If you are a bride who has already said "yes to the dress," you might be wondering what comes next after you order your wedding gown. Or, if you are a bride who is just beginning their wedding dress shopping journey, you might be curious about the entire process and what to expect. No matter where you are in your dream wedding outfit journey, you're in the right place! While we often share our tips for wedding dress shopping and finding your dream wedding gown, what happens next is just as important so today we are sharing an easy to follow wedding dress alterations checklist so brides can be prepared for the entire alterations process from when your dress order arrives in store until you get ready to walk down the aisle.
As bridal stylists, we might be a bit biased, but we think your wedding dress is one of the most important elements of your big day. And as much as you fall in love with the dress when you say "yes," the alteration process ensures your wedding dress fits you like a glove. Alterations are key to making sure your dress truly enhances your body and gives you that flawless bridal look. Here’s a quick guide to help you prepare for your upcoming wedding dress alterations and everything you need to bring with you.
Video: What You Need To Know to Prepare for Wedding Dress Alterations
If you are a bride getting ready for your wedding dress alterations appointment, you are likely wondering what to bring with you and what to expect when trying on your wedding dress for the seamstress to begin working their magic. We are sharing all the essentials brides need to know about wedding dress alterations, from what to bring to your appointment to when your appointments should be scheduled and everything in between. Our latest bridal fashion advice video has everything you need to know to prepare for wedding dress alterations.
Alterations Timeline
As a general rule of thumb, wedding dress alterations will begin about two months before your wedding day. This is why we urge brides to shop for their wedding dress about one year before their wedding day so that there will be plenty of time for their wedding dress to be ordered, produced, and shipped to the bridal store. On average, wedding gowns can take six to eight months to arrive back in store after an order is placed.
Your first alterations fitting will then be about two months before your wedding day with the second fitting being about a month before wedding day and the final fitting one to two weeks before wedding day. Of course, each wedding dress and body is different, so your alterations seamstress will guide you on the specific schedule, depending on the level and intricacy of your needed alterations. A wedding dress that only needs a hem and to be taken in at the bust may require less work than a dress that is having the neckline altered or sleeves added. The individual wedding dress fabric and detail embellishments also affect the level of work required for alterations so you may find you need additional fittings or appointments on different timetable.
Wedding Shoes
No matter the level of dress alterations you are having done, one of the most important things to bring to your fitting is your wedding shoes. The height of your shoes, whether heels or flats, will determine the length of your dress, so it's crucial that you finalize your shoe choice before your first fitting.
The hem of your wedding dress should just graze the floor while you're standing in your shoes. When you walk, your shoes should peek out just a little—so pick a shoe that you'll be happy to show off! If you're unsure, a nude pump is always a safe, elegant choice. It’s timeless, simple, and goes with almost every dress style. But if you’re feeling adventurous, don’t hesitate to go for something bold. One thing to note about bridal shoes is that anything with sparkles or prongs with embellishments may catch on your wedding dress fabric, depending on the fabric. That is not to say you can't opt for a blinged out wedding heel, it's just something to be aware of as a bride. No matter what style shoe you opt for, just remember, the shoes will be on display!
Body Goals
Many brides often set goals for themselves to lose weight before the wedding day or tone their muscles. We never encourage brides to lose or gain weight, but we know many of them often have body goals they are working towards. Whatever goals you may have, it's important to make sure your body is where you want it to be by the time you have your first wedding dress fitting and then you are just maintaining after that. Why? When alterations are done, if you lose or gain weight after the first dress fitting, you are going to have to pay to have the dress taken in or resized again and it's like going back to step one.
Makeup and Spray Tans
Going along with our last tip, while many brides have wellness goals, they also want to look their best on wedding day and that may involve a lot of skincare or spray tans. It can be tempting to get a tan before your fitting but you should avoid spray tans right before your appointment. Spray tans can rub off onto your dress, leaving unwanted stains that are hard to remove. You do not dry clean these dresses or wash these dresses prior to wearing them as it will change the richness of the materials, so be mindful of that.
When it comes to makeup, keep it minimal during your fittings. If you do wear makeup, be cautious about touching your face and then your dress. Many brides want to walk and move around during their dress fittings, but the more you move around, the more likely you’ll pick up dirt or oils on your dress, so try to stand still as much as possible while the alterations are happening.
Pro tip: The more time that you are in your wedding dress, you're actually stretching it. Think of these dresses as a pair of jeans that you wear, you put your pants on in the morning, you sit down a few times, they give and then they're big on you. Wedding dresses do the exact same thing. The longer you're in it, the more you're stretching the dress. For your final fitting, we recommend you put it on, make sure everything's good with the fit and then take it off. Don't stay in it too long because you want that stretching to happen on wedding day and not during the alteration process.
Bridal Accessories
The sooner you finalize your wedding day accessories, the better. In an ideal world, you would pick out all your bridal accessories when you buy your wedding dress. This would include your wedding veil, bridal headpieces, and jewelry. It's much easier to make sure you have a cohesive look if you accessorize your wedding dress when you are buying the gown, rather than waiting and trying to piece it all together.
At the very least, plan to have all your bridal accessories finalized four months before the wedding day so that when it's time for alterations, you don't have to rush around trying to find the perfect pieces or worry about not being about to find your correct size or have to pay rush shipping fees.
Bring Someone to Learn the Bustle
Perhaps our most important tip for wedding dress alterations is to bring someone who will be with you on wedding day to learn how to bustle your dress. If you’re wearing a gown with a train, a bustle is essential for the reception when you want to dance the night away. A bustle lifts the train so you can move freely. Be sure to bring someone with you to your final fitting who can learn how to bustle your dress. This person should practice the bustle at the fitting, and it’s a great idea to ask the store to take a video of the process, too. Share this video with your wedding planner and others who will be involved in helping you on your big day. This will make sure your bustle is done quickly and efficiently during your wedding, leaving you more time to enjoy the celebration!
Consider Adding a Detachable Strap
If you're wearing a strapless gown, consider asking your seamstress to sew in a detachable spaghetti strap for extra support. The last thing you want is to be tugging at your strapless dress all night if it shifts or expands. A simple, detachable strap can provide added comfort and confidence for your wedding day.
Be Sure To Eat
Our last tips for brides preparing for their wedding dress alterations is to be sure to eat before your fitting. A common mistake brides make is trying to starve themselves before their fittings, hoping to be at their "smallest." But we strongly recommend eating something before your fitting. Many brides get lightheaded or even faint during alterations because they haven’t eaten. So, make sure to fuel up beforehand! You want to feel energized and your best during your fitting, and we want you to feel the same on your wedding day.
More Helpful Bridal Fashion Advice
We hope you have found this advice helpful when it comes to knowing what to expect during wedding dress alterations and how to prepare for your bridal dress fittings. For even more helpful advice when it comes to shopping for your dream wedding dress, be sure to check out our past posts:
- What To Expect When The Wedding Dress You Ordered Arrives
- What Is The Difference Between Wedding Dress Alterations, Modifications, and Custom Changes?
- What is The Proper Length a Wedding Dress Should be Hemmed?
- What is a Bustle & How do you Bustle a Wedding Dress?
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
