Ordering a Bridesmaid Dress

britters314 · January 2016

Hey, I don't know if anyone is in or has been in this situation, but I would appreciate anyone's opinions on what I should do here. I am in a wedding this summer (end of July) and the bride wants us all to order our bridesmaid dresses soon. But I don't know if I'll be pregnant and, if I am (FX!), what size I will be. If I wait until the last minute to order the dress, I'll be holding everyone else up because the company waits until everyone orders before making any of the dresses in the party.

Gah, I don't know what to do. Should I order my current size and then exchange it for a larger one if I have to? Order a huge size and then just get it fitted (which will probably cost a ton..)? What would you ladies do?

JRB3 · January 2016

I would prob just order 1 or 2 sizes up.

JRB3 · January 2016

I would prob just order a size up. Not sure
Edit because I posted this twice! Sorry!

DCHokiemom · January 2016

Don't live like you're pregnant when you aren't. Order your dress, figure it out later. A size up won't make any difference if you're 6 months pregnant.

Also, ordering clothing out of pregnancy anticipation basically guarantees you won't be pregnant....as evidenced by the "big sister" shirt I bought for DD in July:/

CharmBombExplosion · January 2016

Order the dress in the size you are now.

Xstatic3333 · January 2016

I'm in an August wedding and am just planning to round up a size. I know it could be expensive and unnecessary, just what I'm comfortable with. The dresses are from a boutique, not David's or similar, so I'm afraid it could be hard to fix later on the outside chance things did go quickly for us. They are also long, fitted, and not super forgiving.

itsmehere1212 · January 2016

I was in a wedding this past Sept and we went dress shopping in March. Our start ttc was April. I privately told the woman doing our fittings and they already had a policy in place for that sort of thing. She took my sizes and ordered a size up since I would be five months at the most. I wasn't pregnant for the wedding and actually lost some weight from stress.
My advice, make sure you get good alterations if you do order up. I didn't have a ton of time beforehand and my dress was too big. It made quite a hassle always holding my dress up as I danced and drank the night away.
FWIW, in hindsight, I would have ordered my right size.

Eta: fwiw

Mlight28 · January 2016

Yep, order current size.
I'm in a wedding in October, and I fully plan on ordering current size. There could be a chance I'll not even be in the wedding if we get KU this cycle. (Fine with me if it means I have a baby!)
Don't live pregnant until you are.

MrsFL2015 · January 2016

bcooke314 said:
. But I don't know if I'll be pregnant and, if I am (FX!), what size I will be.

A good rule of thumb is not to act pregnant until you are. I would order the dress at your current size. If you find out you're pregnant between now and then, contact the dress shop ASAP and they'll advise you on the next step. I'm sure this is a very common situation at many bridal shops. Dresses can usually be taken out anywhere between 1-2 sizes depending on the style. If you do get pregnant and are not far along, you might need a few simple alternations to your current size. If you need a bigger size, you can do a rush order on a new dress. I would just wait and see what happens in the next few months.

PrimRoseMama · January 2016

Ask the retailer-- I would order like you wouldn't be pregnant. It's unwise to plan your life around TTC.

NovaSaysNo · January 2016

I agree with PP. I would order the size you are now. If you wanted to order the next size up that wouldn't be too much to take in. If you find a decent place they aren't too expensive if you need it taken in (or let out a little if that's the case). If you do that, look around for a stand alone tailor, they are usually less expensive than the ones "built in" to the dress stores, and do a better job.

JamieK1882 · January 2016

Im in a similar situation. I'm in two upcoming weddings-July and October 2016. For the October wedding, the dress the bride picked for us is being discontinued and we had to order now. I pulled the sales woman aside and asked IF I were to be pregnant what my options would be. She told me unfortunately since most of the dress is lace, they could only add a side panel which would not be lace and would be noticeable. She said they can tailor a dress down two sizes. I ordered one size bigger (as a happy medium) and can always get it taken in if not pregnant.

edit: typos

PugsandKisses · January 2016

You have 3 options.
1) hold off TTC for a few months. Even 2 or 3 can mean a lot smaller bump.
2) order your size now and IF pregnant, see if they can alter it.
3) order a size bigger and get it altered down.

Remember, it can take a healthy couple up to 12 months to conceive. Also, if you concieved TODAY you will be around 30 weeks at the end of July.
I don't agree with putting my life on hold for other people, nor acting like I am pregnant until I truly am.

LoveIsOwlYouNeed · January 2016

It's easier to take a dress in than let it out. I wouldn't count on being able to exchange it later. The reason they need all the dresses ordered together is to ensure they all come from the same dye lot and are the same color.

So I guess I would buy up a size or two. Just in case.

khbear117 · January 2016

I would just privately ask the store/seamstress what their policy is regarding things like this. It's a classic bridesmaid "problem" for someone to get pregnant during the planning. A lot of people are engaged for a year, some even longer, and their bridesmaids lives aren't on hold for that time. And stores that make and sell wedding party clothing know this.

****TW big time****
Btw, I don't want anyone to think I think becoming pregnant is a problem, hence the quotes - I mean in that there are tons of ways bridesmaid dresses become a "well what do we do now" situation, and someone becoming pregnant is not uncommon. One of my bridesmaids was pregnant, and we already had a plan when she found out, but she unfortunately lost it. Yet another reason I say, don't worry about it, you don't need that stress in your life.

britters314 · January 2016

Thanks for all of your responses, everyone! I am leaning toward buying my current size since it would be really depressing to buy a bigger size, not get pregnant, and then have to take it in. And I do have a really good seamstress, so she could probably make it work for me.

iceandsnowflakes29 · January 2016

I just wanted to add not to stress if you do get pregnant. If it is your first, it may not matter. I was able to make regular clothes work until 18 weeks and even then maternity pants were still big.

Seagodess7 · January 2016

Talk to the store and explain the situation. I am also in a wedding this summer. The bride knows we are TTC so when we went to look at dresses I told the sales associate. She said it wasn't a big deal, that they can just order it a little later and if I do get pregnant they have fake bellies to put on to help figure out the size.

lilliemom · January 2016

I was in a wedding when I was 16 weeks pregnant. Had to order the dress in September, wedding was the following May, and we were planning on waiting until after the wedding to start TTC but I couldn't wait and I got pregnant in January. I had ordered based on the size I was before pregnancy since I wasn't planning on being pregnant. Like others have said, order for the size you are and figure it out if/when the time comes. Good luck

Marley629 · January 2016

I would order 1-2 sizes up as well. If you have to shop around for alterations, it's better than having to find a dress the last minute (which from experience is virtually impossible when it comes to bridesmaid dresses) And Good luck to you!!!

Itsnotyourturn · January 2016

OP, I am totally split on this one. I concur don't act pregnant until you are. However, I have been sewing and doing alterations for a really long time and also concur it's so much easier to take stuff in than let it out. Ask if you can get an extra seam allowance on your dress would be my best advice. That way you have a little extra to work with but it will still be in your current size.

tripledaggerWed95976 · January 2016

Order your size. Planning future events as if you're going to be pregnant only sets yourself up for disappointment. Also, unless it's some sort of bodycon dress you would most likely be fine to wear the same size until your 3rd month. If you do get pregnant very soon, it will be a happy surprise and you can probably figure out a way to exchange and size up the dress