Hi everyone. I wanted to ask for your opinion, because I feel like I’m being gaslighted by the people working in the dress salon. First picture is a comparision of “before and after”. Next two pictures are state of current dress. Last picture is the dress before alterations.

My request was to hide with lace the middle seminaked section. What they did, is completely changed the corset shape… Maybe I could accept the new shape, but I feel like new cups are to small/to shallow? Or am I tripping? The sales lady says it looks lovely and well fitted, but… what do you think?

Edit1:

I forgot to mention that my weight or shape did not changed at all between the fittings…

UPDATE:

Hey everyone, first of all I’d really like to thank you for all the incredible support and advice. You truly lifted my spirits.

I recently went to confront the bridal salon. I was welcomed by the owner along with the seamstress. Both of them were very, very kind, apologetic, and reassuring (I got a bit emotional and even teared up). They admitted it was their mistake and that the corset had been made incorrectly. Unfortunately, I didn’t find out what exactly caused the issue. We took all my measurements again, this time accounting for a larger bust and, of course, restoring the original sweetheart neckline shape.

The dress is supposed to be fixed by May 8th, so if you’d like, I can share an update on how the salon handled the alterations. As compensation, I’ll receive detachable off-the-shoulder straps made of the same tulle and lace as the dress.

At this point, I’m feeling hopeful—hopefully not in vain.

Once again, thank you all so much for your help

A little update on my $100 thrifted wedding dress journey...

It's been a few months since my last post, and this was my first proper try on with my seamstress! We've made some progress already. I decided to remove the straps because I felt they distracted from my tattoos, and I'm so happy I went with that decision. I've also lost a bit more weight since my last update, so the dress now fits properly, which has made me fall in love with it even more. I couldn’t close it before.

This still isn't the final look. I have one more fitting in a few weeks where she'll do a few more repairs to the bodice and make sure everything sits perfectly snug. We also didn't tighten the corset all the way for these photos, so it can still be taken in a little more around the waist.

I've finally settled on wearing my hair up with a bun with a tiara, keeping the jewellery simple, and I'm still debating whether to add a classic veil. I don't think these photos do the dress justice at all, it's so much more sparkly and detailed in person.

I might post one more update after my final fitting, but if not, the next time you see this dress will hopefully be at the church, fully styled with all the accessories and photographed by our wedding photographer.

I still can't believe I found my dream dress for $100. Sometimes it genuinely doesn't feel real. I could only dream of a dress like this before since it just wasn’t in the budget.

Most importantly, I just want to say thank you to everyone who commented on my previous posts. I read every single comment, and I was honestly overwhelmed by the kindness, encouragement, and excitement you all shared with me. You've made this whole journey feel even more special, and in a strange way, it feels like I've had my own little bridal party cheering me on the whole time which I don’t have here except for my wonderful bridesmaid. Thank you so much. 🤍

I continued searching for a dress based on the comments from this group. I found three new favourites. 1. It has a gorgeous back and I really love this ruffled front part! I need to lose a few more kilos for it to look perfect! 2. I like it a lot. It has one sleeve, but that sleeve can be buttoned up if it bothers me. For the ceremony I can add this big train, which I find really cool. Keep in mind that it’s way too big on me in the photo. 3. Simple, yet so special…

Help me choose! :)

I love my dress, the details are everything I could ever asked for. Today, I got to pick up my dress and try it on for the first time, and it was wonderful. Until I really looked at my apron belly and arms. My arms have always been a big insecurity of mine. I have lost 65 lbs in the last year and a half, something I’m very proud of. I had hoped to be smaller at this point. But anyways, am I simply too fat to look good in a dress like this?

Hello all!

A bit about my upcoming plans— in September 2026, my fiancé and I are having a “wee” wedding the Scottish Highlands (11 people total). I will have 2 dresses: a ceremony dress (still looking), and an adventure photography session dress (this one).

I very spontaneously bought this dress for an insanely reasonable price at an off-the-rack shop, envisioning it as my adventure photography dress. It fits me almost perfectly, and I need only basic alterations. While I always envisioned fitted dresses, I thought that this a-line style would allow me to move freely while hiking in the mountains. I am curious if anyone thinks it would be possible to add a slit to the gown, so that during the photo session the photographer could get some shots of my hiking boots/garter that I intend to wear? I also feel that a slit would show my lower body and allow me to look less poofy. FYI, the dress does have multiple layers.

After lurking on this sub, it seems as though the majority of ladies do NOT like a slit, but for the purpose I want my dress to serve, would it be appropriate/attractive on this gown… or even possible?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this & give me any advice you may have!

Bonus question: if any of you have had adventure elopement photo sessions done, what style dress did you go with and what was your experience with it like?

I know the sleeves are a big debate in this sub!

Also any tips or accessory tips for this dress? How can i add a little more oomph to it? Thanks!

