Go back to the moment you said ‘YES’ to your dress. The last thing you thought of was alterations for your gown. Don’t get me wrong, that’s ok if you don’t think about alterations in that moment;)
When the time is right to think about alterations, here are the following questions you should ask:
1. Is the dress sized according to your measurements?
You need to make sure the gown is ordered in the size that best fits your measurements. It is likely that you will need some alterations but you want to careful not to order a size that is too small or too big to be altered.
2. Think about how tall you are and if you would wear heels. If you are taller, should you order extra length?
You can hem the length of the dress, but you can never add length. So if you are asked about ordering extra length, remember to consider your height or if you will be wearing tall heels.
3. Does the store offer alterations or recommend an out-of-store seamstress?
When you are going to bridal stores, make a note to see if they offer in-house alterations. You may want to take into consideration the convenience of having your gown altered at the store you purchase it from as they will be able to advise you better on sizing and fit.
4. When the dress comes in, do you have enough time to have the dress altered?
Most bridal gown alterations take between two and three months*. So keep that in mind when you are going to order your gown.
*For bridal gown alterations, the average time it takes is two-three months. However, remember to ask your seamstress because their timeline could be different and sometimes can be done quicker if need be.
5. Did you budget for alterations?
Alterations are not included in the cost of the dress. So remember to set aside money for alterations. If altering at the store you bought it from, they will be happy to give you an estimate for possible alterations.
When you find out your gown has arrived at the store, you might be excited and nervous. Will it fit right? Will I have the same feeling when I said ‘YES’ to the dress? The questions go on and on.
However, alterations are the best part during wedding planning. The wedding gown becomes uniquely yours. No other gown will look like yours after alterations when it fits you perfectly.