Wedding Dress Fittings Advice

So you have found your perfect dress and can’t wait until it finally arrives, then what?? Your bridal boutique should have a seamstress that they work closely with and can recommend. At The Ivory Room we have two to make sure there is always someone available for you, but don’t feel this is your only option as you are more than welcome to source your own. 

Generally the fittings will take place in the bridal boutique to make life easier and more relaxed for you. Here are a few tips and nuggets of information for you before you start your wedding dress fittings.

Before

It is best to wait until around two months before your wedding day to start any fittings as your shape can alter within those last few months, either intentionally or not! This will give you plenty of time for two fittings for any major changes and then a last minute check two weeks before the wedding day. 

So that the seamstress can get the best fit possible for you it is best that you get your wedding lingerie sorted before your first fitting. If you are wearing a bra then this is essential and also if you have decided to wear shapewear then please bring this too as it can make a huge difference to the fit of the dress. 

Just as important is bringing your wedding shoes with you so that the hem length can be set perfectly. 

Bring any accessories that you have already chosen like your veil, jewellry, coloured sashes etc. This way you can get the full wedding day look and see it all come together, it will also help your seamstress envisage the look you are after. 

Possibly this will be the first time you will have been able to try on your own wedding dress so bring someone with you to share the occasion, fittings can take a while so its nice to have the company too. 

During

The design of the dress can make a big difference to the ease of alteration, the more intricately the dress is decorated with lace and beading then the harder it will be to alter. The style also has an impact here as fitted dresses are again harder to alter than a ballgown style. 

It is really important that you practice doing everything that you will be doing on the day so dance around the boutique, sit down on a chair, fling your arms around and make sure it feels comfortable!

Do not be afraid to point out any thread snags, marks or other imperfections to your seamstress, everyone wants you to look and feel amazing on your wedding day so the small details are important.

After

It is very rare for any alteration costs to be included in the price of your dress so please check with the retailer but expect to have to pay extra for any alterations you might need. It is best to get a quote for what needs doing so that you know how much to budget before any work is carried out. 

Make sure you get the date of the next fitting in the diary so you know what timescales you are working to. 

It wont be long until you are wearing your dress on your wedding day so enjoy every moment of the build up!