Wedding dress modifications: Everything you need to know

So, you have found the perfect wedding dress, but it is not fitting right. Why not take it to a seamstress and let them work their magic? If that is your plan, here is everything you need to know about wedding dress modifications. 

What are wedding dress modifications?

All women are different shapes and sizes, which means there is no universal size guide for wedding dresses and often come up differently to the traditional size guide. Wedding dress modifications allow you to take your chosen dress and alter it to fit your body perfectly.  

Common modifications include:

  • Adjusting the hips/waist
  • Adjusting the hem 
  • Altering the neckline
  • Adjusting the chest 
  • Shortening the straps
  • Restyling (Adding sleeves, removing zips, special alterations) 

Each of the modifications above is targeted at altering the dress to fit your specific body shape and size – as we said before all women are different shapes and sizes. Each bride may need a different combination of the above for her gown. 

Some modifications are easier than others. Shortening or lengthening the hem is an easy adjustment, whereas restyling parts of the dress may take more time and skill.

How much does dress modification cost?

The cost of wedding dress modifications completely depends on the services and alterations you are looking to have done. The price will depend on two key considerations: the difficulty of the modification and the time the alterations will take to complete. 
 
Prices will range anywhere from £50 – £200. 
 
Most bridal shops will offer a free consultation when purchasing your dress with recommendation into what alterations may be required. Remember they are professionals within their field and have done this before. Listen to their advice to find out what would possible with the dress. 
 
It is also important to note that you do not have to use the same bridal shop for the alterations. Many seamstress and tailors will offer over the phone quotations. Shop around to find the best price to take it to your trusted seamstress you have used before. 

Alteration Timeline  

Seamstress and tailors can get busy, so do not risk losing out on their services by leaving it to late!
 
You should book appointments with plenty of time before your wedding day. In an ideal situation you should look to purchase your dress around 3 months before and look to be finishing your alterations around 4 weeks before the big day. 
 
Scheduling to finish with time to spare allows for any last-minute alterations in case of an emergency. 
 
It is also necessary to consider that you may need more than one alliteration. If this is the case work out a plan and schedule for multiple appointments in the weeks leading to your wedding. 

6 tips when you are modifying your dress 

1) Budget for alteration in your dress allowance

Weddings are not cheap. In 2019 the average total cost of a wedding was £31,974It is important to budget for dress modification in your initial dress budget. When purchasing your dress consider the cost and the alterations to work out the total cost. 

Do not be stung by a larger bill than you had planned for your wedding dress.

2) Bring a friend to the appointment

When attending the appointment why not bring a friend? Although we do not recommend bringing the complete bridal squad, bringing the company of a person you trust is beneficial. This can either be a loved one or a close friend. Your mother or best friend always work well. 

A loved one can offer advice and support whilst your dress is coming along. If any changes need to be made, they can help discuss through the decision. 

3) Wear your wedding day accessories

With each session, you should bring and wear any accessories you plan to wear on your wedding day. This will benefit you in two ways.  

Firstly, it ensures that the alterations being made will allow the most comfortable fit. For example, if you are wearing the same bra the seamstress will have an idea into how it sites and fits your body, meaning they can alter the chest accordingly. 

Secondly, it allows you to picture your complete outfit and look for you special day. By getting a gage on your complete look (minus hair and makeup) you can gage whether you need any additional accessories, or whether you are happy. 

These accessories can include: 

  • Wedding shoes
  • Lingerie – most importantly bra
  • Jewellery 

4) Do not wear any make up

Making sure your wedding dress stays in perfect condition for your wedding day is vital. You want you look to be perfect. 

When visiting for alterations to be made we recommend not wearing any make up or other cosmetic products that may damage or mark your dress. You should aim to be as clean and fresh as possible to give yourself the best chance of preserving your dress. 

5) Pick the right appointment time 

Altering your wedding dress is not a speedy process. You want as much time as the seamstress needs for them to properly to do their job.

When booking appointments pick times that work for you and your accompanying person. Give yourself a 15-minute buffer either side of your appointment. 

We recommend not booking during busy times in your day such as during a lunch break or before you have another commitment.

6) Work out your goal wedding weight

The last tip is sometimes a difficult one to plan for. Ideally when altering your dress try to be as close to you planned wedding weight as possible.

 

If you are however planning on loosing additional weight, try to work out end, goal weight. By working this out, you can give the modifier a planned weight and waist, hip and chest dimensions. 

 

By planning your seamstress will be able to work necessary adjustments as they alter the dress. 

 

Whilst on the topic of goal wedding weights, it is important to note that wedding dresses often do not follow the normal size and fits as other clothes. Do not be upset if you are a different size than usual. Find a dress that you are comfortable in, that fits your body.

Where can I find wedding dress alterations near me?

Wedding dress alterations are usually performed by seamstresses or tailors. These professionals can either have their own businesses or will be a part of the bridal shops that sell the wedding dresses. 

Many will offer an over the phone quotation, so it is possible to contact a few options to understand the best for you. We recommend using a service close to your home to make it easier travelling to have the alterations done. 

 

Find a list of trusted suppliers on The Wedding Guide suppliers list.