Plus Size Wedding Dress Shopping

Wedding dress shopping can be a scary thought, let alone when you are plus size. I have been through this experience and come out the other side unscathed, so I thought I would share my tips with you for a Stress free experience.
  
With most wedding dresses from bridal boutiques you generally have to go up 2 sizes. Sounds scary right? My wedding dress ended up being a size 22, even though I'm only a size 18 - but remember it doesn't matter what the label says as long as you look fabulous.

The first bridal boutique I visited was one that offered a specialist section for plus size brides. I had heard horror stories of bridal boutiques squeezing brides into smaller dresses, which in turn didn't give a great representation of how the dress would look in the right size. The first dress I tried on was quite a plain looking dress, but because it was the first wedding dress I had ever tried on, it was a very emotional moment all round especially with my mum.

I tried on 4 dresses at the first bridal boutique... And was certain that I had found the dress of my dreams. A corseted Amanda Wyatt dress with a near £900 price tag.  I already had another appointment booked at a more local bridal shop however they didn't have a plus size section.

"Sookie Wedding Dress" - Amanda Wyatt


The next day I visited the second bridal boutique with my mum. You always need to take someone who will give you an honest opinion, and my mum is always spot on with hers. This shop didn't have any dresses in my size and true to the rumours, I was squeezed and prodded into size 14 and 16 dresses. I personally didn't find it offensive, it was more a challenge! But I was worried I may rip the dresses and have some major repair bills to pay for. All of the dresses I tried on at the second appointment made me forget the Amanda Wyatt dress, however I hadn't had "The One" feeling. There was a stunning dress from Mark Lesley And Mori Lee (Julietta Range) But I wasn't 100% sure on anything I had tried on.

3112 - Mori Lee (Julietta Range) 

I made an appointment at another branch of this store where they had a selection of plus size dresses and again I still didn't have that wow feeling about a dress. None of the dresses I tried on looked bad, but not spectacular either.

This is when I noticed an actual plus size brides weekend for bridal designer "Maggie Sottero", where all weekend the bridal boutique had a selection of wedding dress from her, in sizes 18 to 28. This appointment was the best idea ever. I tried on 3 or 4 dresses and immediately fell in love with one. It was my size, looked absolutely stunning and I just knew it was the right dress for me. I can't really go into detail on which dress I actually chose in case Mr. FH decides to read my blog, however if you haven't had "The Dress" moment yet, don't give up looking. In total I tried on around 15 to 20 dresses!

"Lorena" - Maggie Sottero (Not my dress - but an example of her work)

My one recommendation for plus size wedding dress shopping is to find a bridal boutique which has plus size ranges in stock. You will only truly know what a dress looks like when it is in a size true to the one you'll need. It is worth traveling around until you find the right place. I know there are a few specialist places within the UK, in the North, London and Weston Super Mare. I have included the links to these boutiques at the bottom of this post.

The second thing I would like to mention is that most wedding dresses made by designers have built in corsets in their dresses. My dress has a built in corset and you can't see that it has one, so when pulled right in, it gives me the most fantastic waist ever. Now all I need is to set a date and finally get to wear my dream dress!

Most importantly, don't panic about the costs of a wedding dress. There are dresses from £100 upwards so if you have a budget to stick to you can still look like a Princess without breaking the bank.  I am very lucky that my mum wanted to treat me to my wedding dress otherwise I would have had a much smaller budget. 

The following wedding dress designers provide wedding dresses for us curvier girls:

Maggie Sottero
Maggie Sottero dresses are absolutely exquisite.  "Maggie Brides not only experience innovative designs, but luxurious fabrics, Swarovski crystals, hand-sewn embellishments and the renowned, slenderizing fit known simply as the "Maggie Magic," the result of meticulous attention to, and scrutiny of, design and fitting details." - I know this first hand because of the super waist my dress produces!

Ian Stuart Bride
Ian Stuart Bride dresses are the most unusual wedding dresses I have ever seen.  I think they have a vintage feel about them but also scream extravagance. "Renowned for his glamorous, luxury creations this international multiple award-winning designer has always had a passion for making women look and feel glamorous."

Ronald Joyce
Before I finally settled on my dream dress, I had it in my head that I wanted a Ronald Joyce dress but I couldn't find any local stockists that stocked the sizes I needed.  Ronald Joyce dresses are sparkly, big, fun and fit for a princess.  

Mori Lee
"Mori Lee offers beautifully designed, feminine dresses.  Searching for an embellished A-Line, a modern Fishtail or a delicate Chiffon design, Mori Lee has your dream dress." - I tried on some really unusual fishtail dresses that I thought wouldn't suit curvier girls but they looked completely flattering on me.

Amanda Wyatt
Amanda Wyatt dresses make me think of Fairytales.  I only managed to try one Amanda Wyatt dress on which was the "Sookie" dress.  I noticed the attention to detail with fabric roses and tulle fabric draped across the dress.  A really beautiful collection of dresses.

...And not forgetting the new Simply Be bridal range.  I have not tried any of these dresses on, however with prices starting from £90 and the ability to try on in your own home, why not give them a try! :)

And the following bridal boutiques are specifically for plus size wedding dresses:

Heavenly Bodies Bridal, London
http://www.heavenlybodiesbridal.com/

The Big Day UK, Castleford, West Yorkshire
http://www.thebigdayuk.com/

Curvaceous Brides, Somerset
http://www.whitelaceandpromises.co.uk/collection/curvaceous-brides/

Curvy Bridal, North Yorkshire 
http://www.curvybridal.co.uk/

Amore Plus Bridal, Rugby
http://www.amoreplusbridal.co.uk/ 

Daisy Love Bridal, Berkshire
http://www.daisylovebridal.co.uk/


Finally, enjoy your experience! It doesn't last long enough and every second of it is magical! X