Plus Size Brides -- You CAN Find a Wonderful Wedding Gown!

For many women, the idea of being a size 4 or a size 6 on their wedding day is completely misguided. Even the notion of trying to squeeze into a size 10 or 12 is impossible for some. Let's face it-most women are at least a few pounds overweight, and many women have quite a lot of extra pounds on them.

In fact, according to the National Center for Health Statistics (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm), more than half of all women are overweight. Their statistics (taken from data from between the years of 2001 and 2004) say that of women ages 20-34, more than 51% can be considered overweight. For women in the next age bracket, ages 35-44, the percentage is even higher-it jumps up to about 60%.

Now, think about what that means for a moment. Most women end up getting married between the ages of 20 and 44, right? So we can look at these percentages and conclude that probably around half (or more) of the women who are currently planning their weddings are overweight.

I'm not saying that women shouldn't try to lose weight. I am not saying that every woman should just throw in the towel, forget about trying to become healthy, and just plan to wear a plus size wedding dress. Some women will be able to shed their extra weight during their engagement, meaning they will be able to wear a standard sized dress at their wedding. But, for some women, this task is insurmountable. Sure, these woman may try, and they may lose a good deal of weight-but, if a woman is significantly overweight to begin with (or even obese, though I despise that word), she will be unlikely to drop all of her excess pounds that quickly. That wouldn't be healthy, anyway-weight loss should be slow and steady.

The best plan for an overweight bride is to first take an honest look at the scale and at the size that she currently wears. If she is only slightly or moderately overweight (say, 30 pounds or less over her ideal weight), she then needs to decide if she is going to try to lose that weight before her wedding day. Some brides aren't worried about their weight at their wedding, and they may opt to search for a gown in their current size. Others may try to find a meal plan or diet to follow in order to drop the pounds.

If, on the other hand, the bride is more significantly overweight, she needs to come to terms with reality. It is likely that she may not be able to lose all of her excess weight before the wedding. So, she needs to decide if now is the time to try to lose some weight (maybe she will think losing some is better than losing none) or if she would rather focus on her wedding planning and enjoying the experience. After all, she can always change her dietary habits after she gets married, right?

So how can a bride find a beautiful wedding gown if she is overweight? Are there any plus size shops where she can locate her perfect dress? Yes, of course there are! A happy bride shouldn't let her size stand in her way of finding the dress of her dreams, and thankfully she doesn't have to. This may have been a difficult proposition many years ago, but with the availability of internet shopping, there are many stores at which a plus size gal can hunt for a wedding gown. Here are my top three places to try:

Plus Size Bridal http://www.plussizebridal.com/

This online store is exactly what the name suggests-a store devoted entirely toward plus size women who are searching for bridal fashions. They carry wedding gowns up to a size 32, and they have dozens of styles. They can even make dresses to order if the bride needs a size larger than a 32. The dresses on this site are absolutely stunning, and the prices are very reasonable. Plus Size Bridal also carries bridal accessories, such as veils and trains, and they also have specialty bras and body shapers. Brides can also shop for the other members of their bridal party here-there are many styles of bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dresses, and mother-of-the-bride dresses.

David's Bridal http://www.davidsbridal.com/index.jsp

This is an online store, or you can locate a nearby brick-and-mortar store from which to shop. David's Bridal has a special line of plus size wedding gowns, David's Bridal Woman. These dresses come in sizes 14 to 26. They have quite a lot of dresses, all of which are beautiful. A bride can shop for her bridal party here, too-there are dresses for bridesmaids, junior bridesmaids, and more. Prices are fair, and with each dress choice the site offers accessory choices that would complement the dress.One thing that makes David's Bridal stand out is that they offer coordinating tuxedos and accessories for the groom, the groomsmen, and the ring bearer.

Sydney's Closet http://www.sydneyscloset.com/asp/category.asp?categoryid=75

This site carries gorgeous wedding gowns up to a size 44. They also have dresses that are specially made for tall women. What makes Sydney's Closet stand out from the other two bridal shops is that they offer a good selection of informal wedding dresses-these dresses would be perfect for a beach or outside wedding where a formal gown would be too much. You can also find dresses for lots of other occasions on this site, like the perfect little black dress or an amazing cocktail dress for a night out on the town. That makes this site very useful for plus size women long after the wedding is over. Sydney's Closet is relatively inexpensive as well.

So, plus size brides needn't lose hope-there are dozens of dresses at each of these sites that are just exquisite! The gowns are flattering as well, with beading and gathering and lace in all the right places to emphasize a woman's curves. Any woman would be happy with a wedding dress from one of these sites.

It isn't always easy to face the harsh truth of the scale, especially for significantly overweight women who wish they could get skinny in time for their wedding day. Hopefully this article has shown that, while women should certainly be concerned about their health, worry about losing weight just for the wedding isn't necessarily the best goal. The best goal is to find a beautiful wedding gown and to enjoy the wedding-regardless of what the scale says.