Hi Gang!

I am just 15 days from my wedding and 5 lbs from my goal.

For whatever reason, I am unable to post pics in the body of this message.  Also, OH is not letting my before pics upload!  I dont understand!

 

Anyway, I started my bridal dress journey pre-op and I size 28W.  I wish I could show you the pics.  Anyway, it was very trying. I  cried.. a lot. Also the vendors really hose us full figured women. A dress went up from a 4K to 6K just because I was over a size 18!  The woman at the store said "You are going to lose weight for your wedding, right?"  and I had to tell her "No. I am already on ANOTHER unsucessful diet RIGHT NOW. I probably will not be able to lose weight"

 

So I had the surgery.

 

At 6 months post up (and to the wedding) I tried shopping again.  I was now a size 18W and had lost 100 lbs. I am crying in this picture. But this time they are happy tears! I wish you could have seen the difference

http://www.obesityhelp.com/photos/album/181769/879908

 

Now, I am just 5 lbs from goal (I am 147 lbs).  I started this journey at 270 lbs.  A dress maker had to cut that size 18 dress down to a 6!  Here is this picture!  I am so happy!!

 

http://www.obesityhelp.com/photos/album/181769/879907

 

 

One year and such a big journey

How incredibly exciting! I am engaged and have been unable to set a wedding date because I don't know what to do about the dress! Waiting a few months to see how quickly I lose the weight and will then go dress shopping. 

You look gorgeous in your dress and I am so excited for your big day. Congratulations!

HI! I can speak to this!

I have been engaged for 2 years. For the first 6 months I did not set a date because I was too heavy. I also tried dieting using phenteramine (i.e. the bad part of phen phen). I lost about 20 lbs and stopped. Worse it was bad for my heart!  On some instruments my heart sometimes "shudders"  (nurses words not mine).

 

So I then proceeded to bariatric surgery. Like you I was nervous!  I had the surgery and went shopping for a dress (again) at the 6 month post op mark. AT this time, I had went from a size 28-32 to an 18. I thought I was done...but I was not.

The bridal shop recommended ordering the size I was (I.e. an 18) and I ordered an 18.

 

I kept losing and now I am a 6 on top and an 8 on the bottom.

 

What I would recommend is set a wedding day a year after your surgery day.  Dress shop 6 months after your surgery.  Find a dress with lots of seams (mine had 6 places to take it in ..in the bodice) so you can take it in if you need to.  And then get 4 sizes smaller (for example...I was an 18 and probably would have been better getting a 14). You can drop that many sizes in the next 6 months easily if you follow the plan and exercise.  Even if you ended up a 10 or an 8, a general seamstress should be able to handle that size difference.  Rebuilding a dress from an 18 to a 6 though...is a bit more of jump.

 

The shops are used to people saying "Oh I will lose weight" ordering too small and not making it.  We, however, have surgery on our side.  So...just follow your surgeons rules and you will be good in ordering TOO SMALL>

 

Dont do what I did and order the size you are at the time of ordering. Go a bit smaller.

It is VERY stressful losing weight and wondering if your dress is going to be able to be taken in!  Some people are like "Maybe you should stop losing weight"  They didnt know that i had surgery and they didnt know anything about our wonderful honeymoon phase. No way in hell i am giving up the surgery's honeymoon. The honeymoon is my period to MAKE HAY and get that excess weight off.

 

REmember, David's bridal. You can buy off the rack there. Maybe dont worry about it and just 2 months before your wedding pull anything off the rack there and go with it. They have lots of pretty dress there...

Thank you so much for all of your advice.  I feel like I have a plan now! 

What a beautiful and Happy Bride!

 

You look beautiful!  What a difference from May to December!  Congrats and best wishes!

You are looking fabulous, wow! A huge congrats on your weight loss and your upcoming nuptials! I love winter weddings. Sigh.

Aw, yay! I was married at 280 ( we got married on Christmas Eve, so our anniversary is close ), and yeah...dress shopping was no fun. Luckily, I found one on eBay of all places.

I've considered renewing our vows just so I can find a wedding-ish looking dress to wear and have some lovely new wedding pictures done. We probably won't, but the thought does cross my mind every few weeks or so.

Do it!

I am not sure how many years out your are from your surgery OR wedding but BIG changes (emotionally, psychologically, sociological) happened for both you AND YOUR HUSBAND during your weight loss journey.

There was a period when my guy did not *touch* me.  I threw the mack down and he said "No" to me like chocolate.

I wondered if he was a "tubby chaser" and I just surgeried myself out of the demographic.

 

I went to my *real* pastor (a guy friend that is a pastor that I can talk about *real* issues with, without worrying about condemation or it coming back since I dont attend his church). Anyway his wife had gastric bypass and HE had psychological adjustments.  Worries like "now that she is skinny and hot, she can have ANYONE!  Does she still love me!?!?"  and seeing other men HIT ON HIS WIFE the minute he leaves her side.  Things like "This guy i****ting on my wife!  She looks like she is having fun. Do I let this go on?  Or do I open a can of whoop @$$?"

 

In the end, we (the pastor and I) went shopping. Got some bordering on skanky outfits for me and the problem fixed itself.

 

But yes..get the vow renewal because you both have changed, decided you still love each other and want to stick together, and you want more "wedding photos"

GORGEOUS dress. Congrats!

 

Wow what lovely photos. Your dress is gorgeous and you are absolutely beautiful. I wish all the happiness in the world on your wedding and beyond.