Where to Find the Plus-Size Wedding Dress of Your Dreams — for Every Style and Budget
Like most imaginative little girls, I often played dress-up and fantasized about my future fairy-tale wedding with the beautiful gown to match. As a fashion-obsessed bride-to-be, it was only natural that the moment after my fiancé proposed to me last February, I instantly started patrolling my dress options for the occasion.
At a size 16/18, I knew that my wedding dress experience, like just about all of my past important fashion moments, was not going to be like everyone else’s. Finding any fashionable and fitting piece of clothing for a curvy frame can be extremely stressful, let alone for THE biggest day of your life. Not only do the larger dresses carry a bigger price tag and have less variety in style, most stores do not even carry plus-size samples to try on for fit.
Having just witnessed the latest wedding dress collections from bridal fashion week in NYC, I am happy to report that plus-size women have more access to bridal wear than ever. High-end designers like Zac Posen and Christian Siriano are continuing to make curvy bridal options, and major-occasion retailers like David’s Bridal have hundreds of click-to-buy wedding dresses available 24/7. Fast-fashion brand ASOS even released an affordable Curve bridal wear line. I don’t know about you, but in my search for the perfect dress, I need options!
On the search for that perfect wedding dress in a plus size? Have no fear! Keep reading for my top four sites where you can find your dream wedding dress at every budget and style.
David’s Bridal is my top pick because it is super-budget-friendly, offers a strong assortment of styles, and is the most accessible of the bunch. With a huge online presence, the store also offers 300 brick-and-mortar locations that conveniently offer an assortment of plus-size samples for try on. I mean, anyplace you can score a Truly Zac Posen dress over a size 18 for a thousand dollars is a home run to me!
Size range: 16-26W; price range: $160-$2,000.
Kleinfeld is perfect for those looking for a more traditional wedding dress experience (think classic Cinderella gowns). With a price point of $1,000 and up, the store is known for offering the largest amount of plus-size bridal gowns in the country. It even houses the plus-size lines of top occasion designers, such as Christian Siriano and Badgley Mischka.
Size range: 16-32; price range: $1,000+
Stone Fox Bride is for the vintage-loving bohemian at heart. Last year the traditionally straight-size brand wanted to start offering a plus-size range and reached out to curvy e-tailer Eloquii to help in the process. Together they made a six-dress collection of whimsical, high-end bridal gowns that are both chic and comfortable.
Size range: 16-24; price range: $2,000-$6,800.
Located in NYC, the Cotton Bride is perfect for those looking for a made-to-order dress from a brand specializing in wearability. It’s a design-based studio that lets the bride play an important role in the design and styling of her gown. Using only natural fabrics like cotton, linen, and silk, this brand is for lovers of simplicity mixed with beauty.
Size range: Made-to-measure; price Range: $1,800-$4,200.
For more style inspiration, follow me on Instagram @margieplus and on my style blog margieplus.com!
