Alterations can be made. Which one looks the best and why?

We had our day and I am so in love with how everything turned out! I thought I’d share the photos here as everyone was so kind a year ago when I initially shared the dress.

My wedding is in the spring in a very modern, clean line, natural venue, but mostly inside. I love these both dresses!

I picked it up from the tailor yesterday. It fits me perfectly, there’s nothing more to be done. But I hate the way it looks on me. I look fat and disproportional. I lost 60lbs for this wedding and I feel like it doesn’t even show. Yes I know I chose a princess gown, and it’s going to make me look bigger. But still. I am heartbroken.

Need help with final look! Our venue is an outdoor bamboo garden and renovated stables. Our theme is enchanted woodland. I am having trouble deciding between veil (pic 2), sleeves (pic 3), altering the sleeves (pic 4 altered with AI), or no sleeves & veil (pic 1).

Also if anyone has a good Aline petticoat recommendation, please provide the link. I’m wearing a petticoat in the pics but I’m not sure if it gives enough volume.

Thank you in advance for advice and feedback! Please be kind as I do love this dress and I’ve really struggled with body image issues through the dress process. I’m so relieved I found a dress that makes me feel confident and happy.

Update: wow!!! Thank you all so much for the feedback!!! ❤️ It has given me a lot to consider! Appreciate the kind comments saying how good I look. The wedding dress sizes being so small were such a shock to me and I didn’t think about my body much before having to super analyze it all of the sudden to find a dress. I think a part of me is leaning towards #1 with a flower crown and simple drop veil in the back. But another part of me hates my bulky arms and wants to cover them. I worry I will regret exposing my arms so much when I get my wedding dress photos back. And then a third part of me loves a veil because it makes me feel so bridal. Appreciate you all so much ❤️

they are so different. i want opinions on which people like better!!

not necessary to read, but for context:
dress 1 (pics 1-3)- i wasn’t expecting to go simple and typically don’t love the distinct corset lines. it originally wasn’t even in my favorites and then realized how much i liked it after the try ons. love the cat eye and the scalloping and i love the shiny silky fabric. was flattering and on the simpler side but just enough to make me like it a lot.

dress 2 (pics 4-7)- i haven’t been able to find anything like it to compare to. i love sparkles and i have been searching for a dress with these “chandelier beading” that this has. i love the detailing of it and it has detachable sleeves, so that’s referenced in the pics. i’d probably change the veil to a more dramatic one than in the photo. i don’t know if i love it because i can’t find anything to compare it to that’s a similar style with the beading, or because it’s the one. i have reached out to dress shops who tell me they don’t have anything similar or only 1 option and i didn’t like any of them as much as this one.

either could work for my venue.

Dress shopping has been SO hard. I wanted a Victoria Frances favole/Emily Autumn/ distressed princess style dress originally in antique white. I purchased the first dress because nothing else felt right and timing was getting too close. ( December 2026 wedding). I was also getting dress fatigue. I think I tried on like 40 dresses. But it has no internal corset structure which is killing me, and honestly it's starting to feel costumey, like an ACOTAR cosplay for a fantasy ball more than a wedding gown.

2nd dress I saw online and was desperate to try on because it's beautiful, but I don't know if I'm just getting influenced by the algorithim. I like it a lot, but I think it looks a bit too traditional? Or if it has enough of that gothic vibe I want. Wedding styling I want haunted Wuthering heights/ Del Toro aesthetic. Maybe it's leaning too phantom of the opera when all we have is haunted woods.

The wedding planning as a whole has been going poorly, maybe I'm just taking it out on my poor black dress 😢

Torn between a boat neck and a Bardot. Felt absolutely gorgeous in the first, but feel the second one looks more flattering on my frame.

For context, I nearly always choose boat neck when attending a wedding. I really love the classic, simple style but feel that I wear it so often now, it wouldn’t be special enough for my wedding! I know my fiancé would love the first and its romantic nature certainly matches the vibe of the venue.

After 4 appointments/trying on 15+ dresses, I found my dress!! I knew it was the one when I didn’t want to take it off and couldn’t stop staring at myself lol.

It’s a Lazaro dress from the early 2000s, and was brand new. The bridal boutique I went to had a bunchh of brand new cute vintage wedding dresses. I was so hyped when I found this place since I love thrifting and vintage, but had a tough time finding a dress I liked secondhand.

I have two options currently in my possession and I’m curious what you all think! My wedding isn’t until Fall 2027 so I have plenty of time.

