I am delighted to welcome Ness as our guest blogger this month. Ness is insanely talented; and very passionate about what she does. She is also one of the wonderful ethical suppliers listed in our Directory.
Read Ness' top tips on working with a bridal alteration specialist to achieve the perfect fit on your wedding day
Hi, I’m Ness! I’m an independent bridal alterations specialist based just outside Bristol. You can find me by visiting my Instagram profile @nessbridal
If you’re reading this, you must be engaged.. Congratulations!
So, you’ve made one of the biggest wedding decisions yet – choosing your dress – and you found ‘THE one’. Yay! But did you know that the dress fitting process can be just as (if not more) important? When it comes to wedding wear, my only rule – regardless of what style you’re going for or how much you’re spending, is that your garments should fit you perfectly.
It’s so important that you not only feel beautiful and confident on the big day, but that you’re comfortable from that first walk up the aisle, all the way through to the last dance – and that’s where wedding dress alterations come in. Almost every bride will need to have some small tweaks made to their dress, yet this area is still a source confusion for many people. So here are my top tips!
1. A good golden rule to begin with when you’re dress shopping, is that you’ll always be in a better position if your dress is slightly too big for you rather than too small. It is a simpler, quicker (and therefore less expensive) job to tailor a dress smaller.
2. When trying on your dress, it’s important to think about the activities at your wedding: are you able to walk? Sit in it comfortably? Can you lift your arms and dance freely? Relay this information to your seamstress so they can make the changes accordingly.
3. Every body is beautiful and unique so it’s impossible to manufacture dresses that would fit everyone. You know your body best and if there is something that looks off to you, don’t be afraid to make changes. Some brides have an exact vision, and some find being decisive more of a challenge – and that’s ok! Either way, it will help if you choose a seamstress who really listens and makes you feel comfortable.
4. Sometimes I hear from brides who are a little panicked when their dress arrives at a store and the fit isn’t quite as expected – please don’t worry, a good seamstress will get it looking perfect for you!
5. It might be tempting to believe that alterations aren’t really necessary, but things like your dress being the correct length are often essential. Imagine tripping over your dress whilst walking down the aisle! Why spend good money on an incredible outfit and then settle for the fit not being 100%? An experienced seamstress will be able to advise you on ways to reduce your Wedding and bridesmaid dress costs, whilst getting a picture-perfect result.
6. If you know that you are going to train or lose weight for your wedding, I can take your changing body into account when doing your alterations. We can also wait to shorten the length of your hem if you haven’t yet found your dream shoes.
7. I’m used to reworking fabrics and opening up seams so I can practically redesign a dress. This is particularly common when a bride would love to customise her mother’s gown. I can use the same fabric but create an updated style for you. If sustainability is important to you, wearing a preloved or vintage dress is about as eco-friendly as you can get! There are also many beautiful sustainable options available at Frock Goddess.
There is absolutely no need to settle with a dress that isn’t exactly what you want and usually after a well-executed alteration you get the ‘dream dress moment’. Fit is everything!
If you’re interested to learn more about wedding dress alterations, or have any questions – Please visit @nessbridal on Instagram.
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