Wedding Plus Size

With a firm strapless bra or corset, this style can show off your sexy shoulders. If you have bigger upper arms and still want to wear a strapless dress, you can always wear a bolero /shrug type top over it, or just wear a wrap draped over your shoulders and upper arms. Anything is possible with a little thought !!
A strapless gown can be very flattering as they usually have a tight corset shaped bodice which pulls everything in and nips you in at the waist.

If you prefer something with sleeves, you can choose long sleeves, short sleeves, 3/4 sleeves or even a style which has a jacket over the top giving the impression of sleeves.
The sleeves can be thick or thin, long or short. Lace sleeves give a real fairytale look to your plus size gown.

Particularly flattering for the larger bride with a bigger bust is the halter-neck style. Drawing the eyes to the shoulders takes the attention away from the bust.
Halter-neck dresses with an empire-line body are particularly flattering and can hide the tum !

Not everyone wants a full length dress. You maybe looking for more of a cocktail dress, maybe to the knee or just below. It is not a rule that you have to have a full length flowing gown.
There are lots of shorter styles to choose from and if you have great legs, why hide them !! Show them off !!

Who says that your wedding dress has to be white, cream or even ivory ? You may be wanting something with in a bright color to match your outgoing personality. Tradition says you get married in white or cream, but there are girls out there who have got married in red or even black !! The choice is yours.

If you are a voluptuous woman and wants to hide her arms, you can still wear a strapless dress with a wrap. This can be draped over the arms but still shows off your sexy shoulders. It could be a matching fabric, lace or even voile. The idea is not to add to the dress but to gently cover over those bits most of us want to hide !

Obviously if you are planning to buy a plus size gown on the internet, you want to get the right size. But how do you know it is going to fit you ? The best thing to do is check out the websites size chart which will give the measurements of the dress or the body measurements they expect it to fit. Then take a tape measure and take your own measurements. This you can do yourself or get a friend, your best friend, your mum or even your husband-to-be, to give you a hand.

First step once you have a tape measure and a friend is to wear good underwear. This doesn't have to be the underwear to plan to wear under your dress, but good pants and bra which hold you firmly in th right places.

Measurement 1 - Bust
This should be taken around the biggest part of your bust, keeping the tape measure horizontal all the way round you. Do not take the measurements tight. Doesn't matter to anyone what the actual tape says, it all about your dress. If you pull it tight to make the measurement your dress is going to be tight !

Measurement 2 - Waist
This is taken around your natural waistline. Not pulling the tape tight, but keeping it comfortable.

Measurement 3 - Hips
This should be taken 8-10" below the waistline. This should give you the widest part of your hips. Keep the tape measure level around your body, don't let it dip down or up at the front or back.

Measurement 4 - Length
The overall length of your dress needs to be checked. It can nearly always be shortened but it will be very difficult to get it lengthened, so this measurement needs to checked. Take the tape from the nape of the neck - this is the bone at the base of the back of your neck at the back (you really need a friend to help for this one) Then take the measurement from the nape to the floor. Remember have an idea of how high your shoes may be. Are you planning on wearing the 3" heels all day or are you planning on a flat ballet pump ?

Measurement 5 - Body Length
it may be an idea to take your body length, especially if you are planning on a fitted bodice. Some bigger ladies, especially the taller ladies, find that they are long in the body, so this measurement will be worth checking. Take the measurement, as with the length, from the nape of the neck at the back but this time only to the waistline.

Right we have the measurements. Now before you order a dress or choose the size, check your measurements against the websites size chart. Remember to check if the chart is body measurement or dress measurement.