Plus Size Bride (davids Bridal/photography)

Hi! I'm plus sized and had never worn "dress sizes" ever. What I did was schedule an appointment at David's Bridal to try on dresses. I went in with the mentality that if I found "The Dress" at DB, I would purchase it, but it was ok if I didn't. I tried on a bunch of styles I thought would flatter me and also took suggestions. They told me what size I would fit into, but I ended up not finding "The Dress". Instead I went online to a dress website, looked up their sizing charts, figured out what measurements would be needed for a custom sized dress, and bought a measuring tape to measure myself with help from FH. I compared the DB number size, website sizing chart and measurements I took and ended up ordering my dress in custom size and don't need any alterations. Sites like Cocomelody.com , azazie.com and jjshouse.com have affordable options in plus sizes. I hope this helps!

No two plus size ladies are the same so you can't go by photos. Just try everything on. Call ahead to see if they carry your size range. Also branch out to local independent salons and Torrid

If you get a good consultant, ask her/him to pull some dresses they think would look good on your body type! They dress brides and women of all different shapes and sizes all day every day, so they might have an idea of what looks good and it might be something you never even thought of. I'd suggest starting with an A line shape though if you're concerned about feeling down because none of the models match you. A lines pretty much work for everyone and then you can kind of go from there! Best of luck, have a blast.

I can totally understand that, we all want to look stunning on our wedding day and the worry of not is really daunting when you're trying them on. One thing my consultant said was to not focus on sizing or what other people looked like...just look at myself and pick what I felt beautiful in. That's what I did and I had a great experience. Hope you do too!

I worked in bridal for three years at a small boutique, not David's, but I can give some sizing insight. The biggest thing, right off the bat- when you try the dresses on, they will be way way too long. Most bridal gowns are scaled for a height of 5'10", which, given how petite you are, will mean that not only the hem, but the waist of the dress could hit lower than expected. I don't know how David's works, but with my store some designers would let us order custom length, and would scale the pattern to fit your height. If that's available, I'd highly recommend it. If you are looking for a curvy silhouette, I highly recommend something with a corset back. In terms of other places to check, I'd recommend BHLDN (Anthropolgie's bridal line). They have some absolutely gorgeous gowns in your size! (https://www.bhldn.com/categories/plus-size-wedding-dresses) They also do returns, so if you order a dress online and don't wind up loving it, you can send it back (which is rare in this industry). It's normal to feel a little nervous for these appointments, but try to keep an open mind and enjoy yourself as much as possible! Let me know if you have any other questions!