I said Yes to my dream dress in December of 2021 with my daughter, mom and future mother in law by my side. I felt a lot of anxiety going into the appointment because as a plus size woman, I’ve never had a stress free day while trying on clothes. However, choosing your wedding dress should be stress free, so I did a few things in order to ensure it was a day I would cherish.
Search for Plus Size Bridal Shops in Your Area
I began looking on Pinterest for Plus Size wedding dresses and I noticed in the description of some of the pins that the image belonged to a bridal shop that specialized in plus size wedding dresses. From there I wondered, maybe there is one close to me. So I went onto Instagram and typed in: plus size bridal, Florida plus size wedding dresses etc. I came across Curve Bridal Collection. I began following them on Instagram and quickly became obsessed with the dresses they showcased.
The benefits on shopping at a plus size or curvy bridal boutique
- Sample sizes to try on that actually fit. It’s really common to go into bridal boutiques that sell straight sizes and feel insecure and defeated. Most of the time the dresses don’t fit and you aren’t able to tell if you like the style or imagine what it would look like. Curve has over 150 gowns in sizes 18-38. These dresses are in store, meaning you can try them on during your appointment.
- The stylists themselves are curvy girl friendly. It might sound funny, but sometimes it is easier to deal with someone who knows the struggle of being plus size or curvy. They might know what type of dress or shape might make you the most comfortable or even how altering the dress could help. The most important part is they are patient and empathetic. My Curve stylist’s name was Megan. She was super sweet and honestly was like my personal hype girl.
- Their social media displays dresses made for and modeled by plus size/curvy women. I went into my appointment knowing what I liked and had realistic expectations because I had seen the dresses on someone with a similar body shape.
You shouldn’t be limited to certain styles due to your weight or body type.
Curve Bridal had dresses available in many different styles, brands and silhouettes. Someone asked if all of the dresses were A-line, because usually in regular bridal shops the dresses you find in plus size aren’t usually fitted silhouettes. That wasn’t the case. In fact, I tried on one A-line, and the rest were fitted or mermaid style.
How did I know I found “the dress”?!
Well, it was between two dresses. The stylist put a veil on me in the dress I didn’t choose and I didn’t feel a spark. It was a beautiful dress and complimented my figure but I just didn’t feel sold. I then asked to try on the other dress again. I asked a few questions about the possibility for alterations to make the dress more fitted. Once I knew that was a possibility, I didn’t want to see any other dresses. I knew it was the dress for me.
Another funny indication is that I seriously think about that dress non stop. I look at the pictures on my phone of me in the dress, I followed the designer on social media – Essence of Australia. I cannot wait to wear the dress again.
Recommendations for Appointment Day
- Bring shapewear to wear underneath the gowns. Not only was this really helpful to get a visual of what type of shapewear each dress would need, it also made me feel more comfortable getting into the dress with the stylist. My areas of insecurity were covered and smoothed.
- Have someone record the try on. I recorded mostly for blog and social media content but it really helped seal the deal when I reviewed the footage.
- Bring people with you that will be supportive of your choices. If there is anything that binge watching, Say Yes to the Dress, taught me, it would be that people and their opinions can kill the mood of the day.
- Treat yourself to hair and makeup prior to your appointment, if you can. I tried on a smooth center part hairstyle I was thinking I would want on my wedding day. Seeing my hair done while trying on the dresses gave me a better idea of what I liked. It also made me realize I didn’t want this particular hairstyle. I did my own makeup for the appointment, and again, it just added an extra detail to help me decide.
Wedding dress shopping can be such a memorable and fun day. For me the wedding planning finally felt real when I purchased my dress. However it can also be a nightmare, if you let your insecurities ruin your day. Go into the appointment feeling and looking your best, leave little room for self sabotage. You got this girl!
If you want to check out more of my wedding planning content, be sure to see:
The Story of How We Met
Choosing a Unique Save The Date In Three Easy Steps
Wedding
