Shopping online for plus-size wedding dresses can easily overwhelm even the most confident and cool bride. With an apparently endless selection of gowns, finding the dress of your dreams on the web can seem impossible and certainly nerve racking. But it need not be that way.

Stay calm and follow these tips for stress free and successful shopping on the Internet for your dream bridal gown.   You can say “yes” to a dress purchased online!

Browsing Online Collections

Set a deadline. There isn’t enough time before you get married to browse endlessly on the Internet.  

Don’t wait until your wedding is a few months or weeks away. With that little time before you tie the knot, your options get fewer. Best to start browsing a year in advance.  

Be prepared!  You are going to find more choices than you ever thought possible of everything from a pre-owned gown to an off-the rack dress to a custom-made couture design.

Create a pinterest board or a file folder on your computer to keep track of the dresses you like so you can go back to those pages. Device a system that works easily for you.

 

Be A Size Wise Bride

Shopping alert!  Take your measurements or have a friend or professional do it for you. Then check Sydney's Closet size chart online to find the fit that comes closest to the proportions of your body.  Never assume your size!

Don’t fall in love with a dress only to learn:

• It is not available in the range of plus sizes that fit your body. Filter by size as you search. 
  
  
• Always buy a size that fits your today, not one that forces you to shed pounds to zip on your wedding day. Bridal gowns can always be taken in. But letting out seams can be risky and expensive even for experienced tailors and seamstresses.
  
  
• Don’t worry if the match isn’t perfect.  That’s what alterations are made to do. Line up a talented tailor or dressmaker to ensure you get the perfect fit on your wedding day.

Wedding gowns notoriously run small so please, don’t sweat the size.  It’s just a number on a label sewn into the gown. What really matters is that you find a gown that fits ad flatters your curvy figure.

Set a Budget

Are you a cash-strapped bridge tying the knot on a strict budget.  Rent a wedding gown or buying a resale of one that was gently worn and loved is affordable and very trendy.  

Want a new dress that has never been worn before? Sample sales and discontinued styles often offer you deep discounts on one-of-kind styles. 

Planning to elope? An off the rack dress works.

When calculating cost for your dress, be sure to add in:

• Shipping changes to you
  
  
• Return shipping to website
  
  
• Restocking fees, if any
  
  
• And don’t forget customs tax and duties if your gown is shipping from the USA to Canada. 

Challenges

Wedding dress shopping online poses challenges compared to the experience of shopping at a bridal salon. You won’t be able to:

• touch and feel of the fabric.  
  
  
• see the exact color of the dress and the lining.  White and ivory come in a wide range of hues so if possible request a sample fabric swatch.
  
  
• try on the dress unless the website offers a try at home or loaner program
  
  
• in some cases, return the gown if it doesn work for you. Carefully check each website's return policy before you buy.