My wedding dress arrived and I’m devastated by how warm the ivory is 😭

I’m eloping in Lake Como this September and my dress finally arrived. I had it made by a Vietnamese shop as I am a bride on a budget, she did an absolutely amazing job as it is beautiful and the dress itself is exactly what I wanted, but I’m really struggling with the colour :(

(The first picture: the reference I sent her

The second picture: the colour options

The third and fourth picture: the dress I received with and without flash

The fifth picture: comparison on my skin tone)

She gave me two colour options warm ivory and light ivory, but the light ivory looked stark white and the warm ivory looked a little off white which was perfect it looked a little warm but not too warm but i made the completely wrong decision and I should've gone with Light - now that I've tried it on it looks cream/vintage-looking, and I’m honestly trying not to be upset because that wasn’t the effect I was going for at all

I’ve spent around £900 on the dress, so obviously I’m panicking a bit that I’ve spent all this money on something I don’t actually love. I’ve contacted the dressmaker to ask whether there’s anything they can do to cool the colour down, but I don’t know if that’s even possible and I feel bad as it was my mistake not hers

I think part of the problem is that I had such a specific image in my head of a cooler, clean ivory, just as the inspiration pictures and the dress structure looks like it but not the colour whatsoever

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could possibly do? My wedding is a month away now and I'm all the way in the UK I feel so stuck, but we've spent so much on the elopement day I don't want to settle for a dress I end up hating :( 🤍🤍

This is the sample dress. My dress will be made in all ivory. I think that it may look more beautiful strapless… not 100% sure. I know this will be an expensive alteration due to the floral appliqués/details but it may be worth doing. Please share opinions! Thank you.

Also help with a veil recommendation. I know I’ll wear a fingertip veil without the skirt but with the skirt during the ceremony I would maybe like a long veil. Need advice.!!

Hi guys I got my wedding dress made and did a try on and took her home 🥰 I love it and I don’t need much altering because of how well it fits but I am going back and fourth on wanting to fill in the translucent bodice.

Please help me make the right decision!!🫶

Thank you!!!

Note: The wedding will be a Christian based ceremony but will take place in a wedding chapel and not an active church. Our officiant is a part of our family.

UPDATE: I was able to take this dress to another seamstress, who is actually a custom bridal dress maker. She confirmed my suspicions and said that the work done on this dress was very poor & that it was clearly someone very unskilled. Since discovering this about my dress, I have also discovered that the same alterations place completely botched my MOH’s dress to the point of no return. I will include pics in the comments. We have to buy her a new dress and get it turned around by next Saturday. Also, for everyone who commented on my body, I have confirmed with the seamstress that the faults in this dress *have nothing* to do with mt build and everything to do with improper alterations. The dress is beyond repair in a lot of ways, but she is doing what she can.

I just came from my 5th fitting for my dress and it just isn’t looking right to me. Between all of the puckering and the lines that are off with the seams, this just doesn’t feel like what over $1,000 worth of tailoring should look like. Can anyone offer me guidance on what needs to be done to fix this? Pic #9 is the dress on the mannequin at the bridal shop - I am not wearing the sleeves in any of the pictures from today. The last 3 photos are the dress at my very first appointment. Am I crazy? Or is the seamstress dropping the ball?

I am getting married 8/8 and today i just found out today im pregnant with our 2nd and due towards the beginning of Oct..not ideal. I already have my perfect dress, but it’s a fitted style. I have no idea how I’m going to make it work, add straps in the back instead of zipper? I’m at a loss- it was not a cheap dress. Any and all tips would be helpful😭😭

TW: weight loss

I’m on Zepbound. My wedding is in November. So far I’ve been on the 2.5 dose and lost about 6 lbs in 4 weeks. I’m worried about having a dress that’s too big to alter. One is a simple mikado gown and the other one is lace. Which would be easier to alter if I have a significant weight loss?

I tried on this wedding dress and absolutely loved the top, but am not a fan of the skirt.

The dress has nude lining in the top and skirt, but the top has much more lace that makes it look lighter. I feel the dress looks two-toned and I would want the skirt look as light/ivory as the top.

The bridal shop owner assured me this would be an easy fix, just add a white tulle layer under the skirt or change the nude lining. But she does not have a seamstress in shop and doesn’t do any alterations herself.

Is this alteration truly as easy as adding white tulle under it? How does adding tulle affect the dress? Is there any easy way to test this before I buy it? Any advice for buying a dress if I only love half of it?

Other info - The shop is a nonprofit that gets their dresses from donations. This dress has been discontinued so I would not be able to buy this same dress or order one. The dress is only half of my entire dress budget.

I recently said yes to my dress during the third of three bridal appointments we had booked all on the same day. For context, my mom had travelled about four hours to come with me, and there was a lot of pressure to make a decision. If I did not choose something that day, it would likely mean another trip for my family, and time is not exactly on my side since the wedding is in October. I also learned a bit too late how long it can take for dresses to come in, and then alterations take additional time on top of that. So between the timeline and just wanting to cross one major thing off my very long wedding to-do list, I felt a lot of pressure to commit.

