Everyone wants a perfectly beautiful wedding dress that fits like a glove, right? There might be some unexpected steps to the dress bliss as finding the perfect wedding dress doesn’t always mean that it fits you flawlessly. In some rare occasions you can take your wedding dress from the store straight to the wedding but most brides need to have alterations done to the dress. We have listed some alterations from the most common to the not so common. 

Every bride and dress is unique so everyone needs different things. Usually when you shop for the dress the store assistant lets you know about the needed alterations but some things you figure out when you visit your seamstress. If you aren’t sure what to get done don’t hesitate to ask. Consultations are usually free and with a professional seamstress  you can figure out a plan together. If you know that you are going to train or lose weight for the wedding a professional seamstress can take your changing body in to account when doing the alterations.

 A trained seamstress is a great help when it comes to perfecting your bridal look, but it also helps if you are well informed about your other style decisions. Taking your bridal look from good to perfect is much more than just having a perfectly fitting dress and we have gathered some tips for you to read!

It is common that the manufacturers make the wedding dress hem extra long so it will also fit the taller customers. Shortening the hem is the most common alteration and we do it to almost every customer that comes to visit us. It is hard to estimate a price for this work as it can be anything between 38-300€ depending on the layers and if there is lace that needs to be taken off before adding it back to the final hem length.

Train loops are those little ribbon loops attached to your dresses train that make it possible to lift the train later in the day to make moving around the reception easier (to bustle up the dress so to speak). Basically there are two types of train loops:

1.  the long one that you hold in your hand when you dance, and
2. the short one that buttons right under your bum.

The later has 1-3 loops and buttons to gather the train and it is more requested because it lets both of your hands be free. There’s several different style of bustles: overbustle, under- or french bustle, drawstring- or austrian bustle, waterfall bustle etc. Some store bought dresses have one or another train loop/bustle but surprisingly many gowns need these attached later.

Every body is beautiful and unique so it is really hard to manufacture dresses that would fit everyone. That means it is common to take the dress in or out on the side seams. When you are shopping for a wedding dress always consult the sales assistant how much it is possible to alter the dress size. Usually it is easier to take the dress in because then you don’t have to worry if the old seam will show.

Many store bought dresses are quite generous when it comes to chest size. We have noticed that the shape might need some alteration so that the neckline won’t make a gutter when you look down. This alteration is a little bit trickier than the ones mentioned before but it is also very doable so don’t hesitate to ask your seamstress.

Many wedding gowns are made with a little bit longer straps so that they will fit a wide range of brides. This is very easy alteration and depending on the gown costs only 20-50€.

Waist stay is a ribbon or an elastic band that goes inside your dress and fits snug on your waist. We recommend adding this to your strapless gown if it doesn’t have it. It works miracles when it comes to keeping your dress on the right place as it prevents your gown from sliding down. That means no more yanking your strapless dress up. Wait stay is an easy alteration that only costs around 25€. You can read this and tons of more crucial wedding dress tips from our  wedding dress guide. 

Neckline alterations are very common request and it’s easy to make a big impact. Alteration goes both ways as you can have the neckline opened or closed. Cost varies a lot depending on the style you want. It always helps if you have inspiration pictures ready when you consult a seamstress.

No matter the style of your wedding dress it is usually possible to alter the back. You may want it open when some of the material is taken away. It is also possible to build for example a lace back to a strapless gown. This is one of our favourite kind of alteration as it requires some designing eye to make a plan for the back with the bride. If you are going to request an alteration for your wedding dress’s back make sure that you have some inspiration pictures when you consult your seamstress. This is a bit more expensive alteration so be prepared to pay starting from 150€.

Does your wedding dress have a zipper but you dream about a long line of buttons? Or would you rather have a corset back? Altering the closure is surprisingly common and not even a difficult alteration. Just ask your seamstress what is possible!

Sometimes we just can’t find the perfect wedding dress of the rack. That is when bigger alterations come to question and it is possible to do a lot for a dress. We recommend buying a dress that is as close to your dream as possible and then consult a seamstress for bigger alteration. One of the most common big alteration is adding sleeves but you can also ask for fuller hem, added lace or a big train. You don’t have to compromise your style even if you aren’t getting a made to measure gown.