Post # 1
Member
538 posts
Busy bee
- Wedding: September 2011 - Franciscan Gardens
I had my first fitting on Friday and I was SO happy to be reunited with my dress! I was, however SHOCKED at the final alterations bill, and I’m wondering if I overpaid or if it’s normal.
The things I had done:
Take in
Shorten the straps 1 inch each
Bustle
modify the neckline so it’s a slightly deeper sweetheart
Attach my sash to the gown so that I don’