👗 Q&A: A Bride’s Honest Diary from the Dress Fitting Room

Real Story: Carla’s Dress Shopping Diary in Jozi

Carla always imagined her wedding dress moment would be magical. You know, the classic movie moment where the bride steps out, the consultant clutches their chest, and someone starts crying soft tears of joy.

Reality? “I looked like a meringue in heels and nearly dislocated a shoulder trying to zip myself up.”

Her honest, unfiltered fitting room journey through three cities—Pretoria, Sandton, and Midrand—will make you laugh, cringe, and definitely take notes before booking your own appointment.

🪞 Day 1: Excitement + Uniboob

“First stop: a boutique in Sandton that looked like heaven. I was offered champagne. Things were going well.”

Then came Dress #1: a strapless ballgown with heavy tulle.

“It gave me one massive boob. I looked like a floating marshmallow. But I smiled. Pretended to love it. Why are we like this?”

Lesson learned: Bring someone who can call out a disaster dress with love. Carla’s friend Thuli was the real MVP:

“No babes, this ain’t it. You look like you’re about to perform Swan Lake—not marry Sipho.”

🧵 Day 3: The Breakdown

By the third boutique, Carla had tried on eight dresses and had a mini meltdown in the change room.

“I was sweaty, my fake lashes were lifting, and I couldn’t get the zip up on a mermaid dress. I sat on the little bench and cried into my bottle of Still Water.”

What was going wrong?

Nothing fit her body type right

Dresses looked better on hangers than humans

Some stores were pushing “designer” gowns way out of budget

She considered buying a white jumpsuit and calling it a day.

💬 Q&A With Carla: The Fitting Room Truth

Q: What surprised you most about the experience?
A: “How not magical it felt at first. It was awkward and vulnerable. Until I found the one, it felt like speed dating with tulle.”

Q: What did you wish you knew before going dress shopping?
A:

Don’t wear makeup to a fitting unless it’s waterproof.

Bring seamless nude underwear and a strapless bra.

Don’t eat a full pap and stew lunch beforehand.

Q: How did you finally know when you found the right dress?
A:

“I put it on, looked in the mirror—and I stopped picking myself apart. I stood there and said, ‘Oh, there you are.’ That’s how I knew.”

It was a long-sleeve crepe gown with lace cutouts and a low back. Simple. Elegant. Very Carla.

👰 Carla’s Tips for Every Bride About to Step Into the Change Room

Book weekday fittings if you can—less crowded and more one-on-one attention.

Take photos of yourself in every dress. Even the disasters.

Bring one hype woman and one truth teller. If that’s the same person, marry her too.

Don’t let the consultant pressure you into anything. “It’s your body, your budget, your vibe.”

Sit, dance, squat, and breathe in every dress you try. "Can you pee in it alone? Critical question."

💌 Final Thoughts from Carla:

“At the end of the day, your dress doesn’t make the marriage. But the right one? It makes you feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be—glowing, grounded, and ready to walk into forever.”