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You should be able to. It kind of depends on the DB. Typically you do get your dress altered 3 mo. beforehand, but I got mine altered early. *shrug* A lot of DB take walk-ins. I assume they're giving you a hassle because they aren't the best at customer service. I would just make the appt. and tell them you're doing both. They should accomodate you when you're their (grudgingly at worst).
I wouldn't get it altered so soon. I also wouldn't get it altered at DB. They will charge you an arm and a leg! My friend bought her dress at DB, paid $500 for the dress and $600 for alterations! I bought my first dress at DB and brought it to an independent seamstress who charges me $250. Btw. I brought my dresses to get altered 5 and 4 weeks before the wedding. Plenty of time!
DB will always let you look at other dresses. They don't let you return your dress. So if you keep looking, you will pay them for two dresses and two alterations. Why wouldn't they let you look in this case, right?
Yes, nine months out is VERY early to start getting alterations done! This is the time when you want to be ordering your dress, but not getting it altered. That being said, DB has a very fast shipping time so that nine month mark for ordering a dress doesn't apply to DB anyway.
I would make an appt to try on dresses and an appt with alterations. Take your dress in with you and explain to alterations what you want to have done with it. They won't keep the dress for alterations now but they can at least tell you if what you want is possible. If you're happy, great, use your appt to try on crinoline, veils, shoes etc. If you're not, well happy dress hunting. I would be honest though and explain your situation when you call the store though, they might have some other advice for you about how to handle it. I personally have had nothing but great experiences with DB and find them more than accommodating, I know that's not universal but more than likely, your store will be willing to work with you.
@AprilJo2011: Ouch, that is a lot for alterations!! I think it all depends on the complexity of the alterations. Mine is currently being altered there (early, I know, but I'm out of the country until a few weeks before my wedding) and for bustling and being let out an inch around the ribs, it's costing just under $100. I'm pretty pleased with that.
I think alteration costs at DB vary state by state. My alterations there costed about $150 (corset back + bustle). You'll also be SOL if another alteration place ruins the dress; DB will replace it if they screw up too bad, just FYI (at least that's what they told me).
You girls are getting great prices at DB! I was too scared to bring my dress there because my friend is not the first one I heard about here in MA who was charged a ridiculous amount for alterations. And her bustle broke during the reception! I told my seamstress that my friend had a bad experience with them and before I could even say what happened, my seamstress asked if her bustle broke. So apprently, my friend's experience wasn't unique.
As far as the replacement goes, my dress just got discontinued. :-(
If anything goes wrong, I still have my second dress as a back up. :-)
I would definitely wait to get your dress altered. I had mine done at David's Bridal 4-5 weeks before my wedding. I fell in love with a dress that had been discontinued that I originally thought would be $700, but when we went to ring it up it was $250! It was a size 10 and by the time I had it altered I had lost 20-25 pounds and had to get a ridiculous amount of alterations. It ended up costing me about $300.
If I were you I would just make an appointment with a consultant and take your dress to try on. Once you have the gown on (the consultant can pin the back for you) you could ask her to have someone from alteratiions come out and take a look at the gown to let you know what could be done to it. I would just make sure to visit DB during non-peak times (aka during the week before everyone gets off work)
Thanks for all of the advice. I guess what I will have to do is call them again, keep my appointment but ask to just try on dresses. THEN worry about alterations with my dress at a later date. I have no worries about gaining or losing weight because I am very small and have been the same size for years, but just to get them to cooperate I will wait until I get alterations done. I'm hoping that I will love the dress once they have the back clamped and what not, so I don't have to spend more money on another dress. I can't return mine since I bought it online and it has been worn as well, since I tried it on, but I can just sell it on e-bay if I find another. lol
I am somewhat afraid of alteration costs for my current gown, but I know all they will have to do is take it in a bit to make it tighter, and possibly make the zipper back into a corset back which I know is $120. Hopefully all works out, but I do know that I'm not waiting till the last minute to get it altered, whichever dress I end up with, because I'm so far from a DB, and there are no other seamstresses around where I live. So if something were to happen to my gown and I needed it repaired, I would have zero time to get it done, which is why I want to get things done ahead of time. lol
I agree that nine months out is a long time, but it's great they let you make the appt anyway. Also, alterations at DB vary location by location. I had an excellent experience with my alterations near Boston, MA, and I was thrilled! Piece of advice, make an ally with one of the consultants. If it is not very busy, reach out to someone and explain your situation. I found that during all things wedding related, especially wedding dress related, it was helpful to have someone at DB who knew my story and could assist me. Be friendly, nice and needy! Hopefully someone will make the experience enjoyable for you so you can look at other dresses while you are there. Good luck!
A friend of one of my BMs works at DB, and she said to get your dress there by all means, but DO NOT get alterations done there. And that is coming from a DB employee. I believe it!
I would NEVER get alterations done at DB ever again! I was a bridesmaid for a friend's wedding this past June and my bridesmaid dress needed MINIMAL alterations. Well, those minimal alterations ended up costing me $95!! And the dress was $100 dollars, so in essence, I practically paid the same amount on alterations as I did on the dress! Grrr...
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Hi bees!
So, I have an appt at David's Bridal next weekend, and I had bought my dress online. I originally had the same appt but it was set for trying on dresses, instead it is now set for alterations because I had called and said that I needed my dress pinned since I ordered online. As of right now, I like the dress that I purchased online, but I dont LOVE it, which is why I wanted to get it pinned and possibly altered if I like it after its pinned, now, that way if I dont like it, I can look for another dress and sell the other.
But when I talked to the alterations woman on the phone she was arguing with me about getting it altered so soon. I explained that I want to get it pinned to see if I like it, and she said that shes concerned about my weight fluctuating and that usually you dont get your dress altered till 2 months before the wedding. what? all of the wedding checklists I have read say to start NOW! So I didn't believe her.
I guess my point is...if I don't like my dress after it is pinned in alterations, will they allow me to look at other dresses while I am there? I live 2 hrs away from the nearest DB, and don't want to schedule another appt. I'm just concerend if this would be possible. Any advice?