New VERY petite bride to be looking for dress advice

Hello Welcome xxx

cant help you on the dress im afraid though x

If they manage to get dress for the really really fat brides, I'm sure they will find something for you!

I'm pretty normal-sized (5'6" and a size 10) so can't really comment, but I'm sure that with the help of standing on the box (and they all have a box to stand on) and lots of clips at the back to make it snug, you'll get a good idea of what styles you like. Then when it comes to your dress, it will fit you perfectly and not swamp you one bit.

Hello
Thanks guys. I just find it so daunting!
We haven't set a day yet but we are looking at early to mid 2013 - when would you suggest starting the shopping?

Hello!

I'm the same height as you although i'm (unfortunately) quite chunky not slim and slender ☹️

One thing i would say about dresses is that sometimes you do have to try really hard to imagine what it will be like once it's altered - my dress absolutely swamps me in length at the moment so i think i look a bit silly in it but i know once i get about 3 foot hacked off the bottom it should be ok! The dresses in the shops will probably be far too big around for you as well as long so like Ducky said you'll need someone to clip it/ hold it tight for you so you can see what it will look like when it's properly fitted.

Another thing is listen to the shop women and what they suggest, from looking on here you'll see that a lot of people end up trying on dresses they think they'll hate because the sales women tell them to and it ends up being the dress they buy as they fall in love with it (my sister did this).

Good luck! ?

Whenever you want to really! Some people say not to start until 9-12 months before your day but that you should have it ordered by 6 months before.... i bought mine at the beginning of Feb this year and we're not getting married until either August or October next year (impulse buy of an ex-sample dress!)

There's nothing to say you can't go looking straight away just to get an idea of what you do and don't like!

? Hello

I'm small too, although not quite as small as you! Im not sure if all desingers offer a petite range but I ordered a Maggie Sottero dress and that came in a petite length. You'll be fine once its all altered to your shape anyways, its just hard to picture it when youre trying them on a good few sizes too big.

I have already ordered mine and my wedding isnt until July next year. Its early but if you find one you like then go for it.

Thank you!

I guess I just have to get out there and do it.
Do you know of any shops that cater especially for us smaller folk? or shops that even have a range of slightly smaller dresses?

I am pretty excited about going shopping but at the same time I'm so easily put off things and I'm worried that I'll see all the dresses swamping me and it'll ruin the experience. Need to find my open mind!

I'm 5ft 2 and a size 8 (so still bigger than you!). My dress was a maggie sottero and they ordered it in a petite size, it still needed the length altering which I found quite funny, but not too much. Try on all styles, go in with an open mind as dresses look very different on than in pictures and on the hanger. The shop ladies use lots of pins and even stick sponges down your back to make the samples try and fit. I stood on a box in some shops too! Just go try stuff on, it'll be fine honest!

I posted a post similar to your earlier today so at least we know others have the same concerns.

Good luck when you go dress shopping and feel free to share any advice you get while your there ?

Hi Shortand sweet.

Welcome to Hitched!

I'm even shorter than you- I'm 4ft9inc and very slim <size4.

Finding a wedding dress was very difficult so start early. I ended up having to have a dress made to measure as just getting the smallest size available and having the alterations done would have meant the dress wouldn't 'sit right' on me.

Try designers like Chanticler and Suzanne Neville. When trying them on you'll have to use some imagination and get the shop to pin you in. Lot of the dress ended up being around my feet- but the good shops did all they could to help me see what I could look like in the dress

If you're based in Hampshire let me know and I can suggest 2 dress shops which were incredibly helpful- got my dress from Winchester in the end.

Hang in there-if I can get a dress you certainly can?

Hi and welcome to Hitched!

I'm 5ft and about a size 6/8 up top and have recently been through the wedding dress experience. All dresses will be far too big on you but, as others have said, if you go to a good shop they will do their best to clip it in so you can see what you like. The only major problem I had with this were strapless dresses with a very stiff bodice as they couldn't really be clipped in, they stuck out so much at my chest I could have probably stuffed a jumper down them, I looked ridiculous! In general, dresses with no built in "scaffolding" were much more comfortable and easier to imagine how they will look in your size. Lace dresses are generally quite soft and easy to adjust in the shop and you can stand on a box to see how it sits when at the correct length.

I was worried that a dress with too much volume would "shorten" me but I actually found that the height of the waist made more of a different. Dresses with a dropped waist made me look very short whereas the higher waistlines gave a longer look.

Go into a reasonable sized shop with a good reputation for service and try on anything they suggest until you get an idea of what you like, I went for a dress completely different to what I had imagined so try to be adventurous in the early stages of looking. Go on a quiet day rather than a Saturday if possible as you'll have a lot more time and don't need to worry about other customers commenting on you (very annoying in my experience, one woman said I looked like a doll).

Thank you everyone for your advice!
It's nice in a way to know I'm not the only one with the difficulties!
I live in the Glasgow area. Does anyone know of any shops with a particularly good reputation? Gives me a good starting point

I live in Glasgow too! Eleganza Sposa on Bath St is great, the staff are really helpful and they find the dresses for you after having a chat with you so you don't have to look through loads of dresses yourself. Even if you don't find "the one" there it's a good starting point to decide on what style/shape you want. It was one of the first shops I went to then trawled round loads of other places before going back there to get my dress.

Sarah Louise bridal and Anne Priscilla have a big selection but they are really busy at the weekends so you need an appointment a few weeks in advance.

How about having a dress made?

I am googling like crazy to try and find dresses atm! But the ones mentioned are first on my list.
I think in the end I'll need to get one made but I just havent a clue which style would suit, especially with being so small up top. So hopefully the assistants will be able to pin me in like you guys have mentioned and I'll get a better idea that way.