Wedding Gown Alterations

January 26th, 2009

The first thing to understand is that almost every wedding gown will require some alterations. At the bare minimum, you will need to have the gown hemmed for your shoe height and have the bustle put in place. Most brides will need quite a bit more than that, from having the bust adjusted to taking in or letting out the waist, to smoothing out all of the little bubbles and ripples that are part of the way fabric lays on an individual body.  An average bride will need around three fittings, but if you are making significant changes, expect to need even more.

At your final fitting, your gown may look almost completely done, or there may still be some basting, if a lot of adjustments were made at the previous appointment. You will definitely want to bring along your mom or a bridesmaid to this fitting so that she can receive instructions on how to help get you into the gown on the wedding day, as well as tips on bustling. This is also your chance to see your entire bridal ensemble together, so be certain to bring your shoes, veil, headpiece, and bridal jewelry.

The last thing you should know about gown alterations is that they are not free. The more you have done, the more it will cost. Charges will vary depending on the bridal shop and the skill of the seamstress, but many brides will pay an extra $300 – $750 beyond the price of the gown, and sometimes more in special circumstances (like if you dropped two dress sizes). If a shop tells you that they do not charge a fee for gown alterations, this is not entirely true; what they do is add a standard fee into the purchase price of their wedding dresses.

In the end, you should feel like your wedding gown fits like a glove, and looks like it was made for you. Don’t expect absolute perfection, because fabric draped over a body will never look as smooth as glass, but it is fair to expect that your gown looks fantastic on you. This way, when you wear your wedding gown down the aisle, you are sure to feel amazing.

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