Bride's epic weight loss after wedding dress snub

Mary Jane O'Toole from Orlando, Florida shed 61kgs to avoid paying "fat tax". Photo / Instagram

When Mary Jane O'Toole's partner proposed to her in December 2016 she knew she wanted to lose weight before her big day.

"I had a pretty good idea I didn't want to be big as a bride. Growing up I told myself, you're not going to be a fat bride," she said. "But I don't want to take away from anyone's experience being a plus-size bride. Every bride is beautiful," she told the US Today show.

But her weight lose goal wasn't just about appearances. She knew from year's of plus-size shopping experience that clothes could cost her more, what she calls a "fat tax", simply because what she was buying a bigger size.

After the proposal, O'Toole and her groom downloaded a fitness app and started to track their eating.

By the time she started shopping for dresses she told Today she was a "street size 12" but when she found a dress she liked it wasn't available in her size.

Mary Jane O'Toole and her husband Alex Hoffman lost more than 90kg between the two of them. Photo / Instagram

"They had to put extra fabric in the back, so I could get a better sense of what it would look like closed," Ms O'Toole said. "I found the dress I loved and they said if we have to order it in my size, it would be $600 ($NZ900) more."

Ms O'Toole was motivated to lose more than 61kg to avoid paying "fat tax" on her wedding gown. Photo / Instagram

Despite loving the dress she was determined to avoid paying extra and stepped up her exercise program, training up to five times a week. She went on to lose 61kg and found another amazing dress all before walking down the aisle on November 19 last year.

In a before and after Instagram post just before her wedding last year she wrote: "I can't believe how different I look from one October to the next."

A wedding boutique wanted to charge her $US600 ($NZ900) for needing to order a bigger size. Photo / Instagram

The young newlywed said she now fits into clothes she never thought she would be able to.

"Amazing what drive, trust in the process, and stubbornness can get you!"

In her wedding day post she wrote: "I'm in a dress I NEVER thought I would be able to wear."

View this post on Instagram

Reflecting back to where it all ended. I don’t look like the same person and I’m totally okay with that. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Today’s #transformationtuesday is dedicated to the old me who still lives in the new me. Just because my body looks different doesn’t mean every day I see those differences. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I will continue to work on my body’s health. This also includes my mental health. My brain likes to think I’m still big or at least bigger than I actually am. Reminding myself to take it all one day at time. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• #instadaily #transformation #fitnessgirl #fitness #motivation #postworkout #glow #girlwhoworkout #eatwhatyouwant #lifechanges #ilovefood #blogger #instafit #iweigh #yogaforeveryone #lifestyle #biggirl #fitgirl #thennowtomorrow #bullied #OOTD #yoga #inspiration #26 #twoyearslater #lifelongjourney #imtryingmybest

A post shared by Mary Jane (@then_now_tomorrow) on Oct 2, 2018 at 5:17pm PDT

While she is proud of the kilos she shed, Ms O'Toole hopes to see more clothing manufacturers practice fair pricing.

View this post on Instagram

This was me at my biggest. One week after this photo was taken I started @loseitapp. Scroll for my letter to my old self from my new self. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• For my 24th birthday my then boyfriend, now fiancé, surprised me with a trip to @waltdisneyworld to go on the Wild Africa Trek. It was something I had always dreamt of doing. I love Disney and grew up in the parks. It has always held a special place in my heart. Now more than ever before, I can say Disney has changed my life. This trip was the catalyst into being a healthier person. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Here’s the low down on the trek: you arrive at animal kingdom with a park admission and additionally purchase the trek. There is a weight restriction because you end up on wiring systems over crocodiles and hippos. (I was terrified that I was too fat, which I almost was 😬). You’re in a small group and two very knowledgeable cast members guide through the forests and behind the scenes animal enclosures. IT IS AMAZING. Disney feeds you a beautiful breakfast or lunch and you go on to take a safari ride to close out the day. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I felt sick this morning looking at these photos of the almost 300 lb me. Now, weighing in at 146 lbs I can’t believe that girl in the photo existed. She was happy, energetic, and knew no different. However, now with all the weight off, I have an energy I never knew was possible and a love for myself I didn’t think could exist. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• What can you be doing to treat your body better? •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• #instadaily #transformation #fitnessgirl #fitness #motivation #emotionaleating #wdw #girlwhoworkout #eatwhatyouwant #fbf #ilovefood #blogger #instafit #iweigh #animalkindgom #lifestyle #biggirl #fitgirl #thennowtomorrow #bullied #OOTD #yoga #inspiration #flashbackfriday #twoyearslater #lifelongjourney #imtryingmybest

A post shared by Mary Jane (@then_now_tomorrow) on Aug 24, 2018 at 11:13am PDT

"Big girls want to look good too and it doesn't help our self esteem to go into a store and not find our size," she explained to TODAY. "Women spend money. If most of the female population is plus sized, wouldn't you want to accommodate the people who want to buy your clothing?"

The decision she says, is better for business adding, "Make these accommodations and make people happy in their clothes. And then business will be cyclical. They'll keep coming back to buy more."

View this post on Instagram

From one October to the next. The left was the day after a wedding in Maryland. The right was yesterday after I found my outfit for my wedding rehearsal. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• On the left I had already lost over 70lbs. I remember being so proud of my progress. The shirt was from #americaneagleoutfitters and it was one of the first non-plus size clothing item I had purchased. Now the right photo - something I never thought I would buy or fit into - a low cut suede romper from #zara in a medium. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• I can’t believe how different I look from one October to the next. Amazing what drive, trust in the process, and stubbornness can get you! •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• #instadaily #transformation #fitnessgirl #fitness #motivation #postworkout #glow #girlswhoworkout #eatwhatyouwant #lifechanges #ilovefood #blogger #instafit #plussize #nsv #yogaforeveryone #lifestyle #biggirl #fitgirl #thennowtomorrow #bullied #OOTD #yoga #inspiration #26 #twoyearslater #lifelongjourney #imtryingmybest

A post shared by Mary Jane (@then_now_tomorrow) on Oct 29, 2018 at 12:53pm PDT