When the maid of honor gets knocked up...

[granola]

Okay, it's been FOREVER since I've been here let alone posted anything, but I'm hoping some of you might give insight.

I'll be 13 1/2 weeks for my sister in law's wedding May 9. I'm maid of honor. We ordered the dress a few days before I found out (um, surprise.) This is my third baby. At that stage with my second I was already pretty round and showing.

They ordered an 18, and the waist on an 18 was apparently 34.5 inches, and my waist at the time we measured was 35. So, given the fact that the dress was already a half inch too small, how the hell am I going to fit into this thing? My SIL was going to try and see if they could reorder in a size up, but then it will have to be taken in up top. The bust was way too big on the 18 as it was, and with a third kid, and still nursing my second, I'm not thinking my boobs are going to be jugs in comparison or anything.

Is there any other advice here? The one good thing is that the dress is an empire waist and is a flowing style. The other option would be to just use a dress they have at the bridal shop, but then who knows what ungodly ugly style and color they will find.

Side note, SIL is not pissed off. Which is nice. :lol:
Thanks!

[~*Kate*~]

Is the length going to be altered? Or can you order a sash or something in matching material? That might give you enough matching fabric to allow them to let it out.

I had the same thing happen with Biz's wedding, but luckily the dress had only been available a size up, it was stretchy and I wasn't showing very much.

Congrats, btw! :)

[Winter_Bride]

Can you get the back changed to a corset style? That might give you more room to let out and cinch in as needed :shrug2:

(congratulations by the way!!)

[Mrs. Bebe]

Can you get the back changed to a corset style? That might give you more room to let out and cinch in as needed :shrug2:

(congratulations by the way!!)

We did this with my MOH- the dress was about 4 sizes too small after she had her baby (they ordered in the original size, ignoring the fact that she was pregnant. GAH!) We built the dress into a corset style. However, this only worked because it was a 2 piece dress. I am not sure how it would have worked otherwise. They changed the back and built in a super big modesty panel- but it looked fine.

[~Sherry~]

I would see if they put the order in yet and try to up the size. I always heard on "What Not To Wear" (:giggle: ) that you should fit the biggest part of you and get the rest altered, which shouldn't be a problem if you have a good alterations person.

If it's already ordered then it shouldn't be hard to get more material or a sash like Kate is talking about and have them add it into the empire waist to give you the length back from your baby belly :shrug2: Even if the sash can be put in and it's another coordinating color I think it'd look fine since you are the MOH anyway.

Good luck!

And congrats!!!

[jillian]

I, too, would see if you could get a bigger size. I would also talk to whomever is going to be altering it. She'll probably have a good idea on the best way to alter it.

Congrats1qa1

[granola]

Okay, this is the dress:
http://www.brides.com/fashion/dresses/gallery/bridesmaid_dresses/vendor/designer/b2/detail/182662?offset=38

I called SIL as soon as I found out I was pregnant (a month ago) but she just called me this week to talk about it. So the dress has been ordered a month already. It's supposed to be in about 2 weeks from now or so. She was going to call to see if they could just reorder in the size up. That seems to make the most sense to me.

Another topic altogether, but what the should I wear under it? I don't know the first thing about undergarments and formal dresses except I wore a merry-widow corset under my wedding dress.

I'm the only attendant. When she asked me to be "in the wedding" it was originally supposed to be at a courthouse, I was going to be her witness. About two weeks after I said yes, it was suddenly at a park and I was now "maid of honor." The dress shop is also about an hour away. :happysigh:

[~*Kate*~]

I bought a stretchy body shaper that wasn't too tight, b/c otherwise my belly button showed through the dress. :yuck: That looks like you might be okay with just a strapless bra though.

[granola]

Hmmm I'm looking at Lane Bryant's body shapers and they are so expensive! I wonder if I could find them cheaper around here... I'm always right on the cusp of plus size and wouldn't want it to be tight...