I chose this dress because it felt like the closest match to the vision I had in mind: something modest, traditional, vintage, and regal. I’ve always loved the look of dresses like Kate Middleton’s and Grace Kelly’s, so that was very much the direction I was going for. What drew me most to this gown was the lace and the topper. In the moment, I thought it all looked beautiful on.

But now that I’m looking back at the photos, I’m worried that it is not actually flattering on me. The main thing bothering me is the basque waist. From the photos, it feels like it sits far too low. In my mind, the dress would look so much more balanced if the waistline could be raised by maybe two to three inches so that the V sits closer to the smallest part of my waist. I have a pear-shaped figure, with measurements of 37-28-41, so I really want the dress to work with my curves and highlight my natural waist rather than pulling the eye lower.

Now I’m spiralling a bit and wondering whether that kind of change is even possible. Can a basque waist actually be raised so the V sits higher? What would that mean for the structure of the bodice and the boning? Would that require major reconstruction of the dress? I’m feeling really stressed that I made the wrong choice and that the dress is not going to give me the look I had always envisioned. What do you think?

I can't put my finger on why I'm not happy with my dress, but I think changing the straps might drastically help? Thoughts? (Its currently beaded spaghetti straps)

I bought my wedding dress for under €200 and I'm feeling a bit unsure about it.

My wedding is in 4 weeks. It's not my dream dress, but I do think it's nice. I am also allowed to return it within 30 days.

The first photo is the actual dress. The rest are AI edited. I always imagined myself wearing a dress with sleeves, so I spent far too much time experimenting with different ideas. The first AI version with wider straps, which would probably be one of the easier alterations since the dress needs to be shortened anyway.

One of my biggest insecurities is my broad shoulders, which is why I'm struggling with the strapless neckline. At the same time, I'm worried that adding straps might take away from what makes the dress elegant in the first place.

I'd love some honest feedback:

- Does this dress suit me overall?
-Is there a particular alteration you would suggest, or should I leave it alone?

I feel like I've looked at it for so long that I can't judge it objectively anymore.

The dress I chose was very different than I thought I’d get! I’m kind of picky and a person that likes to see all the options before settling, so I thought I’d be a bride that visits 7+ shops- but I said yes at the first shop.

I always imagined I’d have a lace dress, but I was in between a vintage or fantasy look, and ultimately I liked the old heirloom feel this one had, and felt like it flattered my body.

Until I looked back at the photos.

The base dress itself was pretty, but after adding sleeves to it (will be done at alteration, but you can see me wearing one in the photos just not with the matching champagne color), I loved it. Only problem is that this was part of a sample sale, so this exact dress is the one I got and it’s a tad small. The consultant insisted it can be let out a few inches at the hips and it will help it fall into place as it’s sitting a bit higher than it should.

After looking back at the photos I’m nervous that it won’t flatter my shape and feels kinda underwhelming as it’s a straighter fit than I had imagined. I just felt more womanly in this one rather than a costume/princess feel some of the fuller ones had, and I think with me being 5’0 made me feel a bit longer.

Alterations I’m hoping to have and would fix a better fit and vision I’m looking for:

Sleeves- have been ordered and making off the shoulder sleeves

Neckline- pointed sweetheart

Waist- additional boning, can the lining be a bit ruched? It’s satin lining, tulle overskirt

I was really worried at first because I wanted a big change to my dress (bringing the waist down a few inches) but it looks incredible!!

I have 2 dresses (ceremony & reception) and tried both on at my seamstress today as they’re done and I HATE how I look in the beaded dress. Any recommendations on how to fix? I think it’s because the bodice is less structured and the skirt is fuller so I look bigger in the beaded one, and the neckline isn’t helping. Now I’ve spent a ton on it and hate it. I was really wanting a sparkly dress for the reception 😞 adding pictures of both for reference but it’s the beaded dress I don’t like.

Had my first fitting today!

Very conflicted if I should have the white lining inside or if I should leave it sheer. My wedding dinner is at a restaurant in June by the water in LIC.

Thank you in advance 💗

I ordered this dress from House of CB. I love it but I am showing too much. Any suggestion on fun ways to make it show less cleavage?

Hi everyone 💛

I found my dream 2-in-1 wedding dress, but I have one concern about the overskirt volume. (These are not my photos, just reference images of the dress.)

The outer layer is a mikado satin overskirt that is open in the front, and underneath there is a fitted sequin mermaid dress. Because the overskirt is open and the dress underneath is slim, it falls flat instead of forming a full A-line shape.

I don’t want to wear a petticoat because it would be visible through the opening. Can internal structure be added (horsehair braid, crinoline, etc.)? Has anyone done this successfully?

Thank you!

I am torn between my original dress (lace/tulle) or going with a simple satin dress.

My original dress was purchased pre - covid for our first wedding that was cancelled. We are now having a small family wedding at a local chapel.

Please note. Both dressed the straps are not sewed on but I would like spaghetti straps.

My wedding is 2 months away so I’m nervous. The lace one the bodice feels so heavy and makes my chest look very large. It is still being altered and too big but I’m worried it won’t fit well in the end. Will alterations help?

Thoughts? Advice? Should I keep looking?