For years I have wanted to wear my mums wedding dress, it is so plain and simple and perfect for what I want for the ceremony. It was the only 'dream factor' of the wedding process, if you know what I mean I have always had. The first thing I did when we announced we were getting wed was asking my mum was if I could wear it and she said yes and that I could adapt it however I wanted or needed to (want to keep it as much the way it is already tbh).

I have spent months sourcing out seamstress' (been really picky about it), seen two so far, both have really strong reputations, and they have said basically the same thing.
They would have to completely destroy the dress to make it fit me due to my being a completely different height and size to my mum. She is 5'2, I am 5'8 though the dress has a built in train so am happy for the front to be shorter. One did say that she could possibly make that work. The main problem would be the fact that it will have to be taken in soo much as mum was about a 20/22 when she was married and I am currently about a 12/14 and the loss of material would apparantly change the whole shape and structure of the dress, which is really not what I want. Am not worried about how much it costs tbh, as that isn't a factor in this as it is budgeted for (was actually shocked at how little it would cost in comparison to some wedding dresses)

Still have one more to see and maybe she might be able to do something different (and obviously there is still time to find more) it has just brought it home to me that I might not get to wear my ultimate dream dress.

Sorry for the ramble (and if none of it makes sense lol), just needed to get it off my chest a bit as it isn't really something I can vent about with the man as I would normally do, considering the subject matter, poor guy doesn't understand why I have been so weepy/mopey/distressed over the past couple of days, especially considering how great everything has gone over the past few days.

i was about to say the same as dove hun. it wont be the exact dress your mum wore but a replica will be almost as good, plus it will fit you perfectly x

It is an idea, hadn't thought of that tbh. Was going to be having a 2nd dress designed specially for me for the party afterwards, with colour in the underskirt. So guess it would mean I would be able to wear it for the whole day. Liking the idea of getting use out of the material as it is the most amazing heavy weight indian silk, and has kept its colour (or rather non-colour) for so long.

Think it just blew my mind and emotions. I have dreamt of wearing it for soo long so went into a spiral.

Thanks for the ideas girls, I shall speak with the lady I am going to see and see what she suggests and can come up with.

sorry to hear that there may be a problem. I hope that you manage to sort something out, i think the idea of a replica dress and maybe incorperating the fabric into a new dress are both very good ideas, i hope you find a seamstress who can help. Got no other words of advice, except to say that you know things have a habit of working out and all the hard times make you appreciate it that much more when it does work out.

i completely agree that you should go for getting a replica made reusing as much of your Mums dress material as possible, you could go even further in the future and change it again into a christening gown?

i have a similar problem but my mum was 5ft 4" i'm 5ft 7" she was a size 8 I at my smallest was a size 10 never gonna happen :(