Maternity ballroom gown?

[Darlin65]

I have a friend who is getting married next month and her wedding is beyond fancy. I need a ballroom style evening gown. She is taking it a step further than the regular black tie. I have looked everywhere online I can think of and can't find anything formal enough I was going to wear a long black dress and dress it up with accessories but she wants the dress to be fancier than that. I'm also afraid of looking like I am in a cheap prom dress because I don't want to break the bank. I just found out about it over the weekend and the wedding is Nov 2nd! I will be 14wks pg and idk how big my belly will be by then since this is #2 for us. I'm already like a sz 14 minus my bump.

I've checked like every rental place I could find online and they are either too expensive or don't have anything nice enough I don't mind spending $100-$150 but for that price it needs to be to buy not rent. I already have nice jewelry and shoes I can mix and match with. The dress is my real problem.

 

[HBGirl]

TBH she can't dictate what you will wear. As long as you have made an effort it should be enough for her.

 

[redlemonade]

TBH she can't dictate what you will wear. As long as you have made an effort it should be enough for her.

This. I can't stand brides who dictate like this. It's very shallow. If it were me, I'd tell her where to stick it and I wouldn't go, though I'm sure that's not helpful to you

Rather than go to unnecessary expense, can you raid the wardrobe of a similar sized friend for something that might work?

 

[Darlin65]

I am not that person. It is HER wedding. SHE is paying for it. I am a GUEST and she was kind enough to want me there on her big day. I support her all the way, she is a good friend. I'm not going to get mad at her because her and her friends and family have money that we don't.

I can't ask anybody else. They're all like sz 2's Thought of that already. If only. That would make finding something on the clearance rack or 2nd hand so much easier

 

[cait]

You won't be that big at 14 weeks. Get something cut in a empire line and you should be ok.

 

[Pearls18]

Grecian style dress?

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

Sorry if these are no good I'm in the UK so just went google shopping

https://www.myamaternity.com/category_46/Formal-Maternity-Dresses.htm

https://www.minefornine.com/list-items/all-maternity-dresses

https://www.apeainthepod.com/mobile/maternity/dresses.asp#1-96-list-sort=l-_

 

[Darlin65]

Sorry if these are no good I'm in the UK so just went google shopping

https://www.myamaternity.com/category_46/Formal-Maternity-Dresses.htm

https://www.minefornine.com/list-items/all-maternity-dresses

https://www.apeainthepod.com/mobile/maternity/dresses.asp#1-96-list-sort=l-_

Thanks! But unfortunately they aren't formal enough. I don't know how to describe it maybe a little more "glamorous"? Idk. I think I am just going to have to go search the stores. I actually had searched all those sites

 

[redlemonade]

I am not that person. It is HER wedding. SHE is paying for it. I am a GUEST and she was kind enough to want me there on her big day. I support her all the way, she is a good friend. I'm not going to get mad at her because her and her friends and family have money that we don't.

I can't ask anybody else. They're all like sz 2's Thought of that already. If only. That would make finding something on the clearance rack or 2nd hand so much easier

Fair enough. I hope I didn't offend. I get grouchy at the cost of attending weddings personally, it's a bug bear of mine when there's added expense to the day, I just find it unnecessary

Anyway, I hope you find something nice, the other ladies had some good suggestions. I think you can make an outfit perfect with accessories sometimes!

 

[Darlin65]

I am not that person. It is HER wedding. SHE is paying for it. I am a GUEST and she was kind enough to want me there on her big day. I support her all the way, she is a good friend. I'm not going to get mad at her because her and her friends and family have money that we don't.

I can't ask anybody else. They're all like sz 2's Thought of that already. If only. That would make finding something on the clearance rack or 2nd hand so much easier

Fair enough. I hope I didn't offend. I get grouchy at the cost of attending weddings personally, it's a bug bear of mine when there's added expense to the day, I just find it unnecessary

Anyway, I hope you find something nice, the other ladies had some good suggestions. I think you can make an outfit perfect with accessories sometimes!

You didn't offend me. I've just worked in the wedding business and I don't think people realize yes, you have to pay for whatever you are wearing but that bride has shelled out a lot more than you probably realize. The way I do it if I have to dress up extra or buy a special outfit I just don't buy them as nice of a gift. Not to mention she is probably already getting a lot of crap from others who would speak their minds than just think it. I say do your best and if it bothers you that bad or is just impossible to meet their requirements respectfully decline. I am not bothered by her requests I just don't know how I am going to make it happen on such short notice

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

Sorry if these are no good I'm in the UK so just went google shopping

https://www.myamaternity.com/category_46/Formal-Maternity-Dresses.htm

https://www.minefornine.com/list-items/all-maternity-dresses

https://www.apeainthepod.com/mobile/maternity/dresses.asp#1-96-list-sort=l-_

Thanks! But unfortunately they aren't formal enough. I don't know how to describe it maybe a little more "glamorous"? Idk. I think I am just going to have to go search the stores. I actually had searched all those sites

