Bridal Alterations Etiquette

Alright, you secured a spot with a talented bridal seamstress and the moment has finally come. It is time to go to your first bridal alterations consultation. I have compiled a list of bridal alterations etiquette that will help you prepare for your alterations journey and will help you become your seamstress’s favorite client! 

1. Be punctual – being early is not ON TIME!

Being punctual means arriving at the time you were scheduled. If you are a responsible girlie that likes to show up 15 minutes early everywhere, keep in mind that this does not work for a bridal seamstress. If you get in early, chances are you will interrupt the previous appointment and remember: everyone deserves the seamstress’s whole attention. So be mindful of your fellow brides and of your seamstress.

2. Limit companions -

This rule is more to protect you than anything else. During the initial consultation your seamstress needs you to be completely honest with her about the things you want to fix/address about your dress. Those things might be very intimate and maybe even a big insecurity of yours and believe me: no one wants an audience when telling our seamstress if they can help us hide them! Don’t worry, if you want to bring guests for moral support, us seamstresses completely understand, just ask beforehand and the seamstress will tell you how many people they can accommodate.

3. Communicate clearly - 

There is nothing a bridal seamstress loves more than full transparency from a bride. Whether you are on a weight loss journey, using ozempic, trying to get pregnant, already pregnant or idk getting a boob job in two weeks – communicate! Bridal gown alterations is a service that heavily relies on your HONEST feedback. If something is not comfortable, to your liking or just plain off, please please COMMUNICATE IT!! I cannot stress this enough, us seamstresses cannot feel the dress on you, and what might look great to us, might feel uncomfortable for you. Having good communication during fittings with your seamstress will ensure your dress fits amazing and that we all have a great experience. 

4. Be Respectful- 

Allow your seamstress to access the state of your dress and the fit. Allow her to pin, measure and give suggestions, she will then ask for feedback and your thoughts on the fit of the dress. Do not try to tell your seamstress how or what she needs to do to your dress, she is the professional and knows the best way to tackle your fit issues. A good seamstress will make suggestions and request your feedback and only once you both are on the same page, will make the decision to go ahead with the specific alteration. Being respectful here means allowing the professional to do their work. 

I hope that these not so obvious rules will help you become your seamstress’s favorite client and most importantly, it will ensure your alterations are executed promptly and to the highest standards. Remember that even though the bridal seamstress is the professional, it is your COLLABORATION that makes all the difference and ensures quality results. Trust the process and enjoy the journey!

What you ACTUALLY need to look for in a bridal seamstress

Okay you just walked out of the bridal boutique with the most precious dress you have ever bought and are in bridal heaven. Now what? 

You get in the car and reality starts seeping in: the bust cups make you look like Madonna, the skirt is half a foot too long and the zipper is doing a weird lumpy shape through your back. Yup. Your dress needs alterations!! Where do you begin? The bridal shop gave you a list. Okay! Wait, but how do you pick one? KEEP READING!

Aside from the thing we all know to look for in someone who offers a skill as a service (eg. expertise, specialization, availability), I will list 3 very serious things you ACTUALLY want to consider when looking for a bridal seamstress.

The truth is: we are all good at what we do, period. We do this day in, day out. Some of us went to school and received classical education some others know it by trade, by family traditions, by experimenting; you name it. We do it for money and we get paid for it, so we must know how to do a thing or two right. But what will really set your bridal gown alterations experience apart are these three things:

Reviews! 

It was kind of obvious right? No, but like the real reviews and more than that; the willingness to have them! Does your seamstress have a Google Profile where people can arbitrarily leave an honest review about their experience? Do you notice a common theme in reviews? What are the past brides liking/commenting the most on? Does it align with what you are looking for/ it’s important to you?

Transparency (Overall!!) 

Like in everything they do! From the minute you contact them. Are they giving you a quote WITHOUT seeing your gown in person? Why? Are they disclosing if they work out of their home? Are they preparing you for a realistic timeline? And then once you’re at your consultation: Are they being up front about pricing? Are they explaining how the process works, what alteration your dress needs and WHY it needs it?  These are just a few things you should be asking yourself and paying attention to see if they align with what you are looking for.

