The wedding dress is one of the most important aspects of your special day, and with so many options and styles available, the process can be overwhelming. For plus-size brides to be, it is even more challenging to find the perfect wedding dress as most bridal stores only carry gown samples in standard sizes. At Cocomelody, we understand and embrace the fact that brides come in all shapes and sizes, and we believe that no one should settle for anything but their dream dress. We want to help make your plus-size wedding dress shopping a stress-free and enjoyable experience, so we have created this guide to share some of our expert tips and advice.
Know your budget
Plus-size dresses are more expensive as they require more material and embellishment, so it is important to determine your budget before even looking at dresses. You want to avoid falling in love with gowns that are out of your budget range and end up being disappointed with others dresses you try on. If you do end up liking a gown that is outside your price range, you could ask the designer to lessen the embellishment on the dress or if it could be made in a less expensive fabric.
Research early
We recommend that you start looking for your dress at least six months before the wedding. This is because you need to allow time for alterations, and it’s more ideal to look sooner than later, so you get a better idea on what styles you like and what suits you.
Understand bridal sizing
Be prepared to try on wedding dresses a few sizes up than your normal clothing size. Wedding dress sizes tend to run small since most bridal brands still use the same sizing specs from decades ago, specifically designed for body types at the time. Sizing has changed drastically over the decades, and while most ready-to-wear sizes have adapted to today’s change in body types, bridal brands have not.
Undergarments are important
When you have your dress fitting, we recommend that you wear the undergarments that you plan to wear on your wedding day, especially if you decide to wear shapewear as it can instantly change the way your body looks.
Bring a trustworthy shopping buddy
Finding the perfect wedding dress can be very confusing, so decide beforehand if you want to look alone or bring a bridesmaid or someone special along. Try to avoid going with a big group since it’s likely that they’ll have different opinions on which dress looks best on you, which will make the whole process more stressful.
