Don't Forget to Budget For Alterations!
Hello!
Ok, so this week's blog is all about alteration's and when you purchase your dream wedding dress, don't forget to budget for your alteration costs and the same with your bridesmaid dresses too!
All too often we get ask if the price of the dress includes alterations....... 9 times out of 10 the answer to this question wherever you buy your dress will be no! and the reason for this is, usually, but not always, the seamstress who works on your wedding dress and is usually the one responsible for making you look amazing in it is self-employed and indepedent of the boutique. This isn't always the case.... some boutiques do employ their own team of seamstresses and they work in house but even then the alterations of your gown are unlikely to be included in the original price of the dress, because at the time of ordering your dress, there is no way to know what exactly will need to be done to the gown to make it fit like a glove.
Here, at Romantic Dreams we use the service's of an incredible lady called Lisa from Alterations Bridal Company, she is somewhat of a magician and the things I've seen her do to a dress have quite simply blown my mind!
When you begin the fitting process (usually 4-6 weeks before your wedding) be sure to talk to your seamstress and be clear on what exactly you want, as I said some are able to perform miracles but they can only do what you ask of them and if you aren't clear, they may misinterpret what you mean and you end up with something you don't want...... and also bear in mind, you will pay for what you ask for..... so don't think about adding sleeves, and fully beading a plain dress and having a customised back and not then expecting to see a bill of hundreds of pounds..... sewing in general is a dying art and a good seamstress is hard to come by especially when it comes to bridal wear, therefore you are paying for their well honed skills just like if you were having a kitchen fitted, you would pay a fair wack for the fitter!
So, ultimately, what I'm saying is when you are laying out the wedding budget..... add a few hundred pounds for alterations, just to be sure! Yes, there are the very few who amazingly fit the wedding dresses perfect and absolutely nothing needs tweaking and the dress fits like a glove when it arrives but as I say..... this is rare! at the very least most dresses need shortening.
And..... if you have been lucky and found your dream dress in a sample sale and got yourself a bargain, but there are a few things you'd like to change bear in mind that will cost you! and sometimes what you save by buying a sample dress you will spend on making it look like you want it too.
Our lovely lady Lisa, not only works on dresses bought here at Romantic Dreams, she will also fit dresses bought elsewhere and we are happy for her to do that here in our boutique, so if you have a wedding dress you need fitting or bridesmaids, mother of the bride or even groom get in touch and we'll arrange an appointment for you with our in house magician!
Well, that's it for my ramblings for another week...... I am away on holiday next week (first time in 3 yrs!!!) so there will be no #weddingwednesday blog I know some of you will be disappointed but I'm sure you can cope just 1 week without hearing me bleeting on about weddings!
Enjoy your week everyone!
Sammy x
