I will also be doing more Budget Bridal posts. You can see previous posts HERE
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What dress/suit size were you when you got married? (only answer if you want to)
I was a size between a 20-24 when I got married
What was your experience of finding a dress/suit?
Describe your day.
Like all of my wedding, I did everything the way I wanted and felt comfortable with. The most important for me was the decorations for the table and venue which a great deal of the budget and my time went on and I made them all myself. I wasn't fussed about £1000 gown, so I went on eBay and got one made for me for £99, but them we spent *a lot* on photography because that was more important to us, we played bingo after the hog roast wedding breakfast and had bacon sandwiches for our evening buffet and did jaeger bombs.
Charlotte & Curtis
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK
Where did you meet your Bride/Groom?
We became friends on World of Warcraft in 2008, and after becoming incredibly close met at the start of 2009 in London for a date and it went from there!
When did you get married and where?
We got married on the 20th October 2012 in a converted barn just outside of Hemel Hempstead.
We became friends on World of Warcraft in 2008, and after becoming incredibly close met at the start of 2009 in London for a date and it went from there!
When did you get married and where?
We got married on the 20th October 2012 in a converted barn just outside of Hemel Hempstead.
What dress/suit size were you when you got married? (only answer if you want to)
I was a size between a 20-24 when I got married
What was your experience of finding a dress/suit?
Even 4 years ago which doesn't seem a long time ago options were more limited. I wasn't looking for a super expensive dress, I just wanted a dress that fitted and I didn't have to compromise too much on looks wise. So I first hit eBay. I found the design I liked literally within about 30 minutes, and found a reputable seller in Hong Kong. They were lovely and great at communicating, they ask for a comprehensive list of measurements, and my mum and me sent them off. They asked for a couple again as apparently we might have done them wrong(!) but it was great that they checked. The dress came really quickly (within 4 weeks) and it fit like a glove. It was really well made, it didn't look cheap, I mean it didn't look Vera Wang levels of expensive either but it was amazing for £99!
During the time of waiting for the dress to arrive, I felt a bit of pressure to do the trying wedding dresses on with my bridesmaids. This is not my idea of fun at all but I wondered if I would be missing out on the experience if I didn't at least give it a go. I managed to get 4 appointments in a 20 mile radius. The first place didn't have any dress that did up and I was trying on size 30 dresses despite being the smallest size i had been in a long time. The shop was in a converted summer house in a ladies back garden and the owner was very kind and said she would get more in for me and I didn't disbelieve her.
I then went to St Albans, and went to the first shop I had an appointment with,. I was early, and wanted to see if I could be seen any quicker or if it was worth having lunch first. The entire shop was filled with very thin brides who all stared at me as soon as I walked in. The shop assistant looked me up and down, and tried to look for my dress fitting reservation, and pretended not to see it i literally had to point it out on the diary to her. I felt so awful and upset that we sat in the pub and didn't go. If that was the 1st proper shops reaction I didn't want to carry on. So we got pissed in the pub and I didn't try on another dress at all.
In the past four years I have seen plus size blogs grow, and attitudes change and I think that the experience might be different now, I know I would be more confident in myself. But the stress free experience of getting a cheaper handmade dress is highly recommended!
Describe your day.
Like all of my wedding, I did everything the way I wanted and felt comfortable with. The most important for me was the decorations for the table and venue which a great deal of the budget and my time went on and I made them all myself. I wasn't fussed about £1000 gown, so I went on eBay and got one made for me for £99, but them we spent *a lot* on photography because that was more important to us, we played bingo after the hog roast wedding breakfast and had bacon sandwiches for our evening buffet and did jaeger bombs.
Anything else you want to add.
I would just suggest that you do what you and your partner feel most comfortable with, the ~rules~ and pressure of organising a wedding are frankly stupid, and if you pay out all that money to please other people you might regret it. If you don't want speeches don't have them, if you don't want to go round to millions of bridal shops and try on dresses you don't like or can't afford then don't! Everyone always comments how everyone is laughing and smiling in our wedding photos, and that's what I remember the most, everyone was happy and relaxed and so were we because we made the decisions that pleased us!
I would just suggest that you do what you and your partner feel most comfortable with, the ~rules~ and pressure of organising a wedding are frankly stupid, and if you pay out all that money to please other people you might regret it. If you don't want speeches don't have them, if you don't want to go round to millions of bridal shops and try on dresses you don't like or can't afford then don't! Everyone always comments how everyone is laughing and smiling in our wedding photos, and that's what I remember the most, everyone was happy and relaxed and so were we because we made the decisions that pleased us!
