In-House Formalwear and Wedding
Dress Alterations
We understand the importance of a perfect fit for your special day. You can find the dress of your dreams, but without the right wedding dress alterations, it won’t feel like your dress. Our experienced team is here to guide you through the process, offering personalized service to make sure everything runs smoothly and is as stress-free as possible.
Our bridal seamstress team works together on every aspect of the wedding dress alterations process, from trimming and sewing to the final steam and press, ensuring that your gown is picture-perfect.
On-Site Wedding Dress Alterations at Downtown Bridal
One of the biggest advantages of having an in-house, on-site alterations department at Downtown Bridal is that our seamstresses can provide advice on potential alterations before you purchase your wedding dress. This way, you can be confident that any desired changes are achievable, and we can help bring your vision to life.
If you’re ordering a gown in a different size than the sample, a certified fit specialist will evaluate your needs and ensure that you avoid unnecessary tailoring and alterations. We also recommend bringing the shoes you plan to wear so that we can evaluate the hem length. In some cases, we can even order a custom length to reduce the cost of your wedding dress alterations.
How Much Are Dress Alterations?
Please note that wedding dress alterations are not included in the cost of your dress. We recommend budgeting at least $500 for most adjustments, with typical costs ranging between $400 and $650. At Downtown Bridal, we strive to be competitively priced, and our goal is to ensure you only pay for the garment alterations you truly need.
Navigating Fluctuating Body Size
Body size can fluctuate due to a variety of factors. When ordering your dress, discuss any concerns with your fit specialist. We strongly advise against ordering a size down to “force” yourself to lose weight—our priority is to ensure you feel comfortable and confident in your gown.
Our wedding dress alterations experts will guide you through the process with expertise and will schedule your bridal gown fittings on month markers from the wedding based on your menstrual cycle to ensure best fit through normal monthly fluctuations.
What to Bring to Your Fitting
Shoes
The height of your heels affects not only a dress’s hemline but also the bodice and bustle design.
Our bridal seamstress will discuss the venue of the wedding with you and offer suggestions as to what would be the best hem length for you. Don’t forget to think about whether you will change shoes for the reception. If there’s a bit of difference in height, our brides often opt to split the difference, but the decision is ultimately up to you.
Undergarments
Bring any undergarments and shapewear you might wear with your wedding dress. These garments can play a huge role in overall fit, depending how the gown is constructed. If you are concerned about finding the right thing, ask one of our knowledgeable staff for help.
Accessories
Feel free to put accessories like jewelry, a hairpiece, or a veil on at the end of the fitting. We always love seeing your options and are happy to give our choice of picks if needed. Please be mindful that your appointment is for an allotted amount of time and may only allow for a limited amount of ‘playing’ to see what you like.
Keep in mind that if you are having a hair trial, we suggest you take your veil and hairpiece with you so your stylist can know the size of the comb and weight for placement and anchoring purposes. Then, afterwards, you can bring your veil back to a final fitting to be freshened up with the steamer for the big day!
Who to Bring with You
For your first fitting, it’s best to bring just one or two trusted individuals to avoid overwhelming opinions. For your final fitting, consider bringing someone who will be at the wedding and can assist with your bustle and dress on the big day. We will provide a wedding dress bustle map as a reminder, but it’s best to have someone practice and possibly video too.
Ask Questions
At your fitting, your bridal seamstress will evaluate the dress from top to bottom. If you have specific concerns or preferences, make them known early. Our goal is to ensure you are completely satisfied with your wedding dress alterations, and we’re here to address any questions you may have.
Your Wedding Dress Bustle
A wedding dress bustle is not built into the dress. This is something that is designed in alterations. The ribbon loop you see under the dress is not to carry on your wrist, that is there for retail purposes to keep the train up while we have the dress on the rack.
Bustles are truly a work of art. Rarely are two the same. Each wedding dress bustle is custom-crafted to suit your dress, keeping your train off the floor while maintaining the beauty of your gown.
No matter the length of your dress or the bustle design style, the bottom of your dress will get dirty on your big day. But don’t worry, it will come out when you bring it back to Downtown Bridal for your wedding gown cleaning and preservation!
Alterations Timeline
Most moms, brides, and prom attendees can expect at least 3 visits to Downtown Bridals for alterations.
