I'm the maid of honor in a wedding this October, and this is my bridesmaid dress. I was professionally measured at the bridal boutique, and they ordered me a size 14.

I've been working on improving my health and losing weight. Like a lot of people, it's been a journey with ups and downs, but over the last month I've really been consistent and have lost about 5 lbs. I plan to keep working toward my goals, but I also want to be realistic and make sure I have a dress that fits well for the wedding.

The dress is only tight around the waist, even with spank. The bust fits comfortably and is maybe even on the larger size, and the rest of the dress seems to fit well. The waist is the only area that's uncomfortable.

The dress is satin, so I'm trying to decide if it would make more sense to size up or have a tailor let the waist out. I've heard satin can sometimes show needle marks or old seam lines after alterations, so I'm worried letting the seams out might not look great.

I have a few questions:

Based on the photos, do you think the dress fits, or is it too tight in the waist?

My ideal plan is to continue losing weight, but if the dress still doesn't fit comfortably, when would you recommend making a decision? The wedding is in early October, so I'm wondering what the latest reasonable timeline would be for ordering a new dress (if possible) or getting alterations completed without cutting it too close.

From a cost perspective, would you buy a new dress (about $200) or pay for alterations? I'm not sure which route typically ends up being more practical or cost-effective.

Thank you!! 

Bridesmaid Dress Alterations? No