Finding the perfect wedding dress is hard enough for a bride, but not being prepared for what comes after purchasing the perfect dress is a whole other source of stress. If a bride doesn’t follow a strict timeline of what to do before their big day, it’s going to be even more difficult to pull off the dream wedding day. It’s important to make sure the bride doesn’t wait too long for alterations on their dress because they take a certain amount of time and cannot be rushed.
However, brides can take some simple steps to make sure they don’t miss the alteration deadline and avoid that unneeded stress. Prioritize finding the dress, and the rest will fall into place on the timeline.
Finding the Dress
The most important step is to shop for wedding dresses early enough to be altered in time. The key to dress shopping is to look for major details that wouldn’t be easy to alter, like sleeves, dress material, and train length. A bride can make these non negotiables to narrow down dress options.
Ideally, brides should shop for their dress around eight months before the wedding. With five months to go, the bride should be shopping for undergarments, hair accessories, and shoes. The bride should have their first fitting with three months left and their second fitting with six to eight weeks left before the wedding.
Find a Good Tailor
Finding a good tailor is crucial for the bride’s dress to come out perfect. Many wedding dress boutiques provide alterations, but if the bride wants to look for a tailor on their own, they must find someone specializing in formal wear.
The best way to find a professional tailor is by reading the reviews and asking the right questions. Reading reviews are absolutely paramount and should be done extensively. Once the bride is happy with the choice, it’s important to ask some questions during the consultation. Some questions the bride can ask include:
- How many years of experience do you have?
- What will this cost?
- What amount is needed for the deposit?
- How many fittings are required?
- What’s your schedule like?
The Fitting
The fitting is where the magic happens. It’s where the seamstress or fitter takes the bride’s measurements to alter the dress to fit their body correctly. Usually, the first fitting takes around one hour, as the bride will meet the seamstress, and they will begin to assess the dress and figure out what needs to be altered.
Brides will usually need around three fittings before the dress is ready to wear, but each session after the first will become shorter as the dress is closer to being finished. Brides should bring the shoes, undergarments, and accessories they plan to wear for an exact fit.
Easy Fixes
Despite what many brides think, some easy fixes are possible in the early stages of the alteration process. Some simple solutions like shortening the straps or changing the closure from zipper to buttons or vice versa are easy fixes.
It’s best for the bride to ask their seamstress and work closely with them to see what is possible early on. The seamstress will tell the bride what they can and can’t do during the early stages. The bride needs to continue to ask questions without hesitation as their dream dress is possible as long as it fits the timeline.
Go Solo
Lastly, brides can always decide to go solo to their dress fittings. It’s fun to bring family and friends to the initial process, but going alone might be best as the bride is more focused. Inevitably, if the bride goes to the fitting alone, they are more relaxed and can pay attention to all the details during the fitting.
If a bride does decide to bring friends, make sure they are aware of how you want the dress to fit beforehand. Try to keep the group to a minimum, only inviting family or the maid of honor. At this stage, opinions about the dress itself should be limited to provide the tailor and the bride a chance to work out the details.
The Dress Fitting is Important
Brides should take the dress fitting and alterations as seriously as possible. It’s a crucial aspect of buying a wedding dress and will make the bride feel like a true queen. Making sure to find a dress and get it altered early on will save the bride a lot of money, stress, and hassle.
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Very informative article.
Great info thanks buddy! Will surely utilize your research resources.
Thank you so much for sharing such an informative article.
Thank you so much for sharing such an informative article. Very Helpful!!
Really helping for my fiance for the wedding dress alteration.
Continue your great work!! You are an inspiration
Such an inspiring article for Wedding dress alteration at the last moment.
Wedding dress alterations are part of completing your bridal look. Thanks for sharing with us