Comfort level! 

What is this? How comfortable are you with them? Do you feel like the seamstress really cares about you, or are you just another client they are getting through? How does she show you are important? Is she actively listening to your needs, concerns and trying to understand your vision? Is your seamstress promoting body positivity, making you feel welcomed and beautiful? Do you feel comfortable talking to her about self image? Are they catering to you in everything they do? from making information/education readily available, ease of booking, multiple open channels for communication? This pillar is SO SO SO IMPORTANT because this is what will truly set a bridal seamstress apart and provide you with peace of mind as your alterations get underway.

Asking yourself all these questions is crucial because at the end, you will have figured out whether or not the bridal seamstress’s values and work ethic align with yours. These non-tangibles will make the difference between having a transactional experience getting to your wedding look finish line or having a magical personalized experience building up to the best day of your life.

What do you think? What is the most important thing for you when looking for a wedding vendor? 

Two wedding dress secrets nobody shares.

Hi I’m Alex and I have been a professional bridal seamstress and a part time bridal sales consultant for 5 years. Wow that’s half a decade, time flies when you’re having fun? Anyways, I decided to start writing a blog with the goal to educate brides from a bridal seamstress perspective. I will be using this space to provide advice that either I get asked way too often or sadly way too late in the bridal journey.

Disclaimer: I’m no lady Whistledown so don’t come at me for less than perfect blog writing skills.

Today I want talk about two obvious things no one tells you and YOU SHOULD KNOW when looking for a wedding dress.

1. BUDGET - but like the WHOLE budget! 

I know, I know, everyone says the same thing. Don’t look at dresses you can’t afford, make sure your bridal shop sells gowns in your range, blah blah. NO! I’m talking about your WHOLE wedding dress budget. What does that look like? Here’s a list:

1. Wedding dress

2. ALTERATIONS

3. Undergarments

4. Veil

5. Shoes

6. Jewelry

Now, did you budget for all this? Don’t worry, nobody does… (sighs) The purpose of knowing this is so that you can establish your priorities. What do you want? Maybe you want to get a pair of diamond earrings that will become your family heirloom, or the quintessential blue Manolo Blaniks, or a bit%#ing designer wedding dress. The world is your oyster! But the one thing you don’t want to do is spend all of your budget on the gown. Why? Because we ALL need alterations. Yes, sadly, designers have like a few decades of body inclusivity delay and very few of us reach 5’ 11’’ in height by our wedding day. So yes, bridal seamstresses are out there doing the Lord’s work. Bridal seamstresses' skills are VERY niche, complex and naturally it is a premium service. At this stage your dress will get CUSTOM modifications, let me repeat that: CUSTOM modifications. You get it now right? ;) 

2. START EARLY - like right after you say yes! 

Trust your gut, no you’re not too ‘eager’, and no there won’t be a better dress coming next season. Let’s do some math: Bridal shops require anywhere between 3-9 months for your gown to arrive. Then your seamstress will need approximately 12-8 weeks to complete alterations. That can put your wedding dress overall turn around anywhere between 6 and 11 months. So start early, look for your dress and if you love it, order it. Don’t be afraid that you will miss out on something better, what feels right is right. AND you already picked your partner, and what could be harder than that?! Ask about your shop’s alterations options. Do they offer in house, or do they have a preferred list? If it’s the latter, make sure you get in contact with them the minute you order your gown. Why? Because bridal seamstresses book up FAST!!! These precious humans (of course I’m biased let me be) are very rare, and only take a certain amount of clients per month. These seamstresses understand that there may be delays in your gown getting here, but they will secure your spot and trust me they will not leave you hanging.

Alright, well if you’ve made it this far: I love you :) what do you think? Do you agree? Did you find this helpful? I tried to keep it short and sweet. I’m looking forward to your feedback. See you next week with a little more bridal gown tea.