From a fellow bridal shop owner. Good read!

Love and Lace Bridal and Tailor is at Love and Lace Bridal and Tailor . 19 hrs · Irvine, CA ·

A Letter from Ramona

Since opening my bridal salon over four years ago, I have been heartbroken over the attitude that some families bring to wedding dress shopping. I fail to understand how some moms, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, friends think it is perfectly acceptable to criticize a bride’s body and make negative comments about how the bride looks. I have seen it time and time again, and each instance breaks my heart a bit more. I have seen beautiful brides come in, excited about their appointment to find a wedding dress, and walk out defeated, embarrassed, and shamed. Why? Why is this acceptable, and how long will we put up with this?

These groups feel it's their absolute right and obligation to criticize and belittle the bride. The bride loves a dress inside the dressing room, but when she steps outside, the group begins criticizing...her arms are too big, her belly is too large, her thighs are gross, she looks lumpy, she looks fat, she looks frumpy, she looks disgusting, etc. With every comment, the bride shrinks into herself and her self-esteem is chipped at with stinging and sharp words. Yet she puts up with it because these are her “people” – she brought them because she loves them and values their opinion. But instead, she is being bombarded and shamed with hurtful and demeaning comments. wedding dresses for fat brides

I have a 9-year old daughter and I see the beginnings of self-criticism in her, brought on by her peers and TV. It crushes me to my very core when I hear her say anything negative about herself, and I cannot respond quick enough to counter her statements. I greet her each morning with “hello, beautiful” and constantly tell her how gorgeous she is. I truly believe that us moms of girls need to consistently reinforce in them that they are truly beautiful and perfect the way they are. Because they truly are. And when society is always telling them otherwise, they need their moms and closest loved ones to reassure them of their beauty.

BRIDES: Stop! This is not right! You are beautiful and perfect the way you are! Do not let yourself be spoken to in this manner. Shopping for a wedding dress is such a special and emotional time, you do not deserve this memory to be clouded by such negativity. Do not allow such body-shaming and bullying to encroach upon this time of complete joy for you and your fiancée!

At our salon, we have created our list of words that we do not allow to be spoken. They are words that criticize, that demean and that shame. We have put our foot down and will not stand for our brides to be bullied and shamed. I challenge every bride, and every loved one that goes wedding dress shopping with her, to not allow negative comments to be spoken during the appointment. Let us focus on the good, and it will yield such amazing memories, that will remain with the bride forever. Let us start spreading love and positivity, and it will turn into a cycle of goodness and joy!

BRIDES: I just want to throw my arms around you and remind you of your beauty. Do not let anyone take away this time of joy and complete bliss. You are creating lifelong memories when shopping for a wedding dress, and you will share these moments forever with your husband and children and grandchildren. Then do not allow these memories to be tainted by anyone. You are a bride, you are beautiful, and you are perfect. # beautifulbrideYOU

Love and Lace Bridal and Tailor Bridal Shop · Irvine, CA 813 people checked in here