Three incidents that say Say Yes to Dress is a big, fat lie-- humorous wedding dress shopping weekend

You are very entertaining! I was also discouraged at the fact that all the dresses run small. You want to feel skinny and smaller, so why don't they make them run BIG?! I am a street 14 and got really upset when I thought I found the dress. I made the store take it off the mannequin even. It was a size 8. I got it on but the boobs were right under my chin. It was terrible but I wanted the damn dress. So I asked if it could be ordered in a larger size and they said "sure, if you put half down first." So I went to another store in town that carried the same brand. They had the upgraded version of the dress in a 12 which was much better. I ended up with the upgraded dress. I didn't feel any judgement in any of my shopping, thank God! I'm so sorry that it went so terribly for you. Hopefully your audition goes well! Good luck!!

Bridal samples run small because shops importing from Asian developing countries generally don't have to pay full price for samples if they have a history of promising to sell dresses on behalf of them.

In most of those shops, there are samples churning departments where a small team of professional knock-off makers go through every European magazine and pump out knock-offs in size 4-8. They're "regular sizes"; the results will look like the magazine photos, which is all of skinny European models. If you start asking for these people to make size 12 or 22 "samples", and only 1 sample of this dress from this manufacturer, and 2 samples of these dresses from another manufacturer, these bridal shops (technically bridal product importers) will have to pay custom prices, gamble on the results of these "samples", which will disturb their business model of buy low, sell high.

I'm sorry about your shopping experience. You do tell a good story, let's hope they beat the odds on Say Yes To The Dress for you!!

@Kyle DID WE JUST BECOME BEST FRIENDS?

Ummm. We did...or else!

I still think that if boutiques used their own numbering system for sizes or ordered more average size dresses as floor samples, a lot more happy brides would be out there.

"My dress is so couture it doesn't even have a standard size" BOOM. Bragging rights.

I went to the DB in Ahwatukee and had a great experience every time I've gone (size 20). And my dress was true-to-size and ordered a size 20. Started working out and lifting and now am getting my dress taken in the whole way down (not enough for a size down in all areas).

And I hope you plan to be pretty active on here because great story tellers make life that much more fun!

This was awesome. Sorry you had a terrible time

Oh my goodness you should start a blog your writing style is amazing, I can't wait to hear how the casting goes!

Haha oh man those are funny stories! I know my experience wasn't like SYTTD either! I'm pretty normal sized, a street size 6 so most places the sample dresses were fine...but then there was a shop I went to here in Hawaii and not to be stereotypical but there are a lot of Japanese people here and they tend to be smaller. So all their sample gowns were like 2s and 4s. A couple 6s. I loved the brands they had there, but man it was rough getting some of those dresses over my butt. My poor FH came with me and luckily he had his phone to keep him occupied while they squeezed me into some of the dresses.

Speaking of having my FH there...the show SYTTD always makes it seem like it is the ultimate sin to bring your FH and if you do he's bound to be the worst person in your entourage. Nope, my FH has wonderful opinions, was really supportive and I was happy that when I said yes, I knew he'd love it too!

I can't wait to hear if you make it on the show, that would be so exciting!

You are hilarious! Sorry your experiences were kind of subpar.

I'm a plus size girl and had a terrible experience with David's Bridal. My consultant was a twig and was so judgmental. She kept making snide remarks about my weight. Awful biatch.

You should definitely go on the show. That sounds like fun! Maybe you'll have a better experience with the consultants from SYTTD.

Hahahaha funny!

I did NOT have this experience, but I didn't burst into tears when I found THE dress. It was more like "yeah, I do like this one" versus OMG IN LUV.

The bridal shop I went to had a number of sample sizes, most of which fit me, and I'm a street size 12. I'm also 6' tall. Whenever I tried on a ball gown, she asked me to step into it and she helped it onto me. I'm sorry you had such a weird experience.

I love this! I lost it at the tube sock analogy. :'D

Best dress shopping story. EVER.

You should have a wedding blog. ;p

OMG thats insane, at least its a story you will probably tell for the rest of your life. Shopping wasn't that bad for me except for the first store I went to, the girl asked what size I am, I told her an 8 so she brought me an 8 and it was way to small so she started yelling all over the store 'this girl isn't an 8 she is a 16' completley humiliating me. The next store I went to they asked my size I told them the other store said I was a 16, the ladies there just laughed and brought me some dresses, yup all size 8.

OMG! Where are you located? I HAVE to meet you and go dress shopping with you.....you are my type of woman. You remind me of a dear friend of mine who tells every stories just as you did. I am a larger girl (I would not say fat but like you, athletic build). Unfortunately I did not have the same experience as you did at DB and I found my gown there. I think that all brides have different experiences at DB depending on their area. I had a wonderful experience at mine.

I too feel that SYTTD is not real life. Please keep us informed on your adventures.

Great story. Let us know if you get on SYTTD. I'd love to see the episode.

I went to DB here in Virginia and had a horrible experience. I'm a bridal size 20. The only good thing about the appointment is that I then knew my size so I could order my gowns online. I then went to DB in New Jersey to buy a dress for my MOH. I brought my dresses and tried them on there and I had an amazing experience - even though they knew they weren't selling me a dress. Odd.

See @MrsMoralesToBe- come to NJ for a great DB experience! I'll be with you as the Garden State is my state!

TV has editing, real life doesn't. Good luck with your next dress trying experience!

If it makes you feel any better the first day I went to try on dresses (size 18) the place I went says they have over 3000 dresses. I was lead out the back door and down a pathway to a small little building where the hear was broken. This is where they house all 10 plus size dresses. They expected me to try them on in a shack that was freezing when I said we had a 2 month old with us and this wasn't possible. My self and bridesmaids then had to carry the dresses up back to the main store where they stuck me in a back corner. My family made the experience OK but but I still don't have the courage to step into another place to try on dresses. Hope in the magic will come back soon or who knows what I will wear to my wedding.

MrsMorales - as much as I hate what happened with your experience, I LOVE your writing! You will find something and you most likely won't cry, which is totally cool. There's too much hype about finding THE dress, thanks to SYTTD and other shows like them. Just keep on til you find what you love and carry mimosas everywhere. ;-)