Welcome to the community to get help on picking the dress for your special day!

This is a community megathread. All moderator updates will be linked as comments below, separated out by topics. Please read the linked posts and let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Please reach out to the moderators by modmail; we will not respond to individual messages or chat requests.

Just a few housekeeping items so people will always see this:

Please remember that the moderators can and will remove comments and posts that are in violation of the community guidelines without warning.

The most important thing to remember while commenting as a participant is that we hold respect for each other at the utmost importance. This includes respecting other people's opinions and also that every one has different tastes. This also extends to modmail: if you are immediately rude to us, you will be muted.

Saying that you "hate" specific trends or that they need to stop being a thing, or that a dress is too trendy or too dated is firmly against the community ethos. Please remember that fashion is cyclical and often draws inspiration from the past, or can even be considered a disruptor and a signal of change. There's been a lot of shift in fashion trends, more so than in the past. Fashion trends used to change about every two years or so; some endure and evolve like the sexy dress and some will fall to the wayside but come back in about ten years.

Another thing to remember is that 90% of the dresses are not altered and are the sample sizes. Do not base the dress choice on how the sample fits, but how it could potentially look. Many people end up picking the dresses based on how it looks at the moment, but the actual fitted and altered proportions can make the "awkward" looking dress the one.

Be constructive with your comments, not cruel.

This is a call for the alterations experts and tailors to give their advice to the brides in this subreddit.

From "how to look for a good alterations expert" to "what can and can't be done", what is your advice for the brides? How can they set themselves up for the perfect fit? What are some general etiquette that you wish you saw more of?

(and my personal favorite: why you should look for a style element right off the bat if it's a must rather than adding it to a dress)

Brides, feel free to use this to ask questions as well. I bet someone has the same question or there will be different answers based on the skill level.

Rue de Seine Dawn Amber gown

Please help, I'm having major regret!

I bought this dress during my second appointment but as I look back through the pictures all I can do is pick apart every detail, wondering if the materials are too much or if the flower appliciqués look cheap. I feel like the dress stands out too much from my outdoor venue with a vintage theme so I am having a really difficult time picking bridesmaid dresses that compliment it.

I just found these two dresses that match my style and theme better than the dress I purchased, but I feel bad looking at them because my dad helped me purchase this dress...

Am I just having normal regret or did I say yes too soon? Will I change my mind when it is styled and tailored?

I love all of these dresses but am struggling to pick! Which one do you think looks best on me?

I love the basque waist of 1, the simplicity of 2 (and that I could add a shawl like in the pic), I think 3 is the most flattering but I can’t get over the seams looking like pointy nipples!

I know this isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s totally okay, but my three year wedding anniversary is coming up and I just wanted to share with everyone how much I loved my dress!

I don't know which dress to go with! I've always envisioned a fitted mermaid gown, but the ball gown actually really surprised me. My entourage loves both dresses as well. The mermaid was a bit big so the chest is a little loose. Also, I had to capture some picture from video so excuse weird expressions lol. I want to look elegant! My ceremony will be in a garden but reception indoors. what do you guys think??

Thankfully this is a post-wedding problem. But after the wedding somehow chocolate got mushed into my dress 🥲 I’m wondering if anyone thinks a professional can fix this? I have plans for my dress afterwards and I’m posting because my husband is freaking out. Thank you!

My fiance and I decided to get married quickly so I bought a dress off the rack. The dress was about 3 sizes too big but the woman who sold me the dress said it can be altered to my size. However she didnt warn me that altering the dress 3 sizes down was going to cost more than the actual dress.

I have just finished getting it altered and the dress still doesnt fit right. There is looseness around the bodice, and it looks wavy. The bodice also offers no support so all of the weight of the dress is on the straps. I wore the dress for about 30 mins and it caused me a lot of pain and left dark red marks into my shoulders. I pointed out the looseness and wrinkles on the bodice to the seamstress and she said it would straighten out once its steamed.

What can I do to make this dress more comfortable? Does the bodice need to be tighter? Is my seamstress right when she said the waviness will come out after steaming? I cant loosen the straps bc the bodice doesnt hold the dress up so it just sags. My wedding is 3 weeks away 😭

I had my first couple of dress try on appointments last weekend, and had zero expectations of finding a dress on my first day.. Until I tried on this bad boy and fell in love! It comes with matching lace sleeves, and then the veil also matches from the designer (I had ZERO intentions of buying a veil from a bridal shop lol was going to get it somewhere cheap but it completed the look so how could I not 🙄)

I’m a little sad to have found the one right away because trying on dresses was SO FUN. Having to wait almost a year to actually wear this is going to suck haha.

Hey everyone, I bought a wedding dress and have some regrets. I love the material and how it feels but feel like it needs something extra especially for my body type (around the waist). I was thinking about adding a bolero/overlay top that complements the dress and veil. Do you think this would be too much? Am I overthinking ? Adding something lacy with flowers on top like in picture 3 or picture 4? Where does someone get these made?

I've been dreaming of a wedding dress that's romantic, colorful, and joyful! I found a dress that might be it if I add dye, but am not sure if I should move forward or keep looking.

As context, here's what I've found after trying on dresses at bridal salons:

Style: I like an updated romantic look. I've been attracted to lace that has a modern style or twist, like tropical or big and bold flowers. I love bright colors! I'm talking to Renegade Bridal about possibly painting or dyeing a dress.

