{"id":90274,"date":"2023-05-15T12:50:53","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T16:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/?p=90274"},"modified":"2023-05-19T10:25:25","modified_gmt":"2023-05-19T14:25:25","slug":"nadia-boujarwah-shares-how-she-found-the-perfect-plus-size-wedding-dress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/know\/nadia-boujarwah-shares-how-she-found-the-perfect-plus-size-wedding-dress\/","title":{"rendered":"Dia & Co CEO Nadia Boujarwah Shares Her Journey to Finding the Perfect Plus-Size Wedding Dress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From finding the perfect wedding dress to hunting down outfits for the wedding events that precede the big day, getting married is one of your life’s most significant shopping moments. And while shopping for this momentous occasion can be stressful for anyone, it is particularly so for plus-size brides. Out of the over 500 plus-size brides we polled, 68% said their biggest challenge in finding the perfect plus-size wedding dress<\/a> was accessing stylish options in their size. This didn\u2019t surprise us in the least. Fashion options above a size 12 have always been limited, especially in the bridal space. It\u2019s almost as if someone believes women above a certain size don\u2019t get married. Well, we all know that couldn\u2019t be farther from the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We sat down with the recently married CEO of Dia & Co, Nadia Boujarwah, to get the scoop on her plus-size wedding dress shopping experience.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Inspired by her struggle to find a prom dress as a plus-size teen, she started Dia & Co<\/a> to deliver transformational shopping experiences to women. But, even with access to the best plus-size brands, she still struggled to find her dream wedding dress. Now she\u2019s focused on creating a 360 shopping and styling experience for other brides who don\u2019t fit the \u201csample size\u201d with The Wedding Suite<\/a> at Dia & Co. Read the interview below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Going through my bridal shopping experience last year was an eye-opening view into how hard and uncomfortable it can be to shop for wedding dresses if you aren’t a sample size. “<\/p>-Nadia Boujarwah, Dia & Co CEO<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Christine Yarde:<\/strong> Firstly, I have to ask; can we get an engagement story? How did you meet your husband?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nadia Boujarwah:<\/strong> I met my husband for the first time in 2019 at an event where I was speaking. Fast forward to a year later, and we matched on a dating app. I didn’t remember meeting him, but he remembered me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposal was one of the most extraordinary surprises of my life. It started as an ordinary Tuesday afternoon and was the last thing I expected. He proposed in our apartment, and I thought it was a wonderful moment for the two of us. Little did I know he had coordinated for our friends and family from all over the world to fly in to be there. One by one, they rang our doorbell, and I couldn\u2019t believe they were all there. It was very special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CY:<\/strong> That sounds like a fairytale. Fianc\u00e9, check; the next step finding THE dress, right?  How did you start the search?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NB:<\/strong> I did browse online, but finding things actually for sale and in my size took a lot of work. So many boutiques made you come in to see things and even learn the price of a gown. Online shopping was not successful for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CY:<\/strong> That\u2019s surprising; so much is available online, you would think bridal salons would have a more substantial online presence. How many plus-size bridal salons did you visit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NB:<\/strong> You probably won\u2019t be surprised to hear I love shopping\u2014 this was no different. I went to 8 bridal salons and probably tried on over 60 dresses. Many things looked completely different on my body than I would have expected. I found that there is no substitute for trying things on. I ended up liking something totally different than I planned. I thought I would end up with a sleek, simple dress. Instead, I fell in love with a dramatic trumpet-style dress with lace and beading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CY:<\/strong> I love that you surprised yourself! Many of the customers we polled commented that keeping an open mind helped them get out of their comfort zones when shopping for their wedding dress. What was the bridal salon experience like for you, and how was it different or similar to the prom dress experience that ultimately inspired you to start Dia & Co?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NB: <\/strong>Bridal shopping was an experience of extremes. Some boutiques were wonderful, some of the best shopping experiences I\u2019ve ever had. Others were so discouraging. One salon only let me try on three dresses that they thought would work in my size, out of hundreds they had on display. It was terrible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CY:<\/strong> Unfortunately, that doesn\u2019t surprise me. Someone\u2019s always trying to tell us what to wear based on how they view our bodies. If you had to do it over again, are there things you would do differently?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NB:<\/strong> I would have given myself more time and worked with a bridal stylist to help guide my shopping. Traditional wedding dress shopping can take months, and I didn’t have time to research, so I felt as though I had to decide quickly. Who knows what I would have picked if I had more time or help!?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CY:<\/strong> Yes, time and patience are the keys to success in wedding dress shopping. You mentioned a \u201cbridal stylist.\u201d That\u2019s one of the services offered via \u201cThe Wedding Suite\u201d on dia.com. Is this what inspired the new offering?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NB:<\/strong> Yes, actually. Going through my bridal shopping experience last year was an eye-opening view into how hard and uncomfortable it can be to shop for wedding dresses if you aren’t a sample size. For almost a decade, we have been on a mission to transform the shopping experience for our community, and shopping for this special moment stood out to me as a place we could be doing so much better for our customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We want to ensure every bride, mother of the bride & groom, bridal party member, and even guest has a remarkable shopping experience with unique options and available stylists who offer guidance and support. Wedding Styling Services on dia.com transforms finding your dress into the most joyful part of the journey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

CY:<\/strong> Before we go, give us Nadia\u2019s tips on surviving the bridal salon experience as a plus-size bride. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NB:<\/strong> Keep an open mind and give yourself time. The most important thing is feeling fabulous on your wedding day. Having a lot of options and guidance in achieving that is a game changer that will make all the difference for our brides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CY: <\/strong>Well said; thank you, Nadia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out The Wedding Suite at dia.com<\/a> for great options for everything from the wedding day to the honeymoon. If you, like Nadia, would love to have a wedding stylist, hit the Wedding Styling Services<\/a> button at the bottom of the page to work 1:1 with one of our expert stylists\u2014free of charge. We hope you find the dress of your dreams! Share your wedding photos with us on IG @diaandco<\/a> at #mydiastyle; we can\u2019t wait to see them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop The Wedding Suite<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Shop Now<\/a><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/span>, <\/span><\/p>\n

Shop Now<\/a><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Nadia Wedding Photo Credit: @melanilustphotography<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Get the scoop on how this CEO found her dream dress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":90277,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"class_list":["post-90274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-know"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDia & Co CEO Nadia Boujarwah Shares Her Journey to Finding the Perfect Plus-Size Wedding Dress<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"See what this CEO is doing to make finding the perfect plus-size wedding dress more joyful for anyone who doesn't fit a "sample size."\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dia.com\/blog\/know\/nadia-boujarwah-shares-how-she-found-the-perfect-plus-size-wedding-dress\/\" \/>\n<meta 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