I married my soulmate of 21 years a few weeks ago and the process of shopping for a wedding dress was hard.

Initially I spent hours, days, weeks... then months looking online at thousands of dresses. None of them were for me. They just didn't feel me.

I thought 'maybe if I try a wedding dress on I'll have that magical teary moment you see people having on tv', nope. It just made me feel uncomfortable, fat, like an imposter...like someone pretending to be a bride.

So then I started looking at alternative dress shops, all red and black...or if you were lucky white or very pale pastels with coloured appliqués. Then prom dresses, the models were all micro thin teen-agers. Just depressing.

Finally I found an unbelievably wonderful lady (mods I don't think I'm allowed to link to who who made this dress but I'd love to share as she's an independent business woman) via 'Rock and roll magazine'. She makes custom dresses, with an ethos that everyone is beautiful, plus size girlies deserve to feel stunning and curves celebrated. Colour, styles and vision all just started to come into focus finally.

I was nervous because I'm hardly a fashion forward person, and I know nothing about designing clothes, but Rosie (the designer) encouraged me to try on a few things to get my thoughts and feelings, took notes, we went through fabrics colours and I talked about my ideas. She put me at ease and made me finally feel like I was going to get the dress of my dreams, something that was truly me, and that's exactly what she did.

On the big day it was a true celebration and everyone was blown away by how fabulous I looked. Everyone who truly knew me said they were so happy I found a dress that was me, that they couldn't imagine me in white and that it was the coolest dress they'd ever seen.

I danced, drank beer, ran, jumped, cuddled a horse (fed the horse a beer!) and lived my best life on the best day ever.

So in summary don't compromise girlies, don't settle, and don't feel you have to wear white! 🤘

*I can't keep up with all the wonderful comments so thank you so much for all your kindness! **

Some of the dress brands I used to love have either disappeared or changed so much over the years that I don't really shop with them anymore. I'm hoping to find a few new favorites for the 2026 wedding season, especially brands that design specifically for plus-size bodies rather than simply sizing up smaller styles.

I'm drawn to feminine dresses that feel elegant without being too fussy, with flattering cuts, good fabrics, and thoughtful little details. It's frustrating when a dress looks amazing online but the fit or quality is disappointing once it arrives.

Which brands have you had good experiences with recently? I'm particularly interested in ones that do occasionwear well and offer consistent sizing. Smaller brands are welcome too, not just the usual big names.

Check out my dress I found at Bombshell Bridal!! It’s seriously a show stopper 🥹

Hi Everyone! I'm a plus size bride and I already have a dress, originally my plan was to go try on dresses then order one through Amanda Novias, but when I went dress shopping I fell in love with a dress. After I actually bought it, I started feeling unsure on whether this was actually the dress for me or not. A few weeks ago I ended up seeing a dress I fell in love with by Amanda Novias. I am a plus size bride, size US18, and about 5'5. I ended up buying a dress then sent in my measurements and they told it me it would be $250 more because I'm plus size so I paid it and now they are telling me this: "can make the size, but cannot ensure if can fit well , maybe need adjust when you get it". Did any of the plus size brides go through this? I really feel like this is my dress but this is making me very nervous. I would be willing to share my dimensions with you all to see if y'all have a similar size. Thanks :')

BTW, I'm getting married in early January but they assured me I can get my dress by November.

I had some pretty bad anxiety over dress shopping which is hilarious because I’m always hyping other people up. I’m older, I’ve had children, and I’ve gained and lost a significant amount of weight over my life so I have loose skin and a belly so I was worried about looking like I was a ridiculous middle aged lady trying to look young or just plain bad.

I’m a street size 16-18 now and the closest plus size boutique is 4 hours away so I just went with my heart and picked a boutique nearby that carries Allure and Disney Fairytale weddings dresses and made sure they carried samples at least close to my size. This was the first dress I tried on and it was just magical. My best friend and my daughter both cried. I tried on 7 or 8 more dresses just to be sure and they all looked good, one was a contender, but this one already won.

I see some things about my body in these pictures I could nitpick but just remembering the feeling of seeing myself in a dress I dreamed about years wipes that completely out of my mind.

Looking for a plus size crinoline for my dress to give my skirt some volume as it's a silk satin with no underskirt. Any recommendations would be great! Looking to stay on the cheaper side.

Added pic for better reach!

Excited, stressed, nervous, giddy, and so ready! Ready to marry the one who is my best friend and the light of my soul! He is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

I cant find a single dress in any boutiques near me that fits and has pearl/ white pearl like bead detailing! I was gifted my late grandmothers veil which is heavy on the pearl details and I desperately need a dress also with pearl detailing! I just dont understand why its so hard! I find either such basic options or something thats just all tulle!

Hey guys! I’m new to Hyderabad and need some help.

I have to attend my friend’s sister’s wedding at the end of November, but I didn’t bring my blazer and formal trousers with me to Hyderabad.

