The Question
I’ve recently started looking for my wedding dress and, honestly, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing. There are so many beautiful dresses online, but I’m worried about finding somewhere that has a good range of options for plus-size brides.
Hi I’m Aliya - Architect, former DIY bride and Founder of Day42. I planned my own wedding from start to finish like a project and now I help other couples cut through the noise, make decisions and plan wedding that feels like their own.
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You are right to ask this question! As a plus size bride you might be looking for more structure and support in the bodice, bust and stomach, which can make a huge difference to how comfortable and supported you feel.
This was something I was very aware of when I went wedding dress shopping. I have a bigger chest and wanted more structure around my stomach. I know I wouldn’t have felt comfortable in a standard-size chiffon dress with very little support, for example. I wanted to feel held in place, rather than worrying about whether everything was sitting where it should be all day!
Depending on your budget, it might be worth spending a little more to find a dress that’s been designed with your body shape and the support you want in mind. That doesn’t mean you have to spend more to find a dress you love, or that every plus-size dress will automatically fit better. But I would prioritise finding something that makes you feel comfortable over choosing a cheaper dress that you spend the whole day adjusting.
So, to get into it. My biggest piece of advice would be to do your research before booking any appointments.
I would look for bridal boutiques that specialise in plus-size or curve collections, rather than just booking into a standard bridal shop and hoping for the best.
Call ahead and ask what sizes they actually have in store to try on. Not what sizes they can order, but what they physically have available, and whether they have a decent range of styles. There’s nothing worse than spending time and money on an appointment only to find they have two dresses in your size, neither of which you like.
You also need to feel comfortable in the shop you choose. You’re going to be trying on wedding dresses, and the last thing you want is someone making you feel self-conscious or uncomfortable about your body. If you get a weird vibe, someone makes an inappropriate comment, or you just don’t feel comfortable there, you are absolutely allowed to leave. You don’t have to stay and be polite while someone makes you feel rubbish.
Like with everyone else, make sure you leave enough time and budget for alterations. Dresses will usually be ordered a lot longer so the taking up alteration cost is usually a given, but also you need to think about your specific proportions. The dress will usually be ordered in the size to fit your biggest measurement and then everything else might need to be taken in (depending on the style of wedding dress you have chosen!)
After your appointment or after your married and have fully experienced their services from wedding dress shopping to alterations, please leave a review afterwards, whether you have a brilliant experience or a terrible one. Other brides will be looking for exactly this information, and it can genuinely help them decide where to book their appointments.
To summarise - Find somewhere that has experience dressing plus-size brides, call ahead, ask questions and don’t settle for a shop that makes you feel uncomfortable.
You’re there to find a dress you love, not to make a bridal boutique work around you when they haven't prepared properly.
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