I just found maternity pantyhose on there too. Something about that just seems so, so wrong. :lol:

[Jader]

My FSIL is not my MOH, but she's in the wedding and will be 8 months pregnant for it. We ordered Alfred Angelo dresses and so my bridal shop just ordered extra material to work in. With the dress we picked out it has an overlay so they can hide the material they're sewing in with that. I think with the dress you posted a corset top might be a good option.

[prima-gravida]

That happened to me too. I had be measured for a dress and then found out I would be 7 months pregnant for my sister's wedding. They ended up given me a bigger size and then they altered it. I think they were going to order a 8 or 10 but I ended up in a 14 and I JUST fit in it. Here's a pic:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/PitBullPrincess/DSC02288-1.jpg

I just wore a strapless bra, but then again my belly button didn't pop so I didn't have to worry about that. Will you be in heels? I wanted to die because my feet had gotten swollen and I had to stand in heels when they were too small. :errrr:

[~Sherry~]

:plan: I'd try the corset thing. But I'm not sure how that would effect the bow in the back :headscratch:

I have bad luck with strapless bras :lol: I can never get a good fit with them. Would they be able to sew in cups or a strip of that rubbery material to hold it up? I wore something similar (and way cheaper) as one of these (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=259129&CategoryID=27305) for my wedding and when I was a MOH. Actually, anytime I wear a dress I wear it.

You could probably do something like this (http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=47369&CatID=47369&Grptyp=PRD&ItemId=13e1e57&cmRef=http://www.jcpenney.com/products/C56308.jsp), to give your belly more shape, cause I know mine isn't that round on the bottom of my belly :lol: Atleast it's what I would do. I have one of these (http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=47955&CatID=47955&Grptyp=PRD&ItemId=13eaa13&cmRef=http://www.jcpenney.com/products/C56308.jsp) now and it's good for shaping and support, but it falls easily and you can totally see lines and every little bump of the velcro. Which is fine for around the house but not in a wedding :lol1:

[~*Kate*~]

This (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=187613&CategoryID=27300) is what I wore.
http://slimages.macys.com/is/image/MCY/products/4/optimized/398994_fpx.tif?bgc=255,255,255&wid=167&qlt=90,0&layer=comp&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.7,1.0,0.5,0&fmt=jpeg

[*Diane*]

If a seamstress can put some pleats under the bust and add some fabric, you should be okay. I would definitely, definitely talk to the person who will be doing the alterations!

[granola]

Thanks for these ideas!!

As soon as I stop barfing I'm going to go shop around for some type of undergarment. I think I'll look around a few places and see what I come up with.

I'm thinking now sewing in cups would be good. I don't own a strapless bra and considering I'll be nursing another 3 years most likely, don't really want to invest in one.

Maybe they will be able to alter underneath and keep the chiffon part as is? I guess I won't know til I try on the dress and talk to the seamstress. Hopefully it won't cost an arm and a leg.

Shoes... thankfully since I'm the only attendant I can pick my own. I'm going cheap and comfy with those.

THANKS for the input!!! I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out.

[granola]

I promised I'd update... maybe this will help someone else!

We ended up ordering the dress two sizes too big. I had it altered by the same woman who made my bridesmaids dresses. It took her three tries to get the bust small enough (as you can imagine, it fit well in the belly and was huge in the boobs) It turned out okay. I ended up wearing this from Motherhood:
http://www.motherhood.com/Product.asp?Product_Id=980720111&MasterCategory_Id=MC32
It shaped my belly and wasn't horrible. I had her sew in cups rather than wearing a bra.

In the end, here's what the dress looked like on:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2293/3529542307_40178fc287.jpg?v=0

Thanks for the help!

[Winter_Bride]

Cute!!! :aok:

[Deidre98]

Awww, you look great!!

[*Kim*]

you looked fabulous!

[~*Kate*~]

Very pretty, Michelle. :) Thanks for updating, too!

[~Sherry~]

:yeah: Awesome.