Plus size brides

Hello. First peice of advise, don't take rude, crude or judgmental people with you to try dresses on. The negativity could really upset you and alter the whole experience.
I was a size 24 in my wedding dress and I'm normally a size 22, so it wasn't a big difference for me. I did go to David's Bridal and the first experience I had was truly awful. However

I'm a size 18/20 and triangle shaped. I went to David's Bridal and an exclusively plus boutique. David's had a lot of options to try, but that depends on your store; the plus boutique had lots of great dresses, but not many I liked in my budget (I was not going to spend $2K on a dress plus alterations). I ended up with a David's dress I bought preowned in a size 24 for less than half the price in store. It fits my bust (My largest measurement) but needs some taking in. My advice is to make sure the stores you go to have samples in or nears your size. It doesn't make you feel beautiful to not be able to fit into anything, even if they can order it in your size. I would also be open to different silhouettes. If you have time, use your first visit to look at different options. You might be surprised what looks good on you.

I'm sorry, I sneezed and hit the post button. However, I tried a different David's Bridal and had a wonderful experience. They had quite a few dresses for me to try on, not a ton but enough.
I did find my dress there and I found that the natural waist looked best on my, probably Apple shaped figure. I'm also very pale so ivories, Champagnes, and pink tones looked better on me, my dress does actually have a pink undertone.
If you live near Sacramento ca look at sparkle bridal though they specialize in size 14 and up.

Not posting a picture because FH occasionally scrolls through and I don't want to take a chance at him seeing the dress. Good luck!

View Quoted Comment I just wanted to second Sparkle Bridal for Northern California plus brides I, sadly, didn't find my dress there, but the shopping experience was great and they had a lot of lovely dresses.

Don't discount the idea of a local shop or designer. I really wish that I'd gone that route, and it wouldn't have been any more money. Not only would I have exactly the dress I wanted, even for my shape, I would have been supporting local business.

The one I got from David's bridal is pretty true to real size. They had a pretty good selection there. It was a great experience

I was honestly super worried when I started the search for my dress (Street size 18/20) because I had heard horror stories about a lot of stores not having plus sized dresses. I thought I would go to appointments and have nothing to try on.

I started my search at David’s Bridal and had limited success. My consultant was awesome, but the particular location I went to had a super limited selection. I only tried on ball gowns. I learned they were not for me since I felt they made me look wider then I really was (big booty/hip problems for me haha).

I ended up going to a local boutique (Claire’s Fashions in Wilmington, DE). When I went for my consultation they gave me a book with all the dresses they had in my size. And to my surprise it wasn’t just 5 or 6 dresses, but over 100! I ended up finding my dress at this boutique. It’s an Allure dress from the Women collection, so the dresses are made for curvier women. It’s a modified A-Line dress and a size 24W. I love it and can’t wait for FH to see it!

I went to David’s Bridal twice. Not the greatest of experiences at either! At the 1st one it was suggested I loose at least 30lbs. At the second one in an entirely different location my sales girl had a very difficult time helping someone “my size” into a dress.

I am in Southern California and ended up at Strut Bridal in Long Beach (I think there is one in Arizona too). All dresses are 12+ it was amazing to fit I to a dress!

They were so welcoming and helpful they never made me put out because of my size! They knew just what a curvy girl needed.

I am an 18/20 ordered a 20! Fits Perfect!

I googled bridal shops that carried plus size samples and I had suggestions from girls in here in designers, Morilee was one of them, mine is Casablanca!

Stella York was one as well

View Quoted Comment You look great!! Perfect dress!

You all look beautiful! Thank you for your advice!

I had killer anxiety leading up to my bridal appointments. I'm a street size 18, but my wedding dress is a 24. I honestly would recommend trying every silhouette if you can, go with what you think looks best on you and not what other people are saying should look good on you. I never in 100 years would have thought I purchased the type of gown that I did but I am so happy I tried!

My first appointment was at David's Bridal. I figured that I could try on each silhouette there as they had a lot of options in multiple sizes. I did not end up purchasing from there, but the experience was pretty good and it eased my fears that I'd never find a dress because I actually really liked a lot of the ones I tried on there.

I also recommend looking up bridal boutiques/shops that specialize in plus sized brides. The second shop I went to was phenomenal and I ended up purchasing from there (Cherry Blossom Bridal in Washington D.C.) My wedding dress is posted below - Essence of Australia.

Good luck! Don't stress too much! You'll find the one!

View Quoted Comment

You look gorgeous!!

View Quoted Comment SUPER IN LOVE with your dress!

View Quoted Comment Thank you girl!!!

I only went to one dress shop. It was a wonderful experience. I always thought I would want a ballgown. I ended up getting an aline corset back dress. It was the 3rd dress I tried on and I fell absolutely in love with it. My street size is a 20. I ended up having to order a size 26 in the dress I chose.

I went to David’s Bridal I’m usually a 20-22 and They has me order a 24 because I was going to have a corset back put into it so they wanted me to have it smaller and add rather than bigger and subtract and then add. When it came in and I had my shapewear on I fit into the dress with out the corset so we skipped the corset and saved $200 on alterations!
I tried on a ton but mostly this style I love the way I looked even with my big arms and my BFF and some other friends told me that the style really complimented my body. We haven’t gotten our pics from our photographers yet so here are some ones family members got.

• to give a reference I have a a small chest (wide but no girls —I have a corset in and shoved a +2 cup size VS bra into it 😂) I had a maiden form thigh shaper that pulled in my rather large mid, low hanging mid section and then a corset on top of that. Undergarments make a BIG difference so if you can take stuff with you when just trying on do it. I was so nervous until my fitting and if I had it beforehand I would have been way more at ease!
Good luck dress shopping!!

View Quoted Comment Dress twin! It looks great! Congrats! 😂

Oops my reply to Ashley was supposed to have a 💕 not a 😂!!