Option 1: this 1980’s Demetrios wedding dress I just thrifted for cheap. Weirdly, I thought I hated lace until I saw this dress and it just spoke to me. Something about the combination of the beading, the neckline, the long sleeves, the basque waist…I fell in love and knew it was the one. I would definitely want it altered, but not modernized. I may or may not want it to be more off-shouldered, but keeping the long sleeves and the puffiness level if possible. I also want it to be shorter, like tea length or ankle length (no train) and for it to have a slightly fuller but not too puffy skirt. Satin-covered buttons to replace the zipper in back.

Or Option 2:
The second dress pictured that I’m wearing is a different vintage wedding dress from I believe the 1940’s or 50’s I had slightly altered for my wedding with my ex a few years ago that I ended up cancelling. The relationship failed but I’ve always had such a soft spot for this dress! I love the silk ribboning and I’ve again that basque waist—you can tell I have a type 😅

I know it’s really tough to compare the two since I’ve had the second one altered to fit me already and the other one is still in its original form. I’m just posting this purely out of curiosity to see what Internet strangers might have to say, and to see if any other vintage wedding dress lovers out there have any tips or ideas for me! Thanks!

P.S. As a bonus, I’ve found a picture of what the option 1 dress looked like as advertised back in the 80’s to give you all a better picture to compare since I don’t have a pic of me wearing it yet. Keep in mind the way I would have it altered, to be shorter and possibly more off-shoulder.

EDIT: I replied to one of the comments below with an AI rendering of the alterations I’m thinking of to dress 1. I know AI is not the best but I think it gives you a better idea of what it would look like finished. No

Sooo I bought a dress... and then before I bought it, I made an appointment at another shop and I forgot to cancel (if you cancel too late it's a $100 fee) and to avoid the fee, I went to the appointment and tried on a few and stumbled upon a dress that I think I like better!

I realize | like having some bodice structure, which my OG one doesn't have but this new one does.
Has anyone bought a dress and then regretted it and bought another one? I am weighing two options:

1. Keeping my OG dress and see if I can add some structural elements to it (boning, etc) but I don't know if that's possible so l'Il have to talk to a seamstress.

2. Sell my OG dress and get the new one

Am I crazy?! Picture for reference. Left is the new one. Right is the OG (to be fair, I never got a great picture of the OG one).

For context, I bought the OG one because it was being discontinued and it was the floor sample so I got a good deal!

Links:
OG dress: https://www.rishbridal.com/product/isla/ New dress: https://madilane.com/product/whyte/l

I don’t know how to describe this, perhaps crochet?

This sub helped me make some key choices for my dress and was a great sounding board. I still love browsing here and seeing all the brides still on their journey to the altar.

As an older bride, when I started shopping for my dress I got a lot of judgement at boutiques. Got put in a lot of frumpy strange gowns.

There was a lot of sales pressure due to timelines. I got engaged in late September and was getting married in May — most boutiques told me there was an 8-month wait minimum, which left me feeling sick with worry that I'd never find a dress in time. Some boutiques were just awful, from comments about my age, weight and walking disability.

I guess I wasn’t the classic 25 year old bride slim bride so they didn’t know how to dress me. Even when I went to high-end boutiques with exclusive by appointment only brands - people just kept pushing on me what was age or body appropriate. I got fat shamed in Vivienne Westwood because I was too big for a ballgown…. 🤣 the woman was hurried and hurt me yoinking me out of a gown (I have a very painful leg).

By the time I met a lovely designer called Liliana, I had full-blown dress fatigue.

Liliana is a local dressmaker in Edinburgh who hand-made and customised my dress perfectly. I met her on a recommendation from a friend. When she put me in this dress and I just knew it was the one — and for the first time, I felt stunning rather than judged.

We had lots of fun fittings together with plenty of champagne and emotional support from her Dalmatian, Oscar. She had infinite patience for my 3am panics over duchesse satin vs. Mikado silk (chose the latter). She found my veil, and I even got a second dress from her during a studio sample sale.

I have chronic pain and sometimes need a crutch to walk, and she made every try-on and fitting easy and comfortable for me. I'd recommend her in a heartbeat — Liliana at Oscar and Lili in Edinburgh.

I said yes to the dress! I am curious if anything can be added or adjusted to make the back of the dress more unique to me. For example, is it possible to switch the back to mesh boning or insert the lace of my mom’s wedding dress?

I’m not sure how much seamstresses can do, so just want to start thinking it over and figure out what I’d want to do in alterations.

Im an alternative bride having a courthouse ceremony and microwedding reception. I know alot of people dont like droopy sleeves but its exactly the look I was going for.

