Every bride wants to look and feel amazing on their wedding day, which is why fit is everything when choosing the perfect wedding dress. To achieve the perfect fit, alterations may be necessary along the way. While it’s tempting to skip alterations in favour of a smaller price tag, remember that a professional tailor may take your ideal wedding dress to the next level.
Alterations are probably one of the most nerve-wracking parts of wedding dress shopping. It’s a dilemma almost all brides have to face. Your wedding dress will probably require multiple rounds of alterations to ensure it fits well. Although they don’t always happen, they can get pricey when it does.
Love Your Dress offers industry-leading wedding dress alterations in Toronto and all over Canada at competitive prices.
How Much Does a Wedding Dress Alteration Cost?
The cost for wedding dress alterations varies depending on the requirements. Some wedding dresses require simple alterations; for instance, a hem may be added or taken in on the sides to ensure a good fit.
Additionally, the price for bridal alterations may also vary based on the city or state where your bridal boutique is located. For example, dress alterations in Toronto may cost around $400.
But no matter where you live, most bridal shops will have an a la carte pricing structure for changes to your wedding dress. This implies that you will only be charged for the exact amount of time that requires the service.
Generally, wedding dress alterations cost between $150 and $600. If you are tailoring your gown or updating your mother’s dress, the cost might reach $1,000. Alterations are not always included in the set rate that bridal stores or seamstresses may quote.
You can see that the typical price of wedding dress modifications will range from $270 to $590 for these regular alterations. Wedding dress changes might rapidly cost up to $1,000 with additional customized work.
If you are looking for high-quality and affordable dress alterations in Toronto, Love Your Dress is the answer! Whether your dress needs sleeve shortening, hemming, downsizing, or re-lining, you can receive an instant quote for all your requirements from our experienced tailors.
Why Are Wedding Gown Alterations Important?
Wedding gown alterations may be as crucial as finding your perfect wedding gown. Since different designers use different size charts, most brides may need help finding a dress that fits perfectly. There is a good chance that only one or two of the dimensions work for your bust, waist, and hips. On your wedding day, the last thing you need is for your dress to be too tight, too loose, or too lengthy because of poor fit. So plan on spending a little extra for a few alterations.
Specific areas of the dress may require alterations to provide a perfect fit. Common alterations include bust adjustments, waist trims, and hem lengthening or shortening. These three adjustments will help your dress stay in place.
The first fitting could take up to an hour, and there could be a total of two or three appointments to complete the process. Most bridal shops will have a seamstress or staff familiar with the dresses they sell, or they will be able to refer you to someone who is.
Wedding Dress Alterations & Fittings
The first fitting, which normally lasts an hour, should be scheduled two to three months before the wedding. The seamstress will take precise measurements to determine where to start making the most significant alterations to the wedding dress.
If required, the second wedding dress fitting should occur roughly a month before the big day. This will take up to 30 minutes at most.
By now, your tailor will have completed all the major adjustments to your dress and will be paying close attention to the tiniest details and flaws. Ensure to voice your opinions and concerns, no matter how small they seem.
The last fitting should take place about two weeks before the big event. At this stage, the dress should fit like a glove and look perfect. In most cases, this is when you’ll be able to take it home.
Summary of what happens during the three fittings:
- The first fitting: The seamstress pins your dress and starts tailoring;
- Second fitting: All of the necessary changes to the dress are made;
- Third fitting: This is done to ensure your dress fits perfectly.
Dos & Dont’s for Wedding Dress Alterations:
- Get Your Dress as Early as Possible
There will be a variety of wedding gowns available in the market, so it is ideal to buy your wedding dress early and allow enough time for fittings and tailoring. This also helps avoid any last-minute stress about alterations. It’s recommended that you go dress shopping at least ten months before the big day (some dresses take up to five months to arrive at the salon from the time you order them).
Ensure to get your measurements between 8 and 12 weeks before the wedding, and get your final fitting done no later than two weeks before the wedding.
- Don’t Forget to Bring the Following When Going to Your Fitting:
- Your bridal shoes
- Your wedding undergarments (Seamstresses often recommend you bring nude undergarments instead of white ones so they won’t show through the fabric)
Have a few options for wedding dress shapewear so you can try them on with your dress and find the perfect fit. It’s best to bring several bras and cups to see which would look best with your dress. Also, avoid wearing makeup or a fake tan during your appointment to prevent staining the dress.
Motivating yourself by ordering a dress that is too small is a bad idea. A looser dress can be taken in more easily than a tighter one. Go for a structured gown instead. Many already have corsets that help make them tighter or looser.
If your bust size fluctuates, you may want to inquire as to whether or not the designer offers replacement cups. If you still want to hide those extra pounds, try an A-line. The more form-fitting a dress is, the more difficult it may be to alter to accommodate weight gain or loss.
- Don’t Be Afraid of Having “Too Many” Alterations
If you find the perfect dress on sale only to realize that it doesn’t quite fit right, or if you had to buy a larger size because of a size discrepancy, you should keep in mind that this is what dress alterations are for. If you must buy anything that is not your usual size, remember that it is safer to choose a larger gown than a smaller one. Making a dress smaller is easier than resizing it to make it larger.
Don’t be afraid to go through multiple alterations, as this ensures how well your gown fits on your big day.
For your wedding dress alteration needs in Toronto or the GTA, look no further. Love Your Dress has the best dress-altering experts in Toronto and the most sophisticated dress-alteration technology on the market!
We also offer dress preservation services in Toronto for anyone seeking to protect their valuable wedding dress from damage and deterioration. Over the past three decades, Love Your Dress has perfected the art of cleaning, altering and preserving dresses. This allows us to provide our customers with the best quality dress adjustments, preservation and dress cleaning in Toronto and all of Canada. Our services cover all types of dresses, including wedding gowns, silk dresses, corporate dresses, and more.
