Weddingbee boards

i wore the karena royale! :) 

my measurements were 31.5, 26, 36.5 (so bust size 2, waist size 4, and hip size 6).

the shop recommended me order a 2, but i reeled in freak-out mode! a bridal size WHAT? i decided to go with a 4, thinking i could just alter the bust if necessary....

well, my dress came in and the corset closed COMPLETELY (with room to spare) and the hip area was in no way tight.... 5 alterations appointments later, and it still felt like it was going to fall off of me because the seamstress was only altering down to the natural waist (none out of what would be the "dropped waist" area, i guess).... i finally had to go to another seamstress who helped fix the crap of the other lady, but in the end, the corset still touched completely below my natural waist and the dress was looser in that area than i wanted it to be.... i could grab an entire fist of material and pull it away from my lower back because it was so big there.... 

so all that to say, i REALLY wish i'd gone with the 2 as the consultant suggested.... that, and i wish i'd have done more research and gotten a better alterations person from the beginning.... 

edit--this is the size 4 dress when i put it on the first time... as you can see, they didn't even bother pulling it tight or lacing the bottom half of the corset (below the sash) because it was already touching way above the level of the sash. when i lifted my arms over my head, literally 100% of my boobs came out and above the front of the dress.... my mother could easily fit her entire forearm and arm down the back of my dress (to take up the space) and it still wasn't really held against me in the front. i had to inhale as deeply as i could and hold it in this picture just to keep it on/over my boobs in the shop. you can also somewhat tell through the buckling of the fabric on my hips that it's too big there, but the fabric was stiff enough to maintain shape away from my body, so you can't tell the size difference there...