Challenging!

https://m.trendytummymaternity.com/....html?sortOrder=1&sort=uc_finalprice&pageNo=3

https://www.myamaternity.com/category_46/Formal-Maternity-Dresses.htm

https://www.1st-dress.com/Maternity-Prom-Dresses_v150/sort_p2/

https://www.tjformal.com/sub.php?sS...+-+$2000&CatId=59905&sType=sStyle&Page=Search

https://www.babiesnbellies.com/catalog.htm?category=11&page=all

 

[Darlin65]

There were a few I liked but unfortunately the ones that would work were out of my price range

 

[redlemonade]

I am not that person. It is HER wedding. SHE is paying for it. I am a GUEST and she was kind enough to want me there on her big day. I support her all the way, she is a good friend. I'm not going to get mad at her because her and her friends and family have money that we don't.

I can't ask anybody else. They're all like sz 2's Thought of that already. If only. That would make finding something on the clearance rack or 2nd hand so much easier

Fair enough. I hope I didn't offend. I get grouchy at the cost of attending weddings personally, it's a bug bear of mine when there's added expense to the day, I just find it unnecessary

Anyway, I hope you find something nice, the other ladies had some good suggestions. I think you can make an outfit perfect with accessories sometimes!

You didn't offend me. I've just worked in the wedding business and I don't think people realize yes, you have to pay for whatever you are wearing but that bride has shelled out a lot more than you probably realize. The way I do it if I have to dress up extra or buy a special outfit I just don't buy them as nice of a gift. Not to mention she is probably already getting a lot of crap from others who would speak their minds than just think it. I say do your best and if it bothers you that bad or is just impossible to meet their requirements respectfully decline. I am not bothered by her requests I just don't know how I am going to make it happen on such short notice

You're right. I wouldn't actually give the bride crap for her choices (I would just politely decline if I couldn't afford to go) but I think couples getting married should be cognisant of the cost to their guests. In Ireland there is a terrible trend of having weddings overseas so anybody wanting to go needs to shell out for flights, hotels, gifts and clothes. Most guests can make a holiday out of it but of course their one and only annual holiday is, therefore, dictated by the couple getting married. I think that's why I get so grouchy on the topic lol! When I got married we made things as easy and cheap as possible for people. I didn't care if people turned up naked, as long as they turned up.

Different strokes for different folks

I don't know how to help with your dilemma otherwise - do you have an idea what other guests might be wearing? I'm finding it hard to picture what 'beyond formal' is.

 

[Darlin65]

It is very hard! I'm not sure. I've asked someone else who will be going what she is wearing. Waiting to hear back. I'll show you what I had in mind but was told it wasn't fancy enough. This wasn't "the" dress because it cost too much but was the style I wanted. All she said was "more ballroom".

https://www.cache.com/items/cache/images/xlarge/U8010B22005210_44.jpg

https://www.cache.com/items/cache/images/xlarge/U8010B22005210_44_back.jpg

 

[Eternal]

https://www.jjshouse.com/tag/M/Maternity-Military-Ball-Gowns

 

[Darlin65]

https://www.jjshouse.com/tag/M/Maternity-Military-Ball-Gowns

Oh, I love some of these!

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

It is very hard! I'm not sure. I've asked someone else who will be going what she is wearing. Waiting to hear back. I'll show you what I had in mind but was told it wasn't fancy enough. This wasn't "the" dress because it cost too much but was the style I wanted. All she said was "more ballroom".

https://www.cache.com/items/cache/images/xlarge/U8010B22005210_44.jpg

https://www.cache.com/items/cache/images/xlarge/U8010B22005210_44_back.jpg

That is a lovely dress!!!!

You might be better going with a non-maternity dress something with a high waist line and a chiffon skirt so there is plenty of glowing draping fabric to go over your bump.

https://www.promgirl.com/shop/finde...er_by=low_to_high/rowstart=1/page=1/rowmax=32

 

[Darlin65]

https://www.jjshouse.com/tag/M/Maternity-Military-Ball-Gowns

Oh no I was loving a lot of these but they are custom made for you. I don't have the time to do that and I need to be able to return it if it doesn't work.

 

[Eternal]

https://www.jjshouse.com/tag/M/Maternity-Military-Ball-Gowns

Oh no I was loving a lot of these but they are custom made for you. I don't have the time to do that and I need to be able to return it if it doesn't work.

Oh pants, sorry didn't see that.

 

[redlemonade]

Oh wow that dress you originally had in mind is stunning!! I can't believe she wants something fancier! A warning about jj's house - even though I know you said it wouldn't work for you anyway - I've seen dresses come from there and they're incredibly badly made with cheap fabric.