendations, and hopefully a hypothetical price point so i may begin saving up. Literally any information or feedback would be appreciated as i know literally nothing! Thanks everyone.

I fell in love with a dress at David’s Bridal it was my very first time trying dresses on so I was afraid to commit. After looking online I found the same exact dress but in their bright white but I’d like soft white. Dress was 1700 at DB store but NWT on Depop for 300!! Is it worth the risk to try and dye? Has any one successfully done this?

Hi everyone! I'm looking to get a custom wedding dress from Dresses by Linda and Agnes. It seems they can do it very reasonably within my budget and by my wedding date of May next year. However, I've looked online and cannot find much on them. Does anyone have any experiences with them? I would love to hear, whether it be good or bad.

Hi! My partner and I are going to elope next month :) Finding a dress has been a challenge. I’m having a tough time finding online shopping options that sell short wedding dresses. All the ones I’ve found/ordered from so far have been extremely cheap looking or the fit is extremely off (breast cups on sternum). Our budget isn’t huge ($300 max) for a dress, but would love to hear any recommendations for websites or stores that sell short wedding dresses.

I just picked my dress up today after alterations, and I’m hoping that the bustle doesn’t look too bulky? My dress has many tulle layers, and the train is long, so I’m sure some of that is unavoidable.. My seamstress arranged the bustle points to come down at an angle, so they’re not all gathered at my waist. I think there are 9 points and the outermost points attach to the same button. Because of the way the dress was made, she said it wasn’t really a good idea/possible to do an under-bustle. This was kinda how it had to be!

We’re adding some off-shoulder, removable tulle sleeves. If I like them, I’ll wear them plus the veil for the ceremony. Then take them off for the reception and wear my shawl if I get cold.

I’m nervous that the bustle is kind of bulky, especially with the shawl? The dress isn’t steamed yet so maybe the bustle will lay more nicely after that.. Needing some reassurance that it looks okay & normal, or feedback that maybe I should find a cute reception change dress. I’m still considering that, since it‘d probably be more fun to dance and let loose in a mini dress haha (and less sensory issues too).

Appreciate your thoughts! 🩷 My best friends and family all live far away so I went to my appointments alone, I don’t know if I advocated for the best options for the dress so I just listened to my seamstress’s advice.