When To A Buy Wedding Dress If Losing Weight

When To Buy A Wedding Dress If Losing Weight?

Wedding preparations can certainly be stressful, and there can be all manner of concerns that can crop up in the pursuit of creating that perfect, special day. 

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One such concern is purchasing the wedding dress – especially if you are purposely losing weight, and are unsure of the best time to finally bite the bullet and make that oh so important purchase. 

So this begs the question: what is the best time to purchase your wedding dress if you are still losing weight? 

The Best Time To Buy

Knowing when to dive in and make the purchase can be a difficult thing indeed, especially when trying to make it coincide with your proposed weight loss.

However, we would suggest you always buy the dress in advance with plenty of time, as it can always be altered and brought in if you lose weight.

The answer ultimately comes down to how much weight you need to lose, and how much time you have to do it in. 

5 To 15 Pounds

Let’s start with the 5-15 pounds weight loss margin. Losing this much weight would roughly mean you would go down two dress sizes, and to achieve this safely with enough wiggle room in between is a period of 9 months. 

This means that if you are getting married in September, then you would ideally need to make the purchase in January.

This not only gives you sufficient time to work out and lose the weight you need to, but it also means that there is enough time for any alterations that might need to be made along the way. 

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15 To 30 Pounds

The next weight loss margin is 15-30 pounds, and obviously if you plan to lose this much weight, you will need a little longer to achieve your goals. 

Most wedding planners would recommend waiting before you order this dress – at least until you only have 20 pounds left to lose.

This is because the weight loss is fairly dramatic, and as such the journey can be difficult and marred with setbacks. 

This would give you approximately 9-12 months to lose the remaining weight, and while you would still be on a time crunch, it is at least an achievable weight loss goal. 

30+ Pounds

This is a dramatic level of weight loss, and thus you should only really place an order when you are once again within the 15-20 pounds remaining margin. 

This is because it would simply be too much pressure on yourself and your body, and would be near impossible for seamstresses to make sufficient alterations due to the number of dress sizes you would be dropping. 

You would literally be a different person once you have lost such a severe amount of weight, so you are better to wait until that 15-20 pound sweet spot where changes can still be made to the dress with relative ease. 

Of course, not everyone gets that much time to plan ahead – and proposals are usually sprung without prior warning – which means that other options might have to be explored if you are in this position. 

What Options Are Available? 

If you are indeed planning to lose a dramatic amount of weight in time for your wedding, then you might be better exploring some other options for wedding dresses, instead of having one custom made. 

Off The Rack 

When To Buy A Wedding Dress If Losing Weight?

One option is to purchase a wedding dress off the rack – one that is a standard size, and which hasn’t been made to measure. 

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This could obviously be a big no no for some brides, but depending on the time you have left, the amount of weight you have lost, and the overall feasibility of having a made to measure dress, this could be one of the best options available to you. 

There are of course many benefits to this – not least of which is the reduced price, which would be a lot cheaper than a made to measure dress.

Of course, the other benefit would be that you can also have the alterations and modifications done to the off the rack dress, meaning you can still put your own stamp on your special dress. 

Sample Wedding Dress

You could also opt for a sample wedding dress. This is when a designer or boutique offers an end of season sale for a line of wedding dresses – usually at cut price discounts that can make all the difference to young couples on limited budgets. 

This is also perfect for those with a shorter engagement period, and in some cases you can really find a hidden gem amongst the racks for a price that is much cheaper than it otherwise would have been. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Now let’s take a look at some frequently asked questions that pop up frequently by brides who are still looking for their dresses. 

Is There A Limit On Alterations?

This is a good question, and one that most might not consider beforehand. 

The answer is yes, there is a limit on the amount of alterations that can be done to a wedding dress, without ruining the final cut of the garment, and looking different from the dress you wanted. 

This is why purchasing at the right time is so important, and can make all the difference when it comes to looking and feeling good. 

Is There A Time To Stop Losing Weight? 

The time generally given by wedding planners to those wanting to lose weight for their wedding is for them to stop between 2 and 4 weeks before the wedding – depending on how on track you are, and whether or not alterations have already been made to the dress. 

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This is so that once you come to wear the dress you have not lost any more weight – something that could ruin the entire cut of the garment, and make the dress fit in a manner that is loose, baggy, and not working in the best way for your figure. 

If you are unsure, always ask your planner – they have done this countless times, and know the best tips and tricks to success!

Final Thoughts

And there we have it, everything you need to know about buying wedding dresses, and the best time to do so when losing weight.

It’s true that wedding preparations can be stressful, and there are all manner of things that can make the whole thing a trial.

But hopefully, with this advice, the wedding dress purchase can become the happy occasion it is meant to be – instead of an underlying sense of dread. 

Jodie Messines
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