Dream Wedding Dress with an Ostomy: Part 2

Read part 1 here

Just recently I had been having a total flap over what wedding dress would be best suited to my stoma. I hate being restricted and support wear makes me feel rather nauseous sitting in it long term. Staring at dress after dress online, trying to make up my mind as to what I wanted versus what is practical. As I’m 34, I need a dress that is better suited to my age.

After sending cutting edge brides all the names of the gowns I wanted to try on, I sat back and thought oh my I am so not going to find the one. I sent a list of 20 dresses to try on. My mum was rather insistent that I don’t buy off the rack and have one made for me to my size. At this point, I am hoping she is contributing as my budget was £895. I also need a dress that does not restrict my stoma but is easy enough to lift up and empty without splashback on the day.

For those of you looking for a dress, please do not be alarmed or depressed with the sizing. Those of you going for a corset back, the sizing is typically 2 sizes up from what you are. Dresses with zips and buttons are 2-3 sizes larger than your normal high street size. This is just down to European sizing.

The day

On the day of the dress shopping, I had my hair bleached, toned and styled so we could get a good idea of what I would look like in the right dress. I had a slight epic meltdown as the nude knickers and bras I own are now slightly too big for me and I had no time to sort that out.

It is advised by the bridal boutiques that you wear either nude or white to the dress fittings.

Walking around and picking up sample sizes was making me nervous. Everyone was picking out lace and over the top and I just wanted a plain and simple dress. However, thanks to the diet over the last two years, I can actually fit into samples sizes.

I was overly nervous as I didn’t want my mum or Maid of Honour seeing me in baggy undies at the fitting. My bag doesn’t bother me and I really don’t care who sees it. Turns out I was the first with a stoma at this Boutique. Getting asked about it whilst I am getting stuffed into dresses was amusing, to say the least.

One, two, three dresses later…

The first dress I tried on was lovely but I felt like a toilet roll dolly. With the second dress, my mum laughed and said no. The 3rd dress had pockets and I was seriously contemplating that one, as this girl loves a pocket but mum said no. 4th dress was picked by Suzanne the shop owner, I knew the minute she zipped it up it was the one.

I cried, mum cried, Katie got overly emotional.

The dream dress

Then we asked for the price of the dress – I nearly had a heart attack when she said £1300. She offered and asked if I would like the sample dress and have it cleaned and repaired, but the dress was too big for me both at the top and around the waist.

She took my measurements and I am now eagerly awaiting the next 5 months for my next fitting. The smallest size in this dress is a size 16 and she said thanks to my chest, I am between a 12-14 top half and a size 12 in the bottom half so the dress is going to have to be taken in either way.

The dress is a calf-length vintage-inspired dress in Ivory. I will post photos on the wedding day of me in it but can only provide photos of the one that I said no to as my other half reads my posts and it’s bad luck to see the dress before the day.

As always

Many thanks for reading

Louise X

Louise uses our Platinum Vitamin E range to keep her stoma site healthy. If you’d like to try a sample, click here.