From the start, Katie Sturino knew what type of wedding dress she wanted, and she crafted it with Sachin & Babi's Babi Ahluwalia. Katie described her gown — a v-neck column sheath with a bow at the back that flattered her curves but still felt movable — as "so traditional and very beautiful." When she tied the knot at Cooper Hewitt garden in NYC, she completed the elegant design with a floor-length veil, equipped with a crystal crown. Katie later changed into a leopard suit by Veronica Beard with a graphic tee underneath. She wore her white Birkenstocks for ultimate comfort. From a style perspective, the day was pretty perfect. But Katie spent some time exploring the bridal industry for her loyal followers leading up to the big day.
"Everything [about the bridal industry] from representation in mannequins and in advertisement [needs to be changed]. When you call around to bridal boutiques, the answer usually is that they don't carry anything above a certain size, so the samples you're going to try on are way smaller than anything you'd wear — like you're going to put your body into a size 2 and they'll clamp it around you. Even bridesmaids dresses should be offered in inclusive sizing so that your bridesmaid who's a size 16 doesn't have to squeeze into a size 12. There are so many different things in the bridal industry that need a shakeup. It feels very antiquated and it's not a very pleasurable experiences for a lot of women," Katie told me when I talked to her about her new Stitch Fix collection, which was inspired by her honeymoon location.
But Katie does believe there's a brand headed in the right direction, and that's David's Bridal. When she visited the store, she felt comfortable. And while she's the pioneer of the #MakeMySize hashtag, Katie wasn't at a loss or frustrated during the experience.
"David's Bridal is not a place I'd ever thought I'd be trying on a dress feeling good about it, but I was shocked. They had my size in so many different options. They had a staff that never once said anything about losing weight or my body, and I was in there three different times. They never had to clamp me into a dress that wasn't my size, they just had them. It was a very positive experience and I think they bring the option of a wedding dress that feels very beautiful for a price point that is not insane," she said.
Though she didn't walk away with a final look from the store, she did show her readers a couple behind-the-scenes shots. Keep reading to see the teasers, then join us in being mesmerized by the outfits Katie chose for her special day.