Many wedding dress designers will not make a specific bride's
wedding dress until she orders it. However, this is because it is
expensive for the company to make wedding dresses, and they don't want
to have a lot of unsold dresses just lying around. Even if a bride is
measured for a wedding dress, the dress is still only available in the
usual range of pre-set sizes. If a bride does not perfectly fit into a
size six or ten wedding dress, or if her bust falls into the range for
one size and her hips fall into the range for another, then she will end
up with an ill-fitting wedding dress. Since most bridal salons do not
stock every dress in every possible size, and since wedding dress
designers can use different sizing systems, a bride should always assume
that a dress will need a few adjustments for the best fit. Brides that
are opting for strapless or form-fitting dresses will be especially
concerned with a dress that fits well enough to stay in place.
Wedding Dress Alterations Are Not DIY-Friendly
Some brides are tempted to save money by attempting alterations on
their own, especially if they or a family member has a sewing machine
or some experience with sewing. This is a mistake; wedding dresses are
elaborately constructed, and many involve multiple layers of fabric or
lace and beading that needs to be accounted for. While the expense of
hiring a professional tailor can seem excessive to some brides, the cost
of completely replacing a botched wedding dress is greater. Even if the
bride has a professional tailor or seamstress in the family, it is best
for her to take her dress to a person with whom she can have a strictly
business relationship with. If anything goes wrong, or if the job is
taking too long, the bride needs to know that she can address the
problem honestly without worrying about hurting anyone's feelings or
starting a family feud. Professional tailors are worth the money and
worth the time.
Tailors That Specialize in Wedding Dresses Are Better
In the same vein, it is best for brides to seek out tailors that
specialize in wedding dresses. While most tailors can all perform the
same alterations on a dress or on other articles of clothing, tailors
that specialize in altering wedding dresses have specialized experience
that gives them an advantage. Wedding dress tailors understand the
bride's time frame and needs better than a regular tailor might, and
these wedding dress tailors also are more familiar with techniques used
for delicate fabrics, laces, and embellishments. Because of their
experience, a specialized tailor can be more expensive than a regular
tailor. However, brides will find that these specialized tailors come
with more than insight on wedding dresses: Often, a specialized tailor
will be familiar with other wedding vendors, venues, and resources that a
bride might need. A well-established wedding dress tailor can be a
great support for a bride as she plans her wedding.
Alterations Can Take Weeks
A downside to specialized tailors is that they are often booked
for weeks or even months in advance. While basic dress alterations can
take anywhere from an hour of labor to weeks of work, a popular tailor
can have dozens of dresses that they are working on at one time. Since
many brides will have multiple fittings to ensure that the dress is
perfect, a tailor's schedule will quickly fill up. Brides should always
budget at least a month's worth of time for wedding dress alterations.
If a bride is short on time, many professional wedding dress tailors are
willing to make space in their schedules, but this expedited service
can sometimes come at a higher price. When scheduling with her tailor, a
bride should plan for at least an initial consultation, a fitting to
check progress, and a final fitting, at which she takes her dress home
if it has no further issues. Each fitting will only take about half an
hour or less, depending on how long it takes the bride to get in and out
of her dress. If possible, a bride should bring a bridesmaid along to
help speed the process along.
A Good Tailor Can Alter Any Wedding Dress to Fit
Brides that opt to wear used wedding dresses, heirloom dresses, or
who have significantly changed weights or sizes may worry about a
wedding dress fitting properly. A good tailor can adjust a dress to
account for a difference of many inches. However, brides should remember
that while tailors are very skilled, they are not magicians. If a bride
is uncertain of her wedding dress sizing, she should always order a
dress slightly larger. Tailors can easily take in a dress so that it is
fitted and flattering, but there is not a lot of material in wedding
dresses for tailors to let out.
A Good Tailor Can Also Change the Look of a Wedding Dress
Some brides will find that they have bought a wedding dress that
they are unhappy with. This may be a used wedding dress that does not
meet expectations, or perhaps a bride on a budget was not able to afford
the designer dress that she wanted. Wedding dress tailors are able to
do a lot more than take in or let out dresses. Some full-service wedding
dress alteration salons even offer services to tint or dye wedding
dresses although this is a risky procedure and cannot be undone.
However, for a bride that wants to give her white dress a different
undertone to better flatter her skin tones, then it is a great option to
brighten up a dress. Alterations can also include simple changes like
adding or removing beading, lace, and other embellishments. A bride can
buy her own materials at a fabric shop, or the alterations salon may
have their own supply of beads and lace. Some tailors will also add or
remove sleeves, adjust necklines, change hems, and even alter the skirt
shape by removing fabric.
Wedding Dress Alterations Can Also Include Dress Preparation
Wedding dresses, especially those made of silk or other crisp
fabrics, must also be prepared before the wedding day. They will need to
be gently steamed to remove any wrinkles, and they need to be carefully
hung up in a garment bag to protect them from wrinkling or damage.
Often, a good wedding dress tailor will provide these services,
sometimes for free or included with other alterations. Some shops will
even temporarily store the bride's wedding dress until the big day if
the bride does not want to carry the dress around and risk damaging it.
Full-service wedding dress tailors might also offer drop off service,
where they will prepare the dress and then drop it off at the wedding
venue the morning of the ceremony. For busy brides with a lot to
organize, this small service can significantly cut down on errands for
her and her bridesmaids.
Some Businesses Will Help Preserve Wedding Dresses
Brides that are choosing to keep and store their wedding dresses
will want a special wedding dress preservation service. Many tailors
will provide this, and some will offer discounts to brides who used the
alteration services. Wedding dress preservation starts with a customized
cleaning procedure to remove all stains, sweat, oils, and chemicals
from a used wedding dress. It is important to get this done as soon as
possible so that stains do not set and oils do not start to yellow the
wedding dress. Then, the dress is wrapped in special acid-free paper and
put in a box. Some tailors will even seal the wedding dress into its
box to keep pests from getting into the dress. This can be a very
important service for brides who want to keep their wedding dress for
future generations, so a savvy bride will ask her tailor ahead of time
if this service is something that they offer.
Finding a Good Tailor Is Easy
Since finding a good wedding dress tailor is so important, many
brides feel that they will never find a business that can meet their
expectations. For recommendations, brides can go online for business
reviews or ask locally based bride communities. Another good options is
for a bride to ask her venue, officiant, caterer, or even florist for
recommendations. Because all of these wedding businesses often work
together, they will be aware of popular tailors, and they will also know
which brides were happy with their dresses and which brides were not.
An initial consultation with most wedding dress tailors is free, so a
bride should not feel pressure to go talk to some alteration businesses.
If she feels that the tailor understands her vision, then she can start
the alteration process, but if she feels uncomfortable in a shop, then
she should take her dress and her business elsewhere.
Conclusion
For brides, locating the ideal dress is only the first part of the
wedding dress process. A good tailor or seamstress can take a custom or
used dress and make it look as if it had been made just for the bride,
and brides that have saved money by buying off-brand or used wedding
dresses will love how a tailor can turn her dress into something truly
unique and special. If a bride does her homework and chooses a good
tailor, then entire wedding day can be significantly easier and more
special.
