Must-Know Info on Wedding Dress Alterations and Sizing

Obsessed with uncovering all the secrets the bridal world has to offer? Welcome to your exclusive look behind the curtain at all our best-kept bridal stylist knowledge! A little-known fact about bridal appointments is that there truly is a science to wedding dress alterations and sizing. Having all the details when you walk into your bridal appointment will leave you more cool and confident than ever as you put on your dream dress. Read on to learn more about the behind-the-scenes of your bridal appointment!

P.S. Dreaming of walking down the aisle ASAP? Check out our quick-ship gowns for brides who just can’t wait to enter their wifey era!

Why is this a must-know?

PC: Phoebe Jane | Jaelynn Alexis Photo

• Having knowledge about wedding dress alterations and sizing will help you maintain confidence in your bridal appointment and keep in mind that bridal sizing is completely different than regular clothes. No, you haven’t suddenly gone up four sizes, so don’t panic if you aren’t fitting into your normal size. It’s us, not you.
• Let’s talk samples. A lot of brides think they will go into the store and they will have every size in every dress to try on, but that’s not the case. A lot of times stores will order two or three sizes of one dress to fit most body types but most likely you will need to be clamped into gowns. Once again, it’s the gown that’s too big or too small, not the bride. Your boutique simply only has that gown in certain sizes, but they have ways to make sure you get to try on your dream dress. Just keep in mind the fit will be better once you have the dress in your size and tailored to your body by a seamstress. 
• Knowing about how wedding dress alterations work will help you have a realistic timeline and budget when shopping for a gown.

How bridal sizing works

Bridal sizing is so different from street clothes, so let’s give you a quick run-down on what to expect. Sizing for your wedding dress is determined solely by your largest measurement. So, if your waist is measuring at a size 12, but your hips are measuring at a size 18, your stylist is going to order your gown in a size 18. 

We don’t take the average of your measurements or order you a gown that fits your smallest measurement, it’s always the largest. This is simply because it is easier for your seamstress to remove fabric than it is to add it during the tailoring process. 

PC: Brides of Florida

Don’t worry about losing details you love on your dress in the process though! Your seamstress loves that lace train too, and during your appointment, you can go over all your favorite parts to make sure they don’t get cut out in the places she’ll need to take your gown in.

We want you to be 100% comfortable and make it the least expensive and most simple for your seamstress to work her magic and have that gown fitting you like a glove. So trust us, don’t even think twice about the size your stylist has you trying on.

Common alterations

Pretty much every gown is going to require wedding dress alterations of some kind, so don’t expect to walk out of the store with your dress that day. You’re going to need to order it, wait for shipping times, and have it altered with a seamstress before it is ready for your wedding celebration.  

Even though you’ll be fitted by a stylist who will tell you your bridal size and order your gown accordingly, that doesn’t ensure a seamless fit. Alterations are totally normal and don’t mean that you got the wrong size. It’s probably not going to fit perfectly right out of the box, but that’s where the fun starts!

You get to talk to your stylist about all kinds of personalizations you can make to your dress while having it adjusted to your body. Feel free to get creative! But remember, the more alterations, the higher your budget needs to be.

Here are some of the most common wedding dress alterations:

• Most wedding dresses come long, so chances are you’ll need to get it hemmed. (Psst! Make sure to wear your wedding shoes to your alterations appointments so it is the perfect length!)
• Adjusting the bust, waist, and hips to fine-tune the fit of your dress.
• Adding or removing lining under sheer sleeves or panels for a more or less modest look.
• Bustling your dress so you can dance all night long without worrying about your train being stepped on.
• Adding lace, sparkle, or buttons. 

Personalize It! And Sister Styles

Here at Maggie, we do our best to help out with your wedding dress alterations. Personalize It! allows brides to create a dream gown that reflects their own personal love story and individual style. At Maggie, each layer, stitch, and embellishment comes with a purpose: to bring a bride’s love story to life. This personal element is taken even further with options to personalize a variety of gowns. 

Some personalization options for our gowns include:

Dresses:

• Sleeves or sleeveless
• Lined or unlined bodices
• Customized lengths
• Add buttons down the train
• Layer changes

Accessories:

• Capes
• Jackets
• Belts
• Veils
• Bows
• Detachable sleeves
• Detachable train extensions
• Detachable overskirts
• Bridal gloves
• Bra cups to match your skin tone

Along with Personalize It!, Maggie also offers Sister Styles. If you love a dress but are looking for something with a different silhouette, modified back/necklines, coverage, or sleeves, you can look at the Sister Styles of that dress to see if there’s one that is more in line with what you’re looking for. 

For example, if you love the way Hattie by Rebecca Ingram looks, but have your heart set on an A-line gown, try her Sister Style, Hattie Lane Marie.

Who does my alterations?

For wedding dress alterations, you’ll need to go to a bridal seamstress in your area. A lot of seamstresses work out of their homes and are pretty flexible with scheduling, some seamstresses work for or have their own brick-and-mortar businesses, while others work for a bridal shop itself. 

Make sure to check and see if you need to make an appointment and plan your timeline accordingly! Most places don’t accept walk-ins and seamstresses can be booked out a while in advance during high-traffic wedding seasons like the spring and summer.

When you buy your wedding dress, ask your stylist if they know of or frequently work with seamstresses in your area who can do your alterations. And of course, be sure to read reviews online to make sure your dress is in the best hands!

What is a wedding dress fitting?

A wedding dress fitting is an appointment you make with your seamstress where you put on your gown for them to pinpoint what they need to make wedding dress alterations to.

PC: Brides of Florida | Fantasy Bridal

Things to bring:

• Your wedding shoes
• Wedding-day undergarments
• Bridal jewelry
• Veil (a lot of seamstresses will steam your veil for you as a complimentary service)
• Anything else you’ll be wearing on your wedding day so your seamstress can make sure your dress fits and complements your figure and bridal look perfectly.

At the end of your appointment, your dress will stay with your seamstress and they’ll make the changes you talked about and schedule your next appointment to check on how the alterations are going.

How long will alterations take?

Brides will typically have about three fittings before the dress is ready to be worn. The timeline those will happen in depends on the seamstress, but wedding dress alterations typically take about 6-8 weeks to complete.

Make sure when you’re scheduling that you give yourself enough time for your dress to be ordered, shipped, and altered before your wedding date! For more specific timelines, make sure to talk to your stylist and seamstress beforehand to get a better feel for what to expect.

PC: Ricardo Giommetti Photo | Kelly Keene Photo

What should I budget for alterations?

The price of your alterations is going to vary. It depends on how much you are planning to change and the schedule of your seamstress.

On average, typical wedding dress alterations cost between $150 and $600. If you are doing bigger customizations or modernizing your mother’s dress, it may be up to $1,000.

Some bridal boutiques may charge you a flat fee, while other seamstresses may charge you for individual alterations services.

Now that you have all the info on wedding dress alterations, are you ready to step into your dream dress? Here’s a list of our absolute favorite Maggie boutiques that’ll have you feeling like a princess. Now round up your besties and go book your appointment! Happy shopping, brides!

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Maggie’s Wedding Dress Shopping Tips

Maintaining A Positive Body Image At Your Bridal Appointment

Tips For Setting Your Wedding Budget