You will receive a quote at your first fitting with a seamstress and a final quote at the second fitting, barring any major changes or fully custom work. Occasionally, you may have a 3rd fitting, but generally on your 3rd visit, the alterations will be complete. Depending on your logistics, location, psyche, having a place to hang it, etc., you may take it home that day or simply have anyone come pick it up – Steamed, Pressed and Ready to Party whenever you desire. We’ve even had people come the morning of the event!
We recommend purchasing your dress 10 to 12 months before your wedding. Wedding dress alterations should begin about three months prior to the big day, with final fittings scheduled no more than 10 days before the wedding.
For mothers of the bride and groom, alterations should be scheduled about six weeks before the wedding. Proms and other formal events should also be scheduled early to ensure the best fit.
Prom attendees should plan to come in as soon as they have shoes. Unless you know that something about your body is drastically going to change, your tailoring and alterations timeline will depend on how full our cue of clients is.
I loved my experience and the sweet staff at Downtown Bridal. I was always greeted with a smile and everyone was always so helpful. They have a wide array of dresses to choose from and my alterations were done in a timely manner and my dress was ready week before my big day of 5-21-2022. I highly recommend Downtown Bridal for your dress needs! Thank you all for this pleasant experience.
~Jewel Harris
About to get real sappy here…. I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for Downtown Bridal and all of the gals who helped to pick my dress. I walked in a few days ago after a not-so-great experience at another shop. I already owned another dress, but was second-guessing my decision. I was nearly in tears from the last place, and just wanted to have a good experience elsewhere. Downtown didn’t have to take me as a walk-in, but they accommodated me knowing my situation.
Felicia immediately began our search, and we tried on so many dresses, narrowing down what I was looking for. She is an absolute sweetheart, and will make you feel so comfortable and confident, while guiding you in the right direction. Colleen began to help me as well, who is so knowledgable, helpful and pulled so many great dresses.
We came back the next day, confident I could find a dress I would fall in love with. Colleen helped me, and she spent just as long with me. She picked one dress that I had not previously considered, but had all the specs I was looking for. The rest was history- I fell in love and was even able to purchase the sample so I wouldn’t have to wait until the Spring to get it in. Without Colleen, I never would have found my dream dress. I really put the consultants through the wringer with how picky I was
Lastly, Maria was so helpful from alterations and was able to give her input on what she can and can’t do when it’s time to alter my gown. I am looking forward to seeing what we can do, when it is time to alter it. A few other consultants popped their head in too to give input, and each made me feel confident. Every single person in there was an absolute gem.
Between all of these amazing ladies, it was a collective effort to find the right dress and I am so thankful for them.
I rarely write reviews, but I am so beyond grateful, beyond what they know, for how much they went above and beyond for me. Buying a dress is so much more of an emotional decision than I had expected, which is why this all means the world to me. I can’t wait to come back for alterations, mother of the bride dress shopping, and more. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!
~Regina Rector
Susanna was absolutely phenomenal. The whole experience, from the moment we walked in the door, was personalized, carefully curated, and low stress. They were attentive, responsive, and made me feel beautiful in a moment that feels really revealing and felt high stakes. And I found the perfect dress, that I can tweak and really make my own. I loved everything about it (and the platinum package is well worth the money— the Cake Art cake tasting, bubbly, and charcuterie board made everything playful and such a treat). Cannot recommend them enough!
~Hailey Gibbs
Felicia is hands down phenomenal!! Last year helping me find my wedding dress to today she’s 8 months pregnant helping my mom find her dress for my December wedding! I can’t brag enough about how amazing and friendly she is! Felicia is the type of hype girl every woman needs when trying on dresses, at the end of your try on you don’t realize how much time has passed bc she’s just like family!! I chose downtown bridal because I am a plus size bride and they have such a huge selection for plus size brides! I’m obsessed with Sophia tolli and wanted to try on her dresses. Thankfully downtown is the only place that carries her Brand on the eastern shore! So thankful for Downtown and Felicia! ❤️
~Kristina Insley
Book Your Wedding Dress Alterations Appointment Today
To ensure your dress fits perfectly, schedule your wedding dress alterations with us as early as possible and avoid rescheduling. Our team is here to provide expert garment alterations. Let us make your special day even more memorable with a dress that fits flawlessly.
