​BULGING BRIDE! I LOST 15st AFTER WEDDING PHOTO SHAME

Marrying Will was the happiest day of my life. But then the wedding photos came back. By Amy Muller, 29

I heaved the dress on over my generous curves and stared at my reflection in the mirror. ‘You look beautiful,’ the assistant in the bridal boutique said.

I raised my eyebrows. At a colossal 25 stone, I didn’t feel beautiful. The dress was pretty, sure, but as I tugged at the lace cap sleeves as they dug into my flabby folds, I sighed.

It wasn’t what I would have chosen for my wedding day - but I didn’t have much choice. It was the only dress that fit.

I’d struggled with my weight since I was a little girl. Being fat ran in my family so as I grew and grew, I simply accepted it.

It didn’t stop me trying every diet going - Weight Watchers, Atkins, even slimming injections - but nothing worked long term.

My friends were all coupling up while I had never had a boyfriend. ‘You’ve got such a pretty face, but…’ boys would say, as they clocked my hulking frame.

So when I spotted Will at a work conference, I was expecting our introduction to go exactly the same way as all the others.

Will and I both worked as travel agents for the same company. We’d shared lots of friendly phone conversations but had never met - until now.

‘Hi, it’s Amy,’ I told him, holding out my hand. ‘Amy, hi!’ he smiled back. ‘It’s so good to put a face to the voice.’

That day we didn’t stop talking and at the end of the night, as Will walked me to my hotel room, we didn’t want it to end.

‘Can I take you for breakfast?’ he asked me, smiling. As I gave him my number I didn’t really expect him to call but the next morning, he did.

After meeting for breakfast, our relationship moved quickly. Four months later, we moved in together and six months after that, Will proposed at my 26th birthday party.

‘Amy, will you marry me?’ he grinned, after getting down on one knee in front of all my friends and family.

I was over the moon when I accepted Will’s proposal, and vowed to shed a few pounds before the wedding booked for June 2012.

But planning a wedding for just seven months’ time was stressful and typically, I turned to food to cope. I was horrified when I realised I’d actually gained weight before my big day.

When Will and I tied the knot, I’d never been happier. I loved everything about our wedding day… everything except me.

When I looked at our wedding photos, I cringed. The wide bride took up most of the shots and although the dress was pretty, it wasn’t what I would have chosen.

‘Let’s just print out a couple,’ I told Will as I carefully selected the shots I thought I looked passable in.

A year later, I was still smarting from being a bulging bride on my wedding day, when Will’s dad suggested a family holiday.

‘It’ll be a great chance for us to all get together,’ Will said. ‘And my parents are paying for it!’

He was so excited and I didn’t want to burst his bubble but my mind was immediately filled with horrifying visions of me waddling up the plane aisle, and needing mortifying seatbelt extenders.

In my job as a travel agent I knew exactly how it worked. ‘I don’t know Will,’ I started. ‘You go, but I might sit this one out. I’ll be so uncomfortable on the plane.’

Will must have told his dad because just weeks later, the plane tickets arrived on the doormat. ‘Will, your parents have bought me two seats,’ I told him, as I rifled through the documents.

‘My dad just wants you to feel comfortable,’ Will shrugged, thinking nothing of it. I knew his family meant well and of course I was grateful, but it was mortifying. It was the final straw.

After my wedding photo shame, I’d already looked into weight loss surgery but now, I was determined to beat the bulge for good. I wanted to be a healthy wife for Will - and we wanted a family together too.

Just a month later, in July 2013, I went under the knife for a gastric bypass. ‘I love you,’ Will whispered as I was wheeled into surgery.

After my stomach had been shrunk to the size of an egg, the results were almost instant and after just 18 months, I’d shed an incredible 15 stone.

The health benefits were incredible and my confidence at a slim 10 stone soared. Will had fallen in love with me at 25 stone but there was no denying my weight loss spiced up our relationship, especially in the bedroom!

We were over the moon when I gave birth to our little boy, Alexander, now two and I’m currently expecting our second little one.

He or she is due to arrive in March next year and I’m hoping that in June, on our five-year wedding anniversary, Will and I can renew our wedding vows.

I look at wedding dresses online all the time, I’m obsessed! I can’t wait to slip on a gorgeous size 14 gown that I love.

Will may have proposed to a porker, but now he’s married to a corker!

Amy was so proud of her super-slimming achievement when she lost 15 stone after her mortifying wedding photos, that she wanted to share her success with other women. Sell My Story helped Amy sell her story to a glossy women's magazine. If you've lost weight and want to share your story, give us a call on 0117 973 3730.