Your wedding day is a celebration of love and a day to remember for the rest of your life. One of the most crucial elements of this momentous occasion is, undoubtedly, your wedding dress. However, finding the ideal wedding dress isn’t the end of the journey. To ensure that your wedding dress fits flawlessly and makes you feel like the beautiful bride you are, wedding dress alterations are often necessary. Here are the top five wedding dress fitting tips to guide you through this essential process.
What is a Wedding Dress Fitting?
A wedding dress fitting is an appointment where your gown will be altered to fit you like a glove! Typically, when shopping for wedding dresses, your gown is ordered based on the designer’s size chart in the dress size closest to your measurements. Because of this, your wedding dress will most likely need to be altered. Even a made-to-measure gown may need a tweak or two to make it fit your curves flawlessly!
Sometimes, these modifications are minimal, such as raising the hem, tightening straps, adding in cups and creating the bustle, but other times, gown alterations may be more complex. For example, if your gown needs to be taken in multiple sizes, you are customizing a neckline, adding sleeves or adorning it with additional embellishments, the alterations process may include more appointments and be more expensive.
Why is it Important to get Your Wedding Gown Altered?
Wedding gown fittings are essential to ensuring you look good and feel good on your big day! A hem that is too long, bustline that is too big or a train that isn’t bustled can really put a damper on your enjoyment and confidence. Confidence is the best accessory, after all, and feeling secure in your wedding gown is a must!
How Many Fittings Will You Need?
While the number of fittings needed depends on the extent of your alterations, the average number of wedding dress fittings is usually around three. Your first appointment may be the longest, but as you get closer to your wedding date, your alterations should take less time as your gown moves closer to its final form.
Top Wedding Dress Fitting Tips
Alright, friends, no time to waste! Get ready for some fabulous wedding dress fitting tips to make sure you absolutely shine in that dream dress of yours! Let’s dive right in and make your bridal experience truly unforgettable!
Allow Plenty of Time for Alterations
Greatness can’t be rushed and that reigns true when it comes to your wedding dress alterations timeline! Every seamstress may have slightly different time frames, and the extent of your alterations will also be a factor. With that, we recommend booking your first appointment two to three months out from your wedding day. Your final appointment should be around two weeks before the wedding to ensure your body doesn’t change too much before the big day.
Bring Your Wedding Shoes, Accessories and Undergarments/Shapewear
There are a few key items to bring to every wedding dress fitting! First, make sure to bring the shoes you plan on wearing so that your gown is appropriately hemmed (or at least the same heel height as what you’d like to wear if you don’t have your wedding shoes picked yet). If your shoes are too high or too low, you’ll have the incorrect hem.
If you have them, bring your wedding dress accessories to see the whole look together and ensure you like how all your pieces work with your wedding dress. If not, you can go back to the drawing board and bring new accessories to your next fitting.
Last but not least, shapewear for wedding dress fittings is also essential! You’ll want to bring any undergarments you will wear on the day of your wedding as they can change how your gown lays on your body, which could affect the alterations on your wedding dress. Compression garments, slips, bras and underwear are all fair game!
Style Your Hair the Way You Desire for Your Wedding
To get the overall picture of how you will look on your big day, schedule your hair trial for the same day as one of your wedding dress fittings, or style it yourself in a similar way. This will help you see how the gown, glam and accessories all work together so you can make adjustments before the big day.
When it comes to makeup, we recommend wearing as little makeup and products as you’re comfortable with. Some makeup, such as foundation and concealer, or even a spray tan, can stain your wedding dress. We also advise wearing streak-free or clear deodorant to avoid any mishaps.
Bring Family and Friends
While we recommend keeping your entourage small, having another set of eyes at your wedding dress fitting is a good idea. If your gown has any components that can be a little tricky to manage, like a bustle, make sure to bring someone who will be by your side on your wedding day so your seamstress can teach them what to do. Better yet, have them video it in case they forget a step or two. Check with your seamstress to see which fitting they need to attend.
Communicate Clearly and Be Open to Suggestions
For your dress to look just as you envisioned, it is important to communicate your vision to your seamstress clearly. Be vocal if your gown feels uncomfortable or you don’t like the modifications being made. Remember, however, to keep an open mind! Your seamstress should be an expert who has altered many gowns and knows how to handle different silhouettes, fabrics and embellishments.
In the intricate tapestry of your wedding day, the pivotal thread is your meticulously crafted wedding dress—a personalized masterpiece refined through your wedding dress fittings. With the right alterations, your flawlessly fitted gown will radiantly capture the essence of the beautiful bride you are, ensuring your confidence shines as the brightest accessory on this unforgettable day.
Are you ready to begin your search for your dream wedding dress? Find a store near you to start the journey! We can’t wait to see which gown you choose to say “I do” to!