It was a bone-chilling day in NYC, but inside the studio was abuzz with lights,  cameras, wedding dresses, and the winners of our first Real Women, Real Brides photo shoot contest in partnership with Plus Model Magazine! The brides-to-be were styled in Sydney's Closet Signature Collection of plus size wedding gowns for a photo shoot dedicated to showing real women, real curves, real brides and real beauty. Being “True to Your Curves” was our manta – and it made for an amazing day! We had so much fun that we wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look at the real brides photo shoot and introduce our #ttyc brides.  The morning was a flurry of prep work: setting up camera equipment,unpacking dresses, and getting ready for our winners to arrive. Once the brides got to the studio it was off to hair and makeup while the Sydney’s Closet Fashion Team helped them find the perfect plus size wedding dress to wear.  Sydney's Closet designer Phyllis B. Librach, who created all of the gowns modeled, was on set to personally help fit and style our beautiful brides. Then it was all about finding the finishing touches to pull everything together. There were plenty of wedding shoes to play with, from satin pumps to strappy jeweled sandals. The jewelry table was stocked with bridal bijoux to complement each dress style. And don’t forget the bridal veils! It was a sea of white and sparkle as every bride got ready for her moment in front of the camera. The team from PLUS Model Magazine was on at the ready to make sure everything ran smoothly. Editor-in-Chief Maddy Jones and her crew were amazing; they have a great eye for plus size fashion and the expertise needed to make a day on set go off without a hitch. PMM model and contributor Tiffany Bank was on hand to help keep the energy level high and help with the styling of each shoot, along with stylist Meaghan O'Connor from Little Lime Dress. And our hair and makeup gurus worked their magic to turn every one of our contest winners into a beautiful bride.

But the first model in front of the cameras was our youngest one yet – our flower girl, Cailey! She was decked out in a floral applique dress with her own bouquet and mini flower crown. She twirled and hopped around on set as the photographer clicked away. And her smile was definitely infectious; you couldn’t help but grin as you watched her work her magic for the camera!  Thanks to Robin's Bridal in St. Louis, Missouri for supplying Cailey's oh-so adorable flower girl dresses.  

Next up were our Real Women, Real Brides photo shoot contest winners. It was so fun to get to know each girl as we helped create her look for the shoot. We tried to channel each of their personalities and unique senses of style, which helped us learn a lot about them as the day went on. They shared stories about how they met their fiancés, made their wedding plans, and got inspiration for their dream wedding dresses. And they tackled the tough issues, too, like dealing with a fashion industry that has been slow to accept plus size women and curvy fashion. These girls were honest and open – and fun! We shared so many laughs, stories and selfies that we want to share the love and keep the True to Your Curves conversation going. But first, here’s a quick intro to each of the winners and some of the highlights from their bridal photo shoots. Share your #ttyc moments with us and get ready for more coverage from our real brides photo shoot with PLUS Model Magazine, which will debut in the April 2015 issue. [gallery link="none" ids="7846,7865,7866,7867,7864,7860,7861,7862,7863,7859,7858,7857,7856,7855,7852,7850,7849,7848,7845,7847" orderby="rand"]