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After our September engagement, I was in no hurry to rush out and try on dresses. Now don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t have been more excited about finding “the one.” It was more the prospect of actually trying on the gowns that made me so hesitant.
As a plus size bride, it isn’t easy to find a bridal salon you can walk into and try on a dress that fits. Samples don’t generally run up into the 16s, 18s or 20s. The idea of having to purchase a dress without seeing what it really looked like on my body scared the crap out of me.
My mom came to the rescue and found Miss Pamela’s. Miss Pamela’s is a plus size bridal salon in Rochester, Indiana specializing in only plus size bridal and prom gowns. The salon carries brands such as Jasmine, Maggie Sottero, Allure, Mary’s and more. A 2.5 hour drive was no obstacle for the chance to walk into a salon and try on any dress I liked.
I had been tearing pictures of dresses out of magazines (maybe even before we were engaged) and there was definitely a strong theme and style of gown I was leaning towards.
Fannie via ImpressionBridal.com
I had torn this Impression gown out of three different magazines before I realized it was the same gown! This was definitely the dress to beat in my mind.
Cleo via MaggieSottero.com
Candice via MaggieSottero.com
All of the dresses I had torn out or bookmarked online had very similar features: wrapping and ruching around the waist and some sort of embellishment on the hip or waist. I also seemed to lean towards non-white gowns. I have pretty fair skin so I thought maybe a true white dress would wash me out. I also wanted my dress to match the season of our wedding so I wanted a softer color and wasn’t opposed to wearing a silver dress.
I was confident that I would wear something very similar to these gowns on my wedding day.
Did you have a clear idea of the style of dress you wanted before you went shopping? If you’re a plus size bride, will you brave bridal salons that don’t offer your sizes?
Yay! As an Indiana bride, I am super excited about your posts, and I especially love that you mentioned Miss Pamela’s!
I haven’t been there myself, but I have a good friend who bought her dress there, and she raved about it!
I have had weight issues my whole life, and though I lost enough weight in the past few years to not qualify for plus sizing, if I had gotten married 2 years ago, I would have.
I just feel like plus size ladies are grossly underserved in the bridal industry, so I love that there’s a place they can go where it’s all about them and their needs 
You so described me. I too am looking for “wrapping and ruching around the waist and some sort of embellishment on the hip or waist. I also seemed to lean towards non-white gowns.” I am looking for an icy blue or silver gown. I had no idea what I was looking for when I started the hunt. All the gowns I loved in pics looked awful on me and the dresses I never thought I would like I loved on me. lol I have braved stores that don’t carry much in my size but have fallen in love with one particular store. Everything was my size!!!!
@tinylittlebird: Yeah for a fellow Hoosier! I had no idea plus size salons even existed so I’m really happy to try and spread the word.
I love the dresses you have picked out. Good start. The only requirement I had for my wedding dress was that I have something that hides my hips!! Although I don’t think I am a plus size girl, I hate me hips and was so worried that no sample size dresses would fit me. So I understand the anxiety!
That Cleo dress is beautiful! But I am a sucker for flower embellishments, so romantic! For my dress I knew I wanted organza and something slightly fitted through the waist. My problem was I also love fuller ball gowns. I finally added a crinoline to my dress a couple weeks ago and it melded the 2 styles perfectly…I will just be hot as hell wearing all those layers! That’s the price we pay for beauty, haha!
I knew the moment that I saw a picture of an Alfred Angelo dress that I knew which one I wanted to look at. I went on the website found they had plus size dresses and then found the closest store I could. I went and ened up trying on another dress similar to my first one that was a VERY large size and knew right away it was my dress…and it wasn’t even my first pick! LOL’
I have found a few stores that have plus size dresses. It’s a blessing b/c you are right when you have to go try on, it stinks when you can’t fit into the other skinny size 10 sample dresses. My advice, look up on the websites for the stores and call in advance to see if they carry plus size dresses…will save you the heartache and the stress of shopping and most of all the disappointments.
Love that gown! And ruching is awesome for curvy ladies.
I was too embarassed to ring around and ask salons if they had plus sized samples, but I lucked out and the first store I went into had samples up to a size 32! Obviously, not for every gown, but enough in different styles that I could pin down exactly what I was after.
I tried on about eight (NZ) size 20 dresses, until the assistant said “I have one that sounds exactly like what you’re asking for, but only in a 16. Are you willing to try it on, even if it won’t fit properly?” So I squeezed into that bad boy (actually, it almost fit - just a bit tight) and it was PERFECT! It was an Alfred Angelo Sapphire style 849. 
So I put down a deposit on that without even going to another store - the possibility of only having (NZ) size 10 samples to look at was too distressing to contemplate.
Oooh, a silver dress would be so perfect for your wedding, I can’t wait to see what you chose!
what a dress!! you look so gorgious. i like your wedding dress because the design is amazing.
Cleo is my dress! It’s absolutely beautiful on and the ruching is so flattering. Yay for dress shopping!
I love the idea of a silver dress for a NYE wedding. Can’t wait to see what you found!
Surprisingly, I wasn’t too worried about trying on dresses as a plus-sized bride. I went to three salons before I found my dress and I didn’t have any issues (I typically wear a size 18/20). One shop definitely had way less options than the others, but I was still able to try some on. Thankfully, all three shop attendents were really nice and helpful about finding dresses that flatter.
I bookmarked the Cleo too, as well as many similiar rouched dresses. Of course I ended up with something so far off from what I imagined. Can’t wait to see what you picked!
I’m so glad you were able to find a bridal salon with so many options of dresses to try on! You have picked out some beautiful styles.
This is a good fine. There are shop’s like “Miss Pamela” that are usually know through word of mouth. I do referral marketing myself where I have my customers spread the word about my shop.
These dresses screams NYE!! I’m behind on my reading, so I’m trying not to skip ahead to see if you ended up with one of these.
The series shows the progress of individual sales associates, managers, and fitters at the store, along with profiling brides as they search for the perfect wedding dress.
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Mrs. Sunhat, Dyer, IN Age and Occupation: 32, Tax Accountant Fiance's Age and Occupation: 35, Landscape Foreman Engagement Date: September 25, 2010 Wedding Date: December 2011 Venues: St. Andrew the Apostle, Fiesta Palace About Me: I'm a Midwest girl who grew up in the country and now works in the big city! I love cooking, entertaining, reading (addicted to my Kindle) and going to the movies. I don't miss an episode of Hoarders and I start cleaning every time I watch! My profession doesn't call for much creativity so wedding planning has been a great outlet. Mr. Sunhat and I met online three years ago, cheer for rival MLB teams and share a home with our dog, Wrigley. We are planning a traditional, Polish, Catholic wedding with lots of DIY elements and some fun surprises. I'm so excited to be married on New Year's Eve and we can't wait to ring in the new year as husband and wife!
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