It is every woman’s dream to look her best on her wedding day. Most women spend months looking for the perfect wedding gown but, if you wear a size over 14, if you are curvy, or overweight, the task of looking for the perfect wedding gown can easily transform into a nightmare. You look into wedding magazines and bridal shops and all you see are slim models wearing dream dresses. What about some “real shape” brides? Surely not all brides fit into a size 12 or under dress, and surely not all brides feel like starving themselves before their big day. So what to do? Where to look?

Here you will find some tips on how to choose the best wedding dress for your shape, some places where you can buy them or order them made to measure and lots of photos to bring inspiration for your dream dress.

• Start your search as early as possible. The more time you have to look for your dress, the less stressed for time that you will be.
• Instead of checking on wedding magazines, check on professional photographer’s portfolios. They do have photos of brides of all shapes with all types of dresses so you can have a better idea of what would suit your shape.
• Do not buy a dress in the hope that you will lose weight. That will only stress you and ruin the fun of preparing for your wedding day.
• Try your wedding dress with the underwear that you are going to wear on the day. A made to measure corset can make a dramatic difference to your shape. Having said that, do not try anything too drastic. If you are not used to wearing a corset then shrinking your waist 2 inches is acceptable but squeezing yourself to make your waist 6 inches smaller can end up with you bruising or even fainting during the wedding ceremony.
• When you try your dress don’t just try it standing up in front of a mirror try also to sit down with it to check that it is both comfortable when sitting and does not bulge in an unsightly way. Can you move properly? Can you dance with your dress? Does it look nice from the back?
• Informal wedding dresses look wonderful in plus size women. They are simpler in style, fabric and detail than traditional wedding gowns. They are perfect for garden and beach weddings, although they can also be worn for more formal ceremonies.
• You might also want to consider wearing a less harsh coloured wedding dress. An all white dress in a full figured woman is not always flattering. You might want to consider a combination of colours like the Scottish tartan wedding dresses, or “medieval combinations”. If you prefer a more traditional look, you can always try shades of cream and ivory instead of a stark white.

At curvety.com dresses are custom made to your measurements ensuring the perfect fit. Made to measure means you can have your perfect dress whatever your clothes size and with the perfect fit comes perfect accentuation of your glorious curves.

If you have thick chubby arms, or if you have lost lots of weight and your arms are saggy, it is preferable to choose a dress with sleeves. There are plenty of lovely long sleeved wedding gowns that will help disguise thick arms. Loose sleeves made in flowing transparent material would be perfect.

• If you don’t want to wear long sleeves or if you are getting married in the height of summer and want to wear a sleeveless dress, the best option is to wear a cover up over your arms. You can still wear even a strapless dress if you team it up with a lace shawl over your shoulders. It will look classy and will disguise your problem area without making you overly hot.

• A 3/4 sleeve lace bolero can also be a good cover up for saggy arms. Just make sure that the sleeves are not tight and the bolero does not have extra decorations such as sequin, embroidered pearls, plumes or stones. A simple cut bolero is better to draw attention away from your arms.

• Avoid spaghetti straps. A strapless dress or a thick strapped dress is much better to disguise thick arms.

• Avoid very large pouf sleeves extending from shoulder to elbow.

• Avoid very short fitted sleeves that just cover the shoulders.

Problem area: A big bust

• If you are heavy at the bust a plunging neckline will ease your silhouette.
• Wedding gowns that are simple, without a lot of frills, decorations and extra fluff, on the top area, are often good choices.
• Make sure you have the support you need under your wedding gown by wearing the right undergarments.
• Avoid shiny fabrics on the top of your dress.

Problem area: Tummy

• Empire style dresses are perfect to disguise a bulging tummy. The waist just skims over your tummy area and the slim skirt elongates your silhouette.
• A-line dresses are also very flattering if you do not have a small waist.
• Avoid dresses that are too tight or figure hugging.

Problem area: Hips

• If you are heavy at the hips but with a small waist, a full skirt might disguise your hips and enhance your small waist.

• If you have a slim top you can benefit from wearing a Princess style dress. Enhance your top slim part and disguise your heavy bottom part with a full skirt.

• Mermaid style dresses can also work for your shape if you are curvy as in an “hourglass shape” and not too heavy on the hips.

Problem: Height

• If you are under 1.60m. and overweight you might want to consider wearing a short dress. You can choose different lengths to flatter your size, anything from under the knee to a ballerina ankle length dress.

• Wearing a short wedding dress does not mean that you cannot wear a long train to elongate your silhouette and wedding dress.

The Bara Luxe collection offers full figure & plus size couture bridal gowns/dresses, elegant, romantic, glamorous and sophisticated.

BARA LUXE is a couture bridal collection that designs for the consumer who is size 16 and up. They offer the freedom to walk into a bridal boutique and try on the dress of your dreams that has been specifically made to complement your style.

Their wedding dresses  are sophisticated, sexy and affordable. BARA LUXE presents a collection that is fashionable, sexy and glamorous. The bride who is size 16 or 28 can now wear the one shoulder, strapless, scoop neck or halter styles that have graced some of the most elegant red carpet events.