Wedding dresses for larger sizes

Buying and choosing a wedding outfit, if you're over a size 14, isn't much always a heap of fun. So how can you make the experience more enjoyable?

If you are on the more generous side, buying clothes can be a nightmare. Everyone over a size 14 has tales to tell of trying to squeeze into something too small in full, embarrassing view of a communal changing room full of size eight skinniest, or of shops simply not stocking clothes in their size at all. So the thought of buying a wedding dress fills many bigger women with dread.

If getting ordinary, fun-to-wear clothes is humiliating if not impossible, buying the dress of your dreams is bound to be even more of an ordeal, isn't it?

Good news, bad news

The good news is that, when it comes to wedding dresses, a wider variety of larger sizes is available than you'd get in ordinary trendy gear. Manufacturers seem to feel (mistakenly) that curvier women can do without a pair of jeans or a sparkly top, but that girls of all shapes and sizes need wedding dresses.

The bad news is that, because of space, bridal shops don't have a full range of stock in every size. They carry samples on which orders are based and these come in a limited range of sizes - sometimes stopping at size 12! This means that, even though you can order a dress in a larger size, if you can't fit into the sample in stock, it's impossible to tell exactly what different styles will look like. For some, this turns the search for the dress of their dreams into a thoroughly depressing experience.

'Bigger people find it harder. They have less choice,' says Jane Freshwater of London's Mirror Mirror, which supplied Zoe Ball's wedding dress. 'Some bigger girls get quite depressed about not finding anything to fit. It's hard for the client to tell if the dress will suit them. They can feel insulted if you haven't got anything - people get quite upset if they can't get into a dress.'

The dress of your dreams

However, being curvaceous doesn't mean you can't get the dress of your dreams - and look fantastic in it too. 'We're very flexible and can provide a dress in any size,' says Jane. 'Just because you are big doesn't mean you can't wear a beautiful dress and look beautiful in it.'

Berketex Brides offers the full range of dresses up to a size 18, and in some cases, to a size 22. They keep a variety of sample sizes and will get ones from other branches if necessary. The company has also recently launched an Over 18 Collection, which is available up to size 28. At other stores, such as Harrods (sample size 12) and Selfridges, women above a size 18 will have to avail themselves of the made-to-measure services, as ready-to-wear dresses don't go above this size. Obviously, made-to-measure dresses take longer, so leave yourself plenty of time.

Planning ahead

To take the sting out of looking for a dress, do a bit of research beforehand. Call the stores in advance, find out exactly what is available to try on and whether the store does alterations once the dress has been ordered. Remember that samples act as rough guides - often stores have ways of fitting them around you so that you can get an idea of how the dress will look.

Knowing exactly what you want obviously helps when you are looking for a dress - if you're sure a particular style will suit you, you won't have to struggle into a sample, so take a good look around. You could try Confetti's dress search to get ideas. Start by thinking about what styles usually suit you and work from there. Keep an open mind and try on dresses at stores with larger sample sizes. You don't have to buy everything you try on.

Getting personal

You won't have to negotiate communal changing rooms in a bridal wear shop, and most provide a more personal style of service which should help you feel more confident. If you are having your dress made to measure, try to have confidence in the person making it. Remember, they have experience of making dresses in a variety of sizes and will have a good idea of what will suit you.

Style guide

There's no particular style that suits any particular size - it really will depend on your proportions. 'You can't tell anyone what they have to wear,' says Vivian. A completely straight dress, however, is unlikely to be flattering if you are very curvy, unless you're fortunate enough to have a very flat stomach. Avoid puffs and gathers too. Princess lines and 'A' lines always look good and silks and satins are preferable to very body-hugging material.

'Lines are much cleaner now, and the big girl looks better in a simple, uncluttered line,' says Jane. 'We use Basques to give more waist definition.'

The dress that fits

But the fact that you can buy a dress in your size doesn't mean that many women who are on the larger side are happy with it. Every bride-to-be has an image of how they want to look on their wedding day, and being bigger simply may not fit in with your picture of yourself as a bride. That's why many brides-to-be embark on that time honored wedding tradition - the diet.

If you're intending to slim down for your wedding, be realistic about what you can achieve. There isn't any point in ordering a size 12 dresses for your wedding in a month's time if you're a size 18. Trying to squeeze into a too-tight dress is also a mistake. Brides have to do an awful lot of moving around and wearing something uncomfortable really will spoil your day.

And before you diet, remember that everyone is self-conscious when trying on dresses, regardless of their size. No one has the perfect body, but rest assured: it IS possible to find the perfect dress, no matter what shape you are in.