💎 What is a wedding dress fitting?
The appointment with a seamstress dressmaker to have the dress altered to fit you correctly. You may only need 2 fittings, sometimes 3. Your hem will also be altered to your shoe height as well.
NOTE: This timeline is for made-to-order dresses, if your dress is being custom made from scratch, there will be many more fittings.
💎 When do I start my wedding dress alterations?
It's ideal to begin your wedding dress alterations around 6 weeks before your wedding. You need to leave enough time for your seamstress to do a thorough, considered job on your dress - as well as ensuring your body shape/weight doesn't change from this point.
Make sure you have your final fitting/collection appointment at least 10 days before your wedding. This leaves room for any last minute adjustments without stress or hassle.
💎 What if I'm still losing weight when I need my alterations to begin?
After your first consultation and fitting you should always try and maintain your weight and shape. This is why we recommend starting your alterations 4-6 weeks before your wedding at the earliest.
In some cases this may be out of your control, experienced seamstresses are capable at handling weight fluctuations and will allow for this within reason, however, a further cost may be incurred if the dress has to be re-altered more than once.
💎 How many fittings will I need?
For a made-to-order or ready-to-wear dresses that are ordered to your dress size, you should only need maximum 3 fittings when working with an experienced seamstress.
💎 How much time is needed for each fitting and then the time in between?
Your fitting shouldn't take more than 30 minutes for a straightforward ready-to-wear dress. This is because you are not altering the design of the dress and the specific goal of the appointment is to fit the style to your body.
Be sure to respect how the dress has been designed - the silhouette it is meant to portray - changing this requires a lot of time and additional work with minimal outcome.
Give your seamstress 2-3 weeks to complete the alterations. Keep in mind they have other clients and need enough time to dedicate to doing a good job with your dress. If you need a quicker turnaround, try and give them a heads up prior so they can plan within their own workload. Your dressmaker/seamstress will respect you more and do a better job with your alterations!
💎 Can I bring someone to my fittings?
As I shared in our previous article about alterations tips, asking a friend to accompany you can be a great support. Especially if you haven't experienced fittings or alterations before, they may be able to see things you haven't - or speak up for you if you feel you can't.
💎 What items should I bring to the fittings?
You must bring your wedding shoes to each and every fitting appointment to ensure the length and fit of the dress is fitted correctly. If you need to have specific underwear, ensure you bring this too. You can try your accessories on too at your final appointment or if you're choosing between looks.
💎 Do I need to have my dress dry cleaned before my wedding day?
If you ordered your dress brand new, cleaning will not be required. If you purchased your dress as a sample or a pre-worn style, think carefully about cleaning it. Dry cleaning may not be required - if you do choose to clean your dress, select your cleaner carefully through online reviews and speaking directly with the business.
💎 Who presses my dress?
This is part of the service when having your dress altered by a quality seamstress. Once their work is complete the seamstress or dressmaker will give your dress a final press or delicate steam depending on the fabric.
💎 How much do alterations cost? Are they included in the price of my wedding dress?
This is a very difficult question to answer as every body shape is different - as is everyone's needs. If you are trying to change the cut or the fit of your wedding dress from its original design this can begin to get expensive. It takes time to unpick, rework and re-sew a dress. Especially one that uses precious fabrics like silk or lace - gentle handling is required.
It's always best to be aware of alterations costs and quotes when you're purchasing your wedding dress. Some boutiques can charge up to $1000 for basic alterations.
To save on costs, make sure your dress silhouette is what you want BEFORE purchasing your dress. You want to ensure your size doesn't change too much so the dress you order 6-12 months before your wedding is not too big (or small) for the day.
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