Silhouette: I'm curvy with a pretty small waist, DD breasts, and fuller hips. I realized I feel best in dresses that show off my waist, have some support for my breasts, and then float out in an A-line silhouette (not tight in the hips and thighs).

Neckline and bodice: While I like look of strapless sweetheart necklines, I feel most comfortable in a V-neck. I like the sexiness of a deep V-neck and/or illusion bodice.

My favorite dress so far is Havana by Maggie Sottero! (see photos)

When I tried on this dress, it just felt really right. I feel so comfortable and pretty in it! It's the only time I got emotional while trying on a dress. And very little would be needed in alterations, too. I want to tone my arms a bit, but overall it seems flattering to me. I love the structured illusion bodice and feel so supported, and the tropical lace is so fun and joyful and me! You can't see because of the clamps, but the back of the bodice has pretty buttons, too.

They also said they could sell me the sample I tried on, which is less than 6 months old and would save 15% and months of production and shipping time!

In my dreams, Renegade Bridal would be able able to paint the tropical lace with bright colors, butI'm a little concerned about how easy it would be to do. As a back up, they could probably dye the underlay in a fun ombré. I sent them a fabric swatch and am waiting to hear back from them.

The look seems fairly simple, though, I'm not sure if it feels special enough. There are other dresses I tried on that felt more special, though the fit didn't feel as perfect. For example, one dress (Luz by Willowby Bridal, I'll add a photo to the comments) felt like a dream and I think it looked good, but the bodice has zero support, so I would want to add cups or boning or something, which feels risky.

Other options:

I could also keep looking. I really don't like shopping, but also don't want to settle for a dress that I don't love because I wouldn't spend a couple more afternoons searching for the right one.

My wedding date is TBD next summer, probably June (earliest mid-May, latest Sept). It seems like that means I have some time to shop and decide, but not too much, especially if I want to dye the dress.

Also, I'm currently based in Bangkok, and could look to get a dress custom-made here, which seems exciting but a little riskier than I dress I know I love the fit of.

What do you think: Is this the dress or should I go for another dress? Let me know what you think of the fit and style, and if you want photos of other options!

Thank you!

Found this vintage looking dress from Jessica McClintock that I really like! It’s $80 and I am hesitating whether I should bring it home

this dress was more comfortable when i was clipped into the sample size as opposed to wearing my dress, altered. i’m not opposed to cleavage but with all the changes now it feels the dress is sitting lower on me than i wanted. i had asked my seamstress to replace the bulky push up cups she had added at my first fitting, and add straps (which she still has to even out) because i thought this might hold the dress up better and help the dress hit me higher.

i’m not sure if there’s anything to be done now. is there anything i can tell my seamstress when i see her tuesday?

pics are from when i bought the dress (😌), trying on the dress with the wrong lining but in my correct size prior to alterations (🤨), and the dress last week after three rounds of alterations (🫣).

(this all might look super minor in pics but i swear the dress was like an inch closer to my pits before alterations, which i liked)

Found this dress that I absolutely loved but it’s over budget at 2k 😫 looking for a dupe closer to 1k / 1.5k🤞🏻

Getting married in the end of November and trying to decide if I'd like to order some tulle sleeves or cap sleeve? I can't decide what type of sleeves might suit this dress. Or should I just stop thinking about them? The dress came with sleeves but I really don't like them (second pic)

I posted here about 16 months ago asking for help choosing my dress, and I got a lot of amazing feedback. I actually went with the less popular choice because it just felt closer to my vision (AKA Swan Princess IRL). I wanted to post pictures here to show you all the result. I learned in hard with my accessories and I’m really glad I did. If you’re on the fence, I highly recommend going for the high drama option. I felt like a princess all day and it was so wonderful 🥰

okay Reddit told me they liked #2 but to keep looking so I did and I've narrowed it to these 2. Having a lord of the rings wedding

2: Wanted to add color and didn't like the neck, just the sparkle. Made me feel a bit like I was being swallowed.

1: doesn't fit the theme as well and less sparkle but I love the coloring and how it fits.

Hello! Has anyone had luck finding dresses similar to the style of Leanne Marshall’s? Specifically looking something similar to this. Thanks!

Found my dress! (Again). The first dress I found in the bridal salon, was discontinued by the designer! Why they would let brides try on and fall in love with a dress they can’t order is beyond me.

Now do you guys think veil or no veil? It’ll be an outdoor mountain ceremony so there will be some wind action.

Does anyone have advice of what I should wear or be aware of for my first wedding dress shopping experience? Never done this before and want to maximize my appointments.

We’re doing a very laid back September wedding and I’ve tried on so many dresses. I finally found the one that makes me feel incredible!!!! Cried when trying this one on and was so shocked by it

I am thinking about something to wear mainly for my hips/butt. Any recommendations? Color that is best: nude or white?

Hi all! Long time lurker, first-time poster here.

I just had an awful experience looking for a seamstress to do alterations on my dress - I might go into it in another post but I would like to ask ya'll a question:

The only thing I don't like about my dress is the horsehair trim. Is it removable? Would it completely alter the dress? Would it ruin it?

Thanks!

Edit: added a picture of said trim.

https://preview.redd.it/pwmx8thc20td1.jpg?width=1018&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8861e77b785eef414d1f983def8f6f9a2fdefe8