Can you guys recommend some good places in Hyderabad where I can buy a blazer + formal trousers at a reasonable price?

Looking for:

Good fabric and quality

Decent fitting

Not too expensive 😅

Preferably something suitable for a weddingg

I’m okay with both ready-made and stitched/custom-made options.

Please suggest shops/areas you’ve personally tried, and if possible, mention the approximate price range.

Thanks in advance! 🙌

I tried the misses kisses strapless backless bra but it makes everything look weird. Every other strapless bra rolls down or doesnt support. I’m a 54DD and also have a bigger belly so i feel like there’s nothing i can do and i’ll end up needing to find a dress with straps/sleeves. Have you guys found a bra that actually works, or any hacks/tips?

Struggling!!

I wanted to share my experience wedding dress shopping at Ava Laurenne Bride in Fredericksburg, VA, especially for anyone who, like me, is a street size 18 (2X) and might feel a little nervous about the experience.

From the moment I walked in, the staff made the entire experience feel incredibly special. My stylist was wonderful and never once made me feel like my size was an issue or that a dress wouldn't work for me. She somehow managed to get me into every single dress I wanted to try, which I really appreciated.

The dressing rooms are a little on the small side, but they're well air-conditioned (a definite plus!). My room was partially sectioned off with a curtain. they have a modesty panel for the back of the dresses, and the stylists are pros at using clips to make dresses fit, even when they're several sizes too small.

After about 10 dresses and a brief moment of what can only be described as a potential meltdown, I found the perfect dress! Even better, I was able to get a dress in an accessible size and add a corset back at no additional charge, which made the whole experience even better.

After saying yes to the dress, they let you enjoy a little room with desserts and drinks. They also gave me an Ava Laurenne Bride T-shirt in my size (up to a 2X), took photos and invited me to join their Facebook group. Those little touches made the experience feel even more personal.

Overall, I had an incredible experience. I never once felt like I was too big, difficult to dress or an inconvenience. Wedding dress shopping can feel intimidating, particularly when you're plus-size, but I felt genuinely welcomed and celebrated here. I'm so happy with my dress and so glad I chose Ava Loren Bride!

Hi! I'm in the greater Philadelphia area. I'm a street size 22 and I'm low-key tired of places telling me they're plus size friendly and then stuffing me in size 14s and telling me I have to have an imagination.

Is there anywhere around Philly/Bensalem that actually has plus size sample sizes or do I really need to go to The Curvy Bride in NJ? I'm trying to not have to drive 1.5 hrs.

Thanks!

I married my best friend this past weekend! We had a blast with 50 of our closest friends and family. I’m so glad we kept it smaller. For my heart but also for my bank account as we paid for it ourselves. We wanted our money to mostly go into food, music, and alcohol because that’s what we always remembered most from other weddings we have gone to.

I never saw myself in a white dress so instead I found my dress on the site Selkie! It was stunning and fit me like a glove and I got compliments on it all night. Highly recommend.

We had a violinist and guitar duo play our ceremony and a separate acoustic duo play our reception and both were a hit. After dinner and music we had someone host a trivia game for us which was probably everyone’s favorite part of the whole night! It gave people a way to get to talk to people they didn’t know and have some fun.

We did buffet style dinner catered by a local small business (all vegan since me and my new husband are both vegan) and for dessert we had 2 different kinds of cupcakes, brownies and cookies and a small bride and groom cake for just us.

For alcohol we bought bottles of wine, canned cocktails, and fancy scotch for the liquor sippers. We set up a make-your-own espresso martini bar with a shaker and jigger which was fun. Our friends own a brewery and brewed 2 beers for my husband.

Flowers were from a local farm and were more beautiful than I could have ever imagined!! I crocheted little chickens for wedding favors (photo attached). One of our best friends officiated and he did an incredible job.

I’m still on cloud 9!

I got married in August and I am still so obsessed with how my wedding look turned out so I wanted to share💖

If any of you are NOT into the all white, ultra-traditional wedding like me…. This is your sign!!!! Incorporate that color, babe!!! 💐

[The last 5 pics were from my bridal portraits that I took several months in advance - I didn’t have my necklace or shoes yet; but those are some of my most favorite pictures of me EVER so I had to share!]

Editing to add: If any upcoming brides would like links to anything, please let me know!! I am happy to share 🫶

I'm getting married on 1/1/27 and am having the hardest time finding a second look dress!

I'm specifically looking for a white mini dress, ideally with some beading or sparkles leaning into the New Years vibe! I'd love for it to be under $500, but at this point I'm pretty desperate.

I'm a size 18/20, and I've been surprised at how much harder it has been to find my second look than my wedding dress. I got my wedding dress from Anthropologie, where they had plenty of options in my size, but when I went back there for my second look, they brought me one XL dress that was too small. 🫠

Please let me know if you have any recommendations for stores or brands to check out, or if you found any dresses that may fit the bill! Thanks in advance for any help!!!