The date is set for your big day and now comes the next most important thing…finding the dress! There are always mixed emotions when it comes to wedding dress shopping and it can be overwhelming, but shopping for plus-size dresses can seem even more nerve wracking. In the past and even now, we hear horror stories of brides walking into a shop who are looked up and down and told ‘We don’t have anything here for you’. Utterly heartbreaking and definitely not how your search of finding ‘the one’ should go.
Stores that have limited styles and sizes and bridal consultants simply don’t understand your needs and wants. At Birdcage Bridal Boutique, we have a wide selection of dresses in sizes between a UK4 and UK30. We are ready to cater for absolutely anyone who walks through our door, they are gorgeous and amazing the way they are.
At Birdcage Bridal Boutique, we stock an absolutely stunning range of size 18+ dresses across both of our stores. Plenty of different styles and shapes to choose from.
Here’s a few tips and hints that should put your mind at rest before you go wedding dress shopping. You should walk away knowing you’ve ordered a gown that you can’t wait to wear again.
Do your research
To avoid disappointment, before you book your appointment, you can call a shop or look online to see what sizes they stock. It can be heartbreaking to find your favourite dress but in a smaller size that you can’t try on, so doing this gives you the opportunity to find a store that does meet your needs.
Labels don’t matter
Sometimes when you usually wear a size 20 you might find yourself in sizes 22 or 24 when trying wedding dresses on. It can be disheartening but most bridal designers create the dresses in such a way that they come up around a size or two smaller than high street shops. Don’t worry about the size on the label, focus on how you feel wearing the dress and remember that no one else will know what size you got. It’s just a number
Be open minded
It’s not unusual for a bride to arrive at an appointment with a clear image in your head of what you want. This may be from photos you’ve seen online, advice from family or even outfits you normally go for. It’s important to keep an open mind and try on a little bit of everything. Trust your bridal consultant, even when she pulls out a wild card that might be a little bit different to anything else. Remember, nothing looks better on a hanger, so definitely try different things on.
Don’t forget about alterations
If you’ve fallen head over heels with a dress but there are a few minor changes it needs, then go for it. We have 5 dedicated seamstresses across both of our shops that we recommend and changes can happen to that perfect dress to make it even more perfect. Things like changing a neckline that might be too low, or tightening the straps are easy enough to do. Work with our seamstresses to perfect those little details and it will help you feel extra special on your big day.
Buy the right size
Some brides are tempted to order a smaller sized wedding dress in the hope it will motivate them to lose weight before the wedding. This can work sometimes but it also isn’t good to put too much pressure on yourself. It is best to buy your wedding dress for the size you are currently, then if needs be it can be altered to be made smaller.
Have fun!
Most importantly, you need to have fun! Although it can be nerve wracking, you should try and have as much fun as possible. You’re finding THE DRESS you’re going to say ‘I DO’ to the person of your dreams in. Enjoy every moment.
