I know *how* to sew, and I know how to alter patterns with very little trouble. HOWEVER - I also know that my body type does not lend itself well to most patterns - at all. LOL.

Here's the situation:

I am getting married in June. I have, just now, decided that the dress I was *going* to wear for the wedding is NOT going to be comfortable enough for me to wear... It's a period elizabethan gown, and while it's lovely on me, I don't really relish the idea of wandering around all day in a corset - particularly a very TIGHT corset.

SO... I have some ideas for patterns. I need input. My body type is round... curvy, but round... I have a waist, but it's very short (read: 1" between bottom of ribs and top of hips), and I'm about 5'6", weighing about 260. I have som ideas for dresses, and I need to have people's in-put on which would be best for me...

Simplicity pattern # 4940, 4242, 4479,
Simplicity pattern # 5524 + McCalls pattern #M5196
McCalls pattern # M4997, M4997, M4378

I know that some of these will need to be altered, but that's not a big, huge issue - as long as I can get things settled within the next month or so, so I have time to pick fabric and get going on it. I'm *SO* not waiting until the last minute to make this.