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Every day, Chrissy Wright meets heartbroken brides despairing about how they will look on their wedding day.

And no, these are not fussy fashionistas, or perfectionists with unrealistic expectations.

They are plus-sized women who have discovered that, while many High Street fashion stores and online brands are happy to cater for their curves, bridal boutiques are often not. Never mind finding ‘The One’ - the dress of their dreams - these women have been crushed by the realisation that they may never find a dress at all.

But Chrissy is determined that their troubles end the moment they walk through the door of her Sheffield bridal showroom, ‘Curvaceous Bridal.’

“They arrive believing they will never find a dress and end up spoilt for choice,” smiles Chrissy, who says she is determined to make every bride’s wedding dress dream come true.

“I bring out dress after dress that fits them. I only stop when they fall in love!”

Related: http://www.sheindressau.com/tea-length-wedding-dresses-au

58-year-old Chrissy set up shop a year ago, in the Nether Edge Henry Hall Building on Osborne Road, and stocks over 40 carefully hand-picked gowns, all created by designers who understand how to create dresses that fit and flatter plus-sized women.

While her ready-to-wear collections range from a 16 to a 36, size is limitless - a made to measure dress design service can cater for any bride. To date, the largest Curvaceous has had made was a size 38 - a full-length gown featuring a ribbon-back, sweetheart neckline, lace straps and bodice onto a tulle skirt.

And Chrissy has numerous stories to tell of humiliated brides who got turned away from wedding dress stores time and again. One had got so upset by the whole experience, she cancelled her wedding and only found the confidence to rearrange it a year later. Another had a size 12 dress hung over her and was told she would have to buy one in her size without knowing if it would fit her or what it would look like.

Chrissy says: “I don’t want brides terrified of looking at themselves in a mirror because they are afraid of what they will see. I show them that they look amazing. They take a peek in the mirror and burst into tears. This is my dream job - bringing joy to these women’s lives; I’m making their dream a reality.”

But the calling is a long way from where Chrissy began, starting her career as a nurse, before going on to become Director of Commissioning for Rotherham Council social services. It was a wedding dress shopping trip in 2014, with her future daughter-in-law, that would change everything. At a slender size 12, daughter-in-law Lucy had hundreds of dresses to choose from, but plus-sized Chrissy couldn’t help but notice most of the shops only went up to a size 16.

Chrissy adds: “The occasional shop had an 18 or a 20 but there was such little choice. I saw a gap in the market and my business brain kicked in.”

Believing there should be more choice - and that brides should not have to feel pressurised to slim down to a ‘conventional’ size for their wedding day - she researched the market.

“I even went trying on wedding dresses at shops who claimed to cater for bigger sizes and made mental notes about their service,” she said.

“I vowed to do better and give plus-sized brides the choice and the experience they deserved.

“My business experience and qualifications do come in handy - with the accounts and financial forecasts - but It’s a completely different world I’m in now. I have no one to report to and no one reporting to me. My job now is all about the relationships with the brides and their family and friends, supporting them to find their dream dress.

“I love to meet brides; we have such a good time. It feels like going back to nursing sometimes because I’m helping people. I go home tired but exhilarated.”

See more at http://www.sheindressau.com/casual-wedding-dresses