The Perils of the Plus Size Bride

I am sorry, you’re not a (runway model), we don’t have any gowns that will fit you.

You can hold it up to yourself and “imagine” what it will look like on you.

Just pick out one from these pictures and we will take your measurements and order it for you.

You might want to lose some weight and come back.

If you lose X pounds, you will fit perfectly in a size X.

Our designers size charts don’t accommodate your size.

The list goes on and on from all the stories we have heard from our brides over the past few years. No one should ever tell you to buy a gown you can’t try on! Beyond that you should be able to have the same experiences that a size 6 can have. (I didn’t say size 0 because oddly enough, they struggle in buying a gown for the opposite reasons. The grass always looks greener but most of the time its not.)

A few years ago, we held a trunk show from a certain unnamed designer (you know who you are!) and they sent all the gowns in a size 6 (read: size 2). WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Who is a size 2? Ok, besides a size 2, who is a size 2??? We were so frustrated and embarrassed. A bride will never buy a gown that she cannot try on. We wouldn’t and don’t expect you to! So, we wrote a letter, a very long letter, with national statistics and everything explaining why this was just wrong. The response? We’re still waiting on one. So, we refused to take any trunk shows under a size 10 from then on. Problem solved! Not really.

Baltimore - Blue by Enzoani

Two years ago we had the pleasure of our sister getting married! How exciting! Except one thing, she is a plus size bride (not that we don’t love her – we just knew that gown shopping was going to be a struggle). So, against every moral fiber in my body, I went with her to “that” store to try on gowns. I will try not to get off on a tangent here……..The experience was HORRID! I could barely contain myself. We sat down, they took her information (to inundate her with email, mail, and phone calls) then they handed her a book and said, circle the ones you like and we’ll see what we have. So she picked out a few and we were taken to a dressing room aka mirror aka closet. They brought her some undergarments (ick, ick ick – who has worn these? Have they been washed?) and then brought in a few gowns and set us free. Uh, ok. Good thing I’ve done this before (no wonder gowns get damaged!). So I get her into the first gown and we head out to the “the entire world is a stage” mirrors (it looks like a fun house!). She tells us what she likes and what she doesn’t. At this point the “consultant” happens to walk by and says “here, let’s try a veil and see if that helps”. WHAT!!!!! She just said she didn’t like the dress. How In the World is a veil going to change that? (insert eye roll and tongue biting). So we go through the next few gowns, and I go pull some for her from the plastic bag wonder world. She determines what she likes and we leave (begin phone calls and emails). We went back to our store to pick something out from our selections to order for her. Unfortunately, due to a quick military deployment, we had to go another route. However, this adventure taught us one thing. There is a much underserved market out there and this has to stop. NOW! So, we sat down, ordered some gowns in alternative sizes and began “The Reserve”. A collection for the plus size bride which is our top selling gowns in the store, in larger sizes.

Marguerite - Wtoo by Watters

Since we have done this, we have heard some horrific stories from our brides about how they have been treated and what they been told. We have heard comments at bridal shows we would rather not repeat. We make sure that we have multiple plus size models in our runway shows displaying as many dresses as we can, in lieu of the single “token” plus size model. It is our mission to change the face of bridal in regards to the service and treatment of the plus-size bride. We are also pushing our designers to design and carry plus size gowns and applaud the one that actually has a plus size trunk show (Gorgeous with Curves).

We are not trying to pat ourselves on the back for doing this; we are trying to bring awareness to an antiquated industry that changes need to be made. It’s just not fair and we are proving our point to the designers, one dress at a time. If you or someone you know has a similar experience, please let us know. We would love to pass your letters onto each of our designers to help make a change.