Wedding Dress Alteration Appointments: What to Expect

Buying your wedding dress is just the beginning of the journey, after all that time deciding on your perfect dress it is time to figure out everything that’s wrong with it. Now you’ve found ‘the one’, it’s time to hand your dress over to a skilled seamstress who will do everything they can to make the dress fit you perfectly, and do any other wedding dress alteration you feel necessary! It is important to know what to expect when you go into your fittings, which is why we’ve put together this little guide about what to expect and how to prepare...

The First Fitting

Point of the appointment: Assessing how well the dress fits you and if alterations are necessary for the size. This is also the appointment where, if there are any drastic wedding dress alterations you desire, you should mention it to your wedding dress seamstress to discuss if these alterations are possible. Feel free to be as nit-picky as you want; it’s your dress and the seamstress will be happy to cater to your needs.

When to have your appointment: Two to three months before the wedding is when you should have your first fitting. It is important to have it far away enough from your wedding to ensure there’s enough time for all your alterations, but also close enough to know your body shape is unlikely to drastically change.

What to bring: Bringing along the shoes you’re planning on wearing on your day is essential for your wedding dress alteration appointment. The seamstress needs to know the exact comfortable length your dress needs to be, and to do this the height of your shoes are necessary to know. You should also bring any accessories you plan to wear to get the full picture of how you’ll look, as well as the undergarments you are going to wear.

The Second Fitting

Point of the appointment: Try on your gown with all the adjustments that have been made since your first appointment. This is another opportunity to take your dress for a spin, move around and see if you’re comfortable in it as well as love the way it looks.

When to have your appointment: Your second wedding dress alteration appointment is usually around five or six weeks before your wedding. This gives your seamstress time to do the alterations from the first appointment, and time after to change anything else you both believe to be necessary.

What to bring: Once again, it’s important to bring shoes, accessories, and undergarments that you plan on wearing. You need to get the full picture of what you’re going to look like on your wedding day to know for sure if you’re happy.

The Final Fitting

Point of the appointment: Your final appointment is all about making sure everything is perfect for your big day. This is your last chance for any wedding dress alterations, as well as your time to ask for any tips from your seamstress. This can be about how to bustle, go to the bathroom, and the best way to put on and take off your dress.

When to have your appointment: You should have your appointment as close to your wedding as possible, consulting with your personal seamstress to know when their latest available date is that still leaves time for any minor alterations.

What to bring: Everything you’re going to wear; it is important to know exactly what to expect to look like on your wedding day to know you’re happy. It may even be worth recreating the hair and makeup you plan on having, just to get the full picture and know you are going to love the way you look.

You may need more, or even less, than three appointments depending on your wedding dress alterations, but this is a rough idea of what to expect! If you’re ready to get the process started, contact Alterations Boutique. We can arrange a no-obligation consultation appointment to advise you on the time needed and cost of alterations work on your dress.