Plus size wedding dress + shops in Essex

curlylou1986

Hey ladies,
Wondering whether any of you could help me please?
I am starting to think that i need to get some ideas on wedding dresses... have hardly looked really, and been having lots people telling me that its october now and i should get some sort of idea what i like.... 3 of the girls i know getting married next year in august already have their dresses!!

Problem is - i am not a slim size 12, am a wobbly 24 at the mo and i am really worried that i wont be able to find anything that fits in a shop to even try on. I dont know what sort of style i would like, i cant imagine wearing a bwedding dress...though i would like too as i would like to dress up pretty etc; (can work myself round in some right circles!!:eek:)
I do want to loose weight, and have issues with that as it is and not working (another story!) but i have stupidly said that i will go looking at wedding dresses this weekend with my mum and sister...I really do want to go, but i just dont know where to go where got chance of trying something on.

Does any one know of any wedding dress shops in Essex that stock proper plus sizes?
Appreciate any help in advance!!

seafarers_wife

no idea of shops in essex, but dont worry about being a plus size.

im a 24/26 in a classic pear shape, i went into a few shops and got treated like dirt because i wasnt a skinny minnie, yet still managed to find a number of dress shops in the county durham area that stocked plus sizes and was able to try on a number of dress in a variety of styles.

i started looking first at alfred angelo, most of their dresses go up to a size 32 and you are able to search stockists so you should be able to find somewhere, but then went for a dress by sincerity in style 7022 i think.

also when are you getting married? im getting married in march and ordered my dress at the end of august. if i loose weight they can take it in and getting bigger is just isnt an option wiht me :j

good luck for htis weekend and it wont be as bad as you think.

seafarers_wife

this is my dress
http://www.sinceritybridal.com/eu_en/sincerity-plus/4519.html

picklepick

Is there anywhere near you?
They have a sale on this weekend too...

http://www.bridalwearessex.co.uk/plus%20size%20wedding%20dresses.html

Says on the website that they have a large plus size selection to try

Stephb1986_2

Seafareres wife your dress is gorgeous!

I'm no where near essex but I'm sure the ladies on YAYW will be able to help heres a link to the BBB bit on the website http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/community/forums/topic/217

hth

Steph xx

Littlemadam83

Hi there!

I was just like you, and went to a few shops, there is one I will totally recommend and they are in Stamford Le Hope. I think it is called Celebrations or something? I am bigger than you, and I tried on about 5 or 6 dresses, and there was one I would have gone for if I hadn't gone with Landy.

There is another one I went to and that was in Brentwood. House of Couture again I think. They had a few, and they were beautiful, but more expensive. So depending on how money saving you are.....

We had a great time trying them on, and I didn't feel like a "fat bride" when they were talking to me.

Let me know how you get on and enjoy it!!!!

Jane81

Maybe you could phone a few shops in your area asking what size they stock up to - you'd also get an idea of their attitude to larger sized brides (from what I've heard most are lovely but I have heard of brides being treated appallingly) and if you have any doubts, you'll know to avoid!!

I think a lot of bridal shops ask you to book an appointment anyway so you could just drop in the dress size thing casually - not going down the bridal shop route myself so not entirely sure.

Good luck, let us know how it goes - with pictures if you choose something so we can have a nosey!!

Kildare

Definitely call in advance and book appointments if you're going on Saturday. All of the shops I went to were lovely but there were ladies who turned up without appointments and they were told they wouldn't be able to try anything on.

Plus Jane81 is right - you can ask them questions about sizes on the phone.

curlylou1986

Wow Seafearers wife - your dress is lovely!!! so pretty!:j

THankyou Pickle - thats not too far out really to go, if my internet starts working properly i will have a look on there!

Steph - thats fab, i will have a look on there too see what else i can find, didnt think about seeing on other forums.

LittleMadame, some one at work was actually talking about a shop in Stanford le hope (not for the plus size bit) but said it was really lovely and apparently dont need appointments.. will google search in a few mins to find out!
I have looked briefly at the House of Couture so i will have a look there as well online too.
as far as being MSE - i have all intention of getting dress online so wont be from a shop..not got a very high budget for my bits at all!

Jane, I know that the shops in colchester you have to book appointments for, so perhaps tomo lunch i will get on the phone and see what sort of thing they say/have - thats a good idea to phone and ask and get feeling of their attitudes.
I met some of the dress shop ladies from colchester at a weding fair and i didnt like some of them straight away.. very snobbish and 'perfect looking' if makes sense (hair/makeup/clothes) etc - their attitude wasnt right, it didnt make me feel comfy at all.

Thank you all so much for your help with this - am feeling a bit better about it already just from what you have all said. I am not the most confident person at best of times!!
And yes - if there are any i like i will try get name of them so can show you!! I am excited.. its just at the mo the nerves and worry are at about 70% lol. Which compared to the other day is a big improvement!

Littlemadam83

Definitely go to the Stanford Le Hope one then, and yes she is right, we called to book an appt and they said to turn up and this was on a Saturday! It is certainly not a posh shop, but was ace in terms of the variety for a plus size locally.

We travelled from Witham and was well worth it.

Also, looking at it now I wish I had ordered a dress from there or one I tried there and bought online, instead I went with Landy and although the dress was amazing I needed scaffolding LOL xxx

tartantotty

I am a size 20, and was really stressing about going wedding dress shopping last weekend, so much that I cried my self to sleep last friday night.

The first shop I went into, the dresses were all small, and I managed to get into them, but with huge expanses of bare skin trussed up in ribbon ties at the back. It wasnt as horrific as I thought, but I didnt feel great.

The 2nd shop, was so different, they had all sizes, some were even too big for me (a novelty!!). The ladies were lovely, and when I found THE dress, I felt amazing!!! They even suggested styles I wouldnt have thought of, that would flatter my shape, and in fact the dress I chose was one that I turned my nose up at initailly, but the owner told me to try it on anyway, and I was amazed!!! It was like a different world, and I didnt feel judged for having a jelly belly or bingo wings. If you choose the right shop, with the right staff, you will feel on top of the world, no matter what size you are!!:j:T