Katie Sturino's Wedding Dress Was Custom, but You Won't Believe Her Experience at David's Bridal

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.