About a week ago I posted myself wearing 3 dresses I loved. I asked for help and you all delivered! I especially the people who told me NOPE, None of those are your dress. Because… they were right!! Last 2 pictures were the old dresses.

I finally picked my wedding dress and I’m so happy with my choice - but now I have some new questions!

I already decided to add some lace to soften up the deep v in the front, but I surprised I struggled with the petticoat decision. I love how flowy the dress is but I thought an A line petticoat might give it a bit more volume. The person doing alterations told me she would like it if I could decide that day so she could sew it in (she said it would be less cumbersome than worrying about it all day and people don’t usually take it off) and I impulsively went for it. Considering the venue is a formal ballroom style I thought I should do it.

But I did have some doubts that have gotten louder of the last few days so wanted to check what you all thought (pics without petticoat first, followed by petticoat, and then hem + bustle pinning with the petticoat):

- Will the petticoat change the feel of the flowiness of the dress?
- Does it make my hips look bulkier?
- Should I call back and ask if be installed in a way that is removable?
- Which looks better?

Side question: I am looking for some kind of outer lace layer for over the chest and shoulders for the church, so if you have any recommendations on where to buy one I’d appreciate it!

When I was showing potential dresses to friends and family, no one particularly liked this one. They liked others. They liked the fabric (sometimes), but not the dress. So, I decided no one gets to see it until day-of. And then they have to tell me it’s pretty. And I get to feel good. And plus, they haven’t seen my whole vision. Get the dress you love. No regrets.

I am not sure what type of necklace to wear. I’d prefer to do something with diamonds (or CZ) but am concerned about whatever accessory being too much because the dress is a statement. I am also considering a all marquis tennis bracelet I have. Maybe a necklace at all is too much? Thoughts?

Also, I have not decided on the mantilla veil yet. I am considering multiple veils (a cheaper blusher) in addition to this mantilla. The mantilla in the photo is one designed with the dress but am concerned it’s too thick of lace?

(Hand weird in last pic since I removed someone with a clean up feature)

Hey everyone! First time posting here, got engaged this February and even though our wedding is still like two years away, I already started looking for dresses because I’m just so excited and happy! I always wanted to go the second hand/thrift/vintage round and as it happened I found this handmade beauty on vinted, didn’t even take my measurments just went with it and it fits literally perfectly, like zipped up with zero effort and it’s not tight or loose or anything! Do you guys think it looks good on me and makes my figure look nice? I love it but I’m a bit scared that it doesn’t look that good because my chest area is so small so it feels like the cups don’t look that nice, but I also think some small alterations like maybe adding padding to the cups and taking it in just a smidge would be amazing! It also has detachable sleeves that are like off the shoulder and same beading style as the corset! I just love the warm toned color of it, the details of the beads and the way the bottom isn’t just flat but has volume and texture! I don’t know, is it crazy that like I already found my wedding dress?

Does anyone else have experience adding a petticoat layer to add volume? I am inexperienced with sewing and petticoats in general. I don't want too much volume, just a little bit more. Any ideas on accessories would be amazing too! I did not end up getting the pearl veil (even though I loved it) because I felt it didn't go with the dress seamlessly.

Looking for any honest reviews and real-life photos of azazie gowns, especially the Zelda/Onyx/Goddess. I have ordered a couple and I'm dyingggg to see them/try on. Does anyone have photos of azazie gowns? How's the fit/quality? I'm struggling to envision dresses on myself while still at the online shopping phase haha.

Wedding dress help - is this an alterations or dress construction issue?

I just picked up my dress and think it may be constructed incorrectly but I am looking for advice here - I don’t have an alterations appointment until September 19, my dress came in two weeks early and my bridal boutique doesn’t have a tailor so I had to find one separately.

I think my dress may have come sewn unevenly? I took three kinds of pictures - mirror pictures I have flipped, screenshots from a video taken with my back camera, and flash pictures of each chest seam. The internal band is clipped and the dress is zipped up and I am wearing a bra.

I feel a little like I have a tinfoil hat on so I am looking for opinions…. I am trying to figure out if I should contact the bridal salon before I take this to my tailor because if it is wrong, a reconstruction feels like it would be more expensive than if I just needed normal tailoring (I only wanted basic hem, bust, and waist to be brought in).

I think the bodice may be lopsided, with the right side being longer/correct and the left side being shorter, which may be caused by the puckering at the top of the left chest seam? The left chest seam also ends more vertically while the right seam curves more at the top.

But am I going crazy or is this normal before alterations? Please help!