Parenting

This Dress Slip For Brides Is Totally Genius

by Jerriann Sullivan
Image via Bridal Buddy/Instagram

The Bridal Buddy helps brides go to the bathroom hassle-free

A Pennsylvania mom has created a genius dress slip for brides to wear on their special day. The Bridal Buddy helps newly married ladies go to the bathroom on their wedding day without the help of friends or family.

If you’ve been a bride or a bridesmaid, then you know what a pain it can be to use the restroom in a full gown. Often we enlist the help of our friends to hold our giant wedding dresses, which is awkward at best. Considering the venue location, it can also be a nightmare to cram three ladies into a tiny stall. But thanks to Heather Stenlake we can retire that uncomfortable bonding experience and instead buy a Bridal Buddy for the brides in our lives.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaXlvSeBjP9/?taken-by=bridalbuddy

The Bridal Buddy is basically a fancy slip. You put it on under your wedding dress then when it is time to use the ladies room, gather the gown from the behind and shove it all into the slip. Then slide your arms through the “something blue” armholes and pull the elastic cord to tighten the slip and dress around you. Now your dress is safe from destruction, and you’re free to use the restroom all on your own. “Not only that, but bagging up your gown will help protect your gown in the bathroom stall from getting wet,” Stenlake told Scary Mommy. “Plus, it can lift your gown off the wet grass or mud outside when walking to and from the church and/or venue.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbw1PozhGXS/?taken-by=bridalbuddy

The idea came after Stenlake spent years in the bridal industry. “I had worked in bridal shops since 1998 bagging gowns, and eventually becoming a consultant, and even co-owned a bridal shop with my sister,” she explained. “The one question brides would always ask was ‘how am I supposed to go to the bathroom in this thing?’ The only answers at the time were ‘bring your bridesmaids in to hold up the gown, take the dress off, [or] turn around and face the back of the toilet.’ I knew there had to be a better way.”

After taking a break from the world of weddings to raise a family, she found an old prototype for the Bridal Buddy and got to work. Last year she was on the show “Shark Tank,” where she secured $75,000 in funding.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXf–2iBuy0/?taken-by=bridalbuddy

“The reaction has been wonderful,” Stenlake shared. “Most reactions are ‘that is genius’ or ‘I wish I would have had that when I was married!'”

The internet was pretty excited to learn about it, too.

https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/957569208233156609

https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/958145384949334016

Not everyone was thrilled with the concept, though.

https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/957662876310925314

Despite critics, we remain impressed with the new-and-improved slip. Stenlake summed up the value of the Bridal Buddy well, “Everyone has to pee sometime, right? Why not go in peace- on your own- without all of your bridesmaids? You’ll thank yourself.”

And it comes in black, too, so you can pee hassle-free in your other fancy gowns.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNMEtmGDkZm/?taken-by=bridalbuddy