Hey ladies, I wondered if you could share your wedding dress alteration stories and costs please. I am wanting sleeves to be added to my dress and ordered additional lace specifically for this. My grandma was going to do any alterations originally but my grandad took really poorly recently and so i thought I would go to a professional to take the stress off her. I have been quoted £350 - £400 and just wanted to see if this is reasonable as I was thinking it would may be around the £200 mark.
The quote includes taking the dress in, replacing the modesty panel and corset laces and making full length sleeves out of the material i have supplied.....
I have seen this guys work on my mates dress who got married last year so know he is good, I'm worried if i go somewhere else based on just price things could go horribly wrong.
Your thoughts?
When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours
we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying
weirdness and call it love, true love.
5th September 2013
CommentAuthorlala "mod" bunni
have you said that this is over you budget and that you went to him because of high recommendations.... see if there is any movement in the price
My dress had to have about 5 inches taken off the length, which rquired some of the lace being removed and then put back on. My dress train has also been mde into a bussell to make it "flow" properly.
Those alterations cost me £160. Hope that helps x
CommentAuthorLlosa
Mines about 100 pound to take it in 2 sizes and to put on a hand hoop
CommentAuthorMrsGothBride
thanks ladies, I think it must be making the sleeves that is bumping the price so high! I'll give that a go when I next go in, thanks Lala.
When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours
we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying
weirdness and call it love, true love.
5th September 2013
Mine are costing £250 to have it taken up (which as with Helaina involves removing the lace edging then stitching it back on again once it's been altered), and taking it in 2 sizes on the bust/bodice/hips. £350-400 does seem kind of high; however, you obv want to go with someone who you trust. I think lala's suggestion is a good one; you can only ask.
CommentAuthorkatie_lou
where abouts are you based? i got my dres done by a lovely dressmaker who used to work for a bridal shop in southampton... she took the dress up (by altering the top of the dress) and added a bustle for £15! prices are based on the time taken for the job... i wouldnt get a bridal shop to so the alterations as i personally think they are very overpriced!!
CommentAuthorInDreamland
I had the hem taken up only for £40, a bustle put in for the evening costing £5 and an additional shoulder piece made for my dress costing £35. You can check out my pics in my thread if you want to see the shoulder piece to get an idea of what I got for the money.
My BM's both had the hems taken up and their dresses taken in (I had 2 BM's) and all their alterations, plus my alterations came in at £215 plus £35 for the shoulder piece.
xxx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorBlue
My alterations are costing a total of £197, thats for 4 inch taking off the bottom of the dress & the train. bust fitted to my shape, the zip back replaced with lace up back, and a detachable shrug/wrap made, and a bustle added. Mine is from a proper bridal shop x
Lauren & Andrew
26 . 07 . 2014
CommentAuthorMarkS17
It depends upon clothing and dimensions, but i think £200 mark will be the appropriate price.
CommentAuthorGlitterfairy
I had a small amount taken off either side of the bust and also a bit off the hem, it was the lace part of the hem that took the time and money, but it only cost me £80.
Our wedding day - 6 October 2012
CommentAuthorOfficially Mrs M
u can have a whole new dress made for that hun! seems really high to me, shop around
8th September 2012 I married my best friend
1st September 2014 our little family grew by one
Women are made to be loved, not understood. - Oscar Wilde
CommentAuthorclive
The whole thing is subjective, as each dress is different, but ours cost £200, but there was a lot of work.
CommentAuthorEm01
I've been quoted between 150 - 200 from bridal shop where I brought my dress. I'm having dress taken up and taken in, modesty panel attached, new lace and loops for back, cleaned (it was a sample dress) and beading checked to make sure they are all on securely. Hope you can get your guy to do it cheaper for you.
CommentAuthorjo2013
Mine cost £225 for 2 bridesmaid 1 flower girl dress and mine it was the bridal shop I had my dresses from x
CommentAuthorMrsGothBride
Thanks for your replies guys, my friend who recommended him was charge £120 for taking it in sides, up at the hem and putting in an invisible zip. I'm going to go back in and have a chat with him, he has my dress so Will be await awkward to get quotes elsewhere! I think its because its lace which means more work. Still, its double the amount you guys have posted so still unsure, to be honest I paid. £350 for the dress so it does seem a bit pricey, particularly when it was originally going to be done by my gran.
Im in Warrington but work in Trafford Park, Manchester should any of you ladies know somewhere local.
When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours
we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying
weirdness and call it love, true love.
5th September 2013
Could you not get yourself a black lace balero/shrug instead? This would save you a fortune and I think would still look amazing with the dress you've got. Think it would look really elegant too with a gothic touch x
But if you actually have set your heart on wanting sleeves put on it that's what you want x
CommentAuthorJenniferY90
I had my dress taken in 2 inches either side and a bustle fitted, my dress was angel satin with lace applique over it so the lace had to be removed and set back on in the right place, she also tidied up any lose stiches and checked all the beading. It only cost me £40. She worked freelance through the bridal shop that I got my dress from, she had people to her house on a regular basis to have work done. The work she did was amazing. I will post her name and number on your wall. x
CommentAuthorMrsGothBride
I did look at shrugs but wanted the lace to match, I'm not too bothered about spending the money if that's what it costs I just wanted to make sure I'm not being ripped off, besides when you add it all up I suppose its a really good price for a dress of great quality, great materials that fits perfectly and I designed myself so can't complain really
When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours
we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying
weirdness and call it love, true love.
5th September 2013
They obviously know what they are doing and produce good results and you know people who have used them so they must be ok :) You are obviously paying that amount for a good service x
CommentAuthorIzzy_w
Mine cost £95 to have it lengthened, the top taken in a few inches, buttons adding (not functional just look pretty), a bustle and a hand loop. Looking at the prices here, thinking that wasnt soooo bad! Although IMHO, I do think what youve been quoted is a little expensive. But then again, much like you, I'd pay more for someone I trust to alter my dress. You only have 1 wedding dress. Good luck, Im sure itll be fab! x x
CommentAuthorMrsGothBride
Thanks ladies, you've been a great help. Jennifer thanks for the link, I might give that lady a call just to discuss an alternative!
When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours
we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying
weirdness and call it love, true love.
5th September 2013
CommentAuthorSerenaC92
edited
I bought my sweetheart wedding dress online and use this option ****************************************************************** to add a detachable halter to it because, while I loved the sweetheart look, the gap between the top of my gown and my chin was so bare, it needed something and I didn't want to wear a lot of jewelry.
EDIT - THE LINK ON THIS POST HAS BEEN REMOVED , PLEASE POST ON YOUR WALL ONLY
CommentAuthorLynD
back taking in, bra loops sewn on and sleeves shortened (they're lace so a bit more fiddly as she cuts around the pattern) - £80...
off today to get two bridesmaid dresses fitted - one taking in and one letting out (probably with additional material added idn the side as I doubt if she can let it out that much - I bought another dress just to use the material in the skirt).. we'll see how much that costs but I'm not sure it'll be cheap!)
CommentAuthoralmost a year wife!!
The shop where I'm getting my dress the alterations package is £200 x
Ill marry my hero
CommentAuthorDefinitelymaybe
Hiya I live in Stretford which is next to Trafford Park and the lady who will be doing mine lives here too. I know her personally but she does all the dress alterations for a couple of the bridal shops round here. She did my friends 2 years ago (who lives in Warrington too) and was very good wasn't expensive. I am just off out hospital visiting but I will send you a message later with her number if you like.
S xx
7 years together
6 years engaged
2 surprise arrivals
1 date set. I will finally become Mrs A in December 2013!
CommentAuthorMrsGothBride
Hi, that would be great if you could thanks. I may as well give them a call and ask for a quote as I haven't got anything to compare with at the moment. looking at the majority of the replies thought it is much higher than all of them...
When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours
we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying
weirdness and call it love, true love.
5th September 2013
CommentAuthorMrsGothBride
ThinkI am going to try the 2 contacts left here and see where to go from there.....going to be a bit awkward going getting my dress back eeeek.
When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours
we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying
weirdness and call it love, true love.
5th September 2013
CommentAuthorb2bnicola
Whats a bustle?? x
Happily Married! :) xxx
CommentAuthorOfficially Mrs M
its where the train of the dress is tied up so you don't have it trailing behind you
like this:
Dress with Full Train
Dress bustled up
8th September 2012 I married my best friend
1st September 2014 our little family grew by one
Women are made to be loved, not understood. - Oscar Wilde
CommentAuthorJoannaS
just tell him you have changed your mind or that your Grandma can do it for you now x
CommentAuthorMrsGothBride
I just called them to ask when I could collect my dress and the conversation did not go well lol. he just told me not to worry, everything Will be ok and I Will leave very happy and beautiful bride! English is not his first language....think I am best just going in person.
When we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours
we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying
weirdness and call it love, true love.
5th September 2013
