You would hope trying on wedding dresses would be a fun, exciting experience for any bride-to-be. Unfortunately, though, that’s not always the case.
During an episode of TLC’s Curvy Brides Boutique, we get to meet a woman named Louise who was absolutely petrified to try on wedding gowns. That’s because she had been broken down and lacked confidence when it came to her plus-size body.
It’s an emotional segment where it seemed Louise’s low self-esteem would affect her feeling like a beautiful bride. The question was, could they get things turned around in time?
A lot of women dream of looking like a million bucks walking down the aisle. Louise too wanted that fantasy to become a reality, only to her – it didn’t seem to be in the cards.
The UK resident entered the dress shop feeling terrible about how she looked. She had previously lost a great deal of weight after gastric bypass surgery (approximately 140-pounds). However, Louise ended up gaining it back during her last marriage, due to it being a difficult relationship.
Picking out a dress filled the bride-to-be with anxiety. She explained that she didn’t want to end up looking like a “sausage person.”
Jo Cooke and Alison Law of Curvy Brides Boutique noticed right away how terrified Louise was to try on dresses. In fact, they felt she had one of the lowest self-esteems they had run into.
Alison explained:
“There’s no confidence with Louise. She’s probably one of the worst brides as confidence levels go that I’ve seen in quite a long time.”
When it came to the first dress, Louise wasn’t very happy.
Although she looked stunning from the outside, she wasn’t happy at all about what she saw in the mirror. Louise admitted she felt, “like a round ball” and despised her “fat” arms.
She told the camera,
“I felt like crying, ’cause I loved the dress on the hanger but I said ‘no, it’s definitely not for me.’ I felt awful.”
Dress number two didn’t go so well either.
Jo and Alison picked one with gorgeous lace that covered Louise’s arms more – but still, she focused on the negative aspects of her appearance. She shared she felt “like a sack of potatoes” and “horrendous.”
Finally, it was time to get real.
It was apparent to everyone in the room (including her mom) that Louise’s low-confidence was going to have an effect on any dress they chose.
Jo tells her:
“It’s almost like the mindset you’re in. You’ve already decided you’re not going to like the dress because you don’t like what’s going in it.”
The reality was, she’d have to practice self-acceptance with her body first if she wanted to find the perfect dress. But could she actually do it?
Louise ended up choosing a gown that day and returned four months later for a fitting. However, she walked in a completely different person on the inside.
Jo and Alison were stunned to hear that Louise was actually excited to try on her dress. Because of her experience at the boutique, she had come to peace with her body and realized “I am who I am.”
While she was there for a fitting of the previous dress, there was a new one Louise wanted to try on before it. Even when she was slipping it on she was already liking it.
Eventually, there’s a big reveal. The moment Louise opens her eyes she exclaims, “I absolutely love this dress!”
While it was questionable whether the bride-to-be would ever feel good about herself, in the end, Louise confidently said: “yes to the dress.”
It’s an inspiring clip that’s tugging at the internet’s heart. Not only is Louise’s emotional story relatable to many, but the video’s conclusion has people cheering as well.
Press play below to watch Louise’s entire experience – including her amazing reaction to the final wedding gown!
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