Bridal Gown Alterations
Under normal circumstances, I do not charge for fittings. Usually, 3 fittings are required and these are included in the price of your alterations.
If further fittings are required these will be charged at £30 each.
I have introduced a minimum charge of £60, as some dresses require minimal work, but 2 hours of time are still booked out to see my bride for fitting.
I do offer a free of charge, half hour consultation for any bride wanting advice or a quote.
All prices are approximate and are ‘starting from’. Obviously the more difficult the fabric is to work with, the longer it will take, and the greater cost will be incurred.
Hem
All hems are altered from the front and the back is left untouched unless otherwise requested. Prices below reflect front alteration only, not complete circumference of the dress
Slim hem (A line, with linings) £100
Standard A line hem (incl. all linings, and nets if applicable) £120
Layered hem, chiffon, georgette, organza, tulle (incl. linings and nets if applicable) £140
Ballgown style, layered hem (tulle with multiple layers and linings) £140
Lace hem/horsehair braid hem (including all layers, linings and nets using polyester thread) £140
Lace hem/horsehair braid hem (including all layers, linings and nets using clear nylon thread) £160
Unpick motif trim from bottom of dress to shorten overall length. Restitch motif. (no other layers are included in this price) £250
Bodice
Plain side seams (taking in/letting out) £70
Side seams with lace or beadwork (taking in/letting out) £120
Resize centre back to make dress smaller by removing & replacing zip (plain fabric) £80
Resize centre back to make dress smaller by removing & replacing zip (lace/tulle/beaded fabric) £180
Resize back by adding darts (plain fabric) £60
Resize back by adding darts (lace/tulle/beaded fabric) £80
Remove zip & create a corset style back with additional fabric panel, loops & ribbon/tie £300
Remove & replace buttons £30
Remove sleeves £40
Standard shoulders (taking up) £40
Shoulders with sleeve/dart adjustments £60
Shorten shoestring straps £25
Hand sew belt to waist £30
Add hook and bar £15
Add hook and thread bar £20
Add thread bar £15
Additional alterations charged individually depending on time involved
Skirt
Letting out/taking in over hip/thigh on plain skirt, £60
Letting out/taking in over hip/thigh on lace or beaded skirt, £80
Bust pads and fitting, £30 per pair
Sew bridal belt, £30
Hand sewing and finishing charged by the hour, £30
Standard train bustle, £25
Larger skirts with multiple bustles, £30
Changing/adding train ribbon, £10
Changing zip back to corset back (incl. fabric costs), £120
Making new back panel, £30
Supply lucky sixpence in tiny tulle/organza bag with blue bow/flower £20
As a guide, most bridal gowns alterations will be approximately £200 - £300 per dress, depending on the work that needs undertaking.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO ALTER A WEDDING DRESS?
Ideally, I usually like to start approx. 6 - 8 weeks before your wedding date, I leave it until then because many things can change, weight might fluctuate, you may be on a diet, going to the gym, you may be pregnant, any number of things can have an impact on your weight leading up to your wedding date. However, you can choose to have your dress altered when it's most convenient to you. Brides who are considering losing lots of weight, can choose to have their dress altered even closer to the big day, as long as I know I can get fittings booked in the diary to accommodate this.
WHAT DO I NEED TO HAVE READY FOR MY FITTING?
To get the most out of your first fitting, the following items are essential. .......
Any underwear that you will be wearing on the wedding day. Bras, corsets and no underwear can drastically change the shape and position of the bust in the dress. I will not go ahead with any fittings unless the appropriate underwear is available at the fitting.
Petticoats and hooped underskirts, if needed these must be available at the time of the fitting.
Shoes. Obviously needed for your hem length.
HOW MANY FITTINGS DO I NEED?
Usually most brides have 3 fittings, occasionally I may need more depending on the amount of work required, but I guide you through the process. In the quiet times I can be flexible working round bride’s diaries, however in the busy season I am usually back-to-back with fittings and don't have much leeway with last minute changes. I book out an hour for each fitting, which leaves us with plenty of time.
3 fittings are included in the alteration prices, further fittings will be charged for.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME ABOUT COSTS
Everything surrounding weddings is expensive and alterations on your gown can be something you haven't budgeted for. However, I will try to break the costs down for you...
1. This is my profession and obviously I need to make money. I opened my first bridal shop in 2000 where I designed & made bespoke bridal gowns. I have a high degree of expertise in altering gowns and part of what you pay for is the knowledge and expertise gained over a 30 + year period.
2. I have a professional workspace in a business premises where I have to pay rent, rates and bills.
3. Each fitting is an hour. I see brides approximately 3 times each, so 3 hours of fittings which I include in the price of the alterations.
3. Many of the alterations can take several hours to complete. For example, a lace hem can take 2 - 4 hours to unpick and 6-8 hours to attach back again, that's without the other layers being measured cut and sewn. I set aside a whole day for a dress with a lace hem, just to finish all the layers and sew everything back on for the final fitting. Replacing beading or lace motifs can take up 6 hours after the alterations have been sewn.
In total a lace dress with a lace hem can take 3 days to complete, including fittings.
Dresses with lace or beadwork will be more expensive due to the hours spent hand sewing the dresses at the end.