Your wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of your life.
I honestly believe that my special day will be a dream come true. After all, I chose a Christmas wedding (#LetItSnow), in my favourite venue, and my very best friend is conducting the ceremony.
From day one, I had my vision of perfection planned out, all the way down to my idea of the ultimate dress.
Unfortunately, if you've ever planned a wedding before, then you'll know first-hand that it's not all flowers and cake-tasting. Since we set the date back in the summer of 2017, I've had stress, heartache, and a whole lot of worry to deal with, and I'm not ashamed to say that most of my trauma comes down to one simple thing: my bra.
Here's my story of the search for the very best backless bra.
Saying Yes to the Dress
If like me, you're a big-breasted woman (34E) with an eye for glamour, then the story I'm about to tell is sure to resonate with you.
Even if you're not as "blessed in the chest" as my nan used to say, you'll probably know where I'm coming from.
The first thing you need to know is that I love backless dresses. Nothing says luxury to me quite like a slinky, silken dress, with a daring plunge. I wanted my dress to be the perfect blend of elegance and sex appeal - and I'm pretty sure that I'm not the first bride to have those requirements.
Like most digitally-obsessed women today, I started off looking for my dress online, before eventually hitting some bridal boutiques with my (heavily pregnant) best friend, and soon-to-be mother in law. It was a great day all-around, but nothing made my heart flutter until I tried on a stunning form-fitting backless dress.
Trust me when I tell you this ladies - you'll know when you find that perfect dress. My heart was beating at a million miles an hour, and suddenly I could see myself walking down the aisle, a blush in my cheeks and a bounce in my step. Until my mother-in-law chimed in with, "Of course, the bra will have to go…"
She was right of course. You just can't have a stunning backless dress with an ugly bra strap sticking through. It ruins the effect. In my naivety, I told her that it would be easy to find a backless bra that I could wear instead of the white Ann Summers piece I was sporting that day.
I don't think I've ever been more wrong…
Finding the Ultimate Backless Bra
So, I bought my dress, spent the rest of the day celebrating, then started searching for underwear options when I was snuggled up with my groom-to-be that evening.
A couple of hours passed, and my search for a backless bra still hadn't gone much further. I found plenty of strapless bras, stick-on bras and "low back" bras. Heck, I could even find nipple covers if I was feeling daring enough to ditch the support altogether.
Unfortunately, as a woman with 34E measurements, and no support from my chiffon dress, I didn't like the idea of going bra-less. Don't get me wrong - I considered it, but let's look at the facts here:
- I didn't want to end up with agonising back pain by 5 pm when my wedding band is booked till 2 am. (Weddings are expensive, you've gotta get your money's worth).
- I plan on dancing at my wedding, and I'd rather avoid knocking people over with my untamed breasts. (Big-breasted ladies, you know what I mean).
- I'm getting married on the 21st of December. My photos are outdoors in a giant frost-bitten forest. It's going to be cold.
The Bras That Didn't Work
So, I kept searching. I tried "best backless bra 34E", "Low-back bras," and even "Invisible back bras." After no less than a week of searching every night - I asked my fiancé to help me, and together we found a handful of options.
The first was a bra with an invisible back strap from Amazon. I can't remember what the brand was, but I can tell you - it was pretty much useless. I couldn't wait to get it off after five minutes, so I really couldn't see myself spending my whole wedding day in it.
I also tried a bodysuit from Ultimo. It cost me around £50 plus delivery, and when it arrived, it was "okay." I didn't feel super-sexy in it. The design is very basic. However, I thought I could always change into something a little saucier for my wedding night.
The support was also "okay." I could see myself getting some back pain eventually, but it was better than nothing. Of course, when I went to try my wedding dress on again, I discovered that the "backless" design wasn't "backless" enough. You could still see the bottom of the bodysuit above the cut of my dress.
Back to the drawing board.
ENDER LEGARD to the Rescue
Months passed, and I was still no closer to the ideal bra for my perfect dress.
With a heavy heart, I scheduled an appointment with an alteration team, to see whether I could bring the back of my dress up a bit or use a cardigan to cover up the bra. It wasn't what I wanted, but I felt like I was running out of options.
Then, out of nowhere, my other half sends me a link to ENDER LEGARD and their "UMA" bodysuit. Not only is the backless design perfect for my dress, but my husband to be thinks the piece is "super-hot." Win-win.
Of course, the price was a little higher than I expected to pay, but at this point, I was willing to try anything to get that perfect backless look. After all, altering my dress or buying a new accessory would have cost me a couple of hundred anyway.
Since I'm a nervous shopper, I sent the picture to a few friends and asked for their opinion. Everyone, including my own frugal mother, told me to buy it. She told me: "It's the biggest day of your life. Don't let your bra get in the way."
So, I bit the bullet and emailed Asia - ENDER LEGARD's creative director for advice. She told me:
- Which size I needed: I'm a 34E usually, but I'm also 5 foot 11: Asia recommended a 36DD, and the fit was phenomenal - I genuinely couldn't be happier.
- Which style was best for my dress: I was dithering between HOLLY and UMA. With Asia's help, I eventually decided on UMA.
- Which colour I needed: I thought that ivory would be the best colour for my white dress, until Asia let me know that "nude" would give me a better "invisible" look. She was right.
An ENDER LEGARD Girl for Life
Once I'd chosen my bodysuit, my groom convinced me to get it on expedited delivery. He knew how much I'd been fretting about my bra issue, and he figured that getting my parcel as soon as possible would help to put my mind at rest.
When I tried in on, I felt just like I did back when I found that perfect dress. Okay - I couldn't see myself walking down the aisle in an UMA bodysuit - but I knew I'd found it - the ultimate backless bra. After trying the piece on with my dress, I can tell you that it works perfectly. I didn't have to compromise on a single thing that I loved about the gown, and I don't have to worry about support either.
If like me, you know how vital the right bra can be in making your special day truly unforgettable, then I only have one piece of advice to give. Forget the stick-on chicken fillets, leave the "low-back" losers at the door, and choose Ender Legard instead.
You won't regret it.
