Fashion entrepreneurs Alison Law (41) and Jo Cooke (49) are best friends. Five years ago, when they decided to collaborate their collection of handpicked bridal gowns to start Curves and Couture, a boutique in Essex, London, they had just one thing in mind — to make every plus-sized bride’s struggle to find the perfect wedding dress a thing of the past. Featuring wedding dresses from size 16 to 40, the shop was inspired by their own miserable experiences while shopping for wedding dresses.
“We know how stressful it is for larger women — facing lack of confidence as well as humiliation from high street bridal stores. In fact, that is the reason why we decided to be not just wedding dress experts, but also fairy godmothers for brides-in-need,” share the London-based fashion partners. While the boutique has grown to become a huge hit among the brides across the UK, Curves and Couture is now the focus of Curvy Brides’ Boutique, a reality TV series on TLC which will follow the bride’s journey to find her perfect dress.
“The show is about our journey to provide a solution to a pre-existing problem. Women travel far and wide for our selection of dresses as well as our expertise in picking the right one for them. We know
that viewers will love a feel-good programme and this show has everything in it- doubt, tears, laughter and mostly two friends doing their thing,” shares Alison.
Having premiered in India earlier this month, the series has 20 episodes in its first season and 30 in its second. Lasting 30 minutes, each episode will feature a new bride’s story. “Every bride brings a different story and we are touched by all of them. There was one bride who insisted on using latex fabric on her wedding dress. While the idea was frowned upon by her family, our approach was different. As bridal trousseau experts, we feel that we are no one to burst anyone’s bridal dreams. If the bride wants something, we make sure that we find a way to make her happy,” says Joe while adding that the criteria to find the perfect dress in the show is to be open-minded, opinionated, honest and to have a realist budget.
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“With the show, we want to follow the bride’s journey from the moment she chooses her dress, to her fitting and along her wedding day as we dress her. We want to experience the change in confidence as our client goes through the most important day in her life,” Alison adds. As for the one advice that they give every bride before their wedding day, they say it is to ‘hold your head high and own the room’.
Curvy Bride’s Boutique airs every Friday at 6 pm on TLC.