Our wed2b Ambassador Experience is about celebrating confidence, connection and highlighting the real life story behind each and every dress. So, following hundreds of applications, we chose seven real brides whose stories touched our hearts. They were invited to take part in a photoshoot to experience that wedding day magic all over again, while sharing their wedding dress shopping hopes and fears, highs and lows with us. This is Nia’s emotional wedding dress story and why this moment meant so much more than just finding 'The One'…

Nia's Key Takeaways

  • You deserve to have your moment, no matter what you’ve been through.
  • Trust yourself and take everything at your own pace.
  • The right dress will make you feel like you, not someone else.
  • “There’s a dress out there for everyone.”

Wedding dress worries

“We didn’t know if we’d ever get this moment”

For Nia, wedding dress shopping was never just about the dress. “When I was a teenager, I spent nine months undergoing intensive chemo for stage four cancer,” she says. “During that time, my mum and I watched Say Yes to the Dress every day.”

Those moments became something they held onto. “We used to dream about experiencing that together,” she says. “But there was a time where we didn’t know if that would ever actually happen. I knew my mum was worried that she might never see me in a wedding dress.”

Before visiting wed2b, Nia had already tried on dresses at home during lockdown. “I realised you can look nice in any dress and still know it’s not quite right,” she says. “I wasn’t sure if I’d ever find a dress that gave me that feeling.”

With only nine weeks until her wedding and stores just reopening, there was pressure too. “I felt nervous going in,” she says. “It felt like this was my one chance to find my dream dress.”

Shopping for the dress

“I felt completely supported”

Nia visited the Baker Street store with her mum, hoping everything would fall into place. “My stylist was incredible,” she says. “She had so much patience and helped me try on lots of different dresses until we found something I loved.”

What stood out most was the support. “At one point I felt quite overwhelmed,” she says. “She just gave me a few minutes in the robe to chat with my mum before I was ready to carry on. That made such a difference.”

“It never felt rushed or pressured,” she adds. “It just felt like they genuinely wanted me to find the right dress.”

“That’s when everything changed”

Nia knew she had found her dress when she didn’t want to take it off. “Every dress we tried after, we kept comparing it back to that one,” she says.

But it was the final moment that made it real. “My stylist asked me to face away from the mirror, put the veil on and styled everything,” she says. “When I turned around, I saw my mum in tears before I even saw myself.”

“Then I looked in the mirror and just thought… wow, I look like a bride.”

It was a full-circle moment. “From not knowing if I’d ever have this experience, to standing there in my dress with my mum… it meant everything.”

The wedding day

“I felt like the best version of me”

Nia married in July 2021 at her church in Wimbledon, surrounded by 85 guests. “Because of Covid, our plans changed, but having the whole day in one place made it really special,” she says.

On the day, her dress gave her something she hadn’t expected. “When I look at my photos, all I see is me,” she says. “Not imperfections, just someone who feels confident and happy.”

“It felt like closure and hope”

For Nia, this experience went far beyond the wedding day. “It felt like closure on a really difficult time,” she says. “Like everything we went through to get to that moment was worth it.”

It also changed how she sees herself. “After everything my body had been through, I thought that’s all people would see,” she says. “But in that dress, no one saw any of that. They just saw a bride.”

Her advice for brides going through something difficult is simple. “Be open with your stylist, your family and yourself,” she says. “Go in with no pressure. You might surprise yourself.”

In her own words

My dress made me feel… “Empowered”

I knew it was 'The One’ when… “I didn’t want to take it off.”

The best thing about my dress was… “The lace back and sparkles.”

I wish I had known before dress shopping that… “There’s a dress out there for everyone.”

If you’ve been inspired by Nia’s emotional wedding dress story, why not start your own wedding dress journey today? Explore all our beautiful dresses, find your nearest wed2b and read more about what to expect when you visit. You can also chat to our bridal advisors in store or online about any worries you may have about finding your dream dress. We’re here to help!

Click here for lots more wedding planning ideas and advice from our brilliant real life brides. Also, for more inspiration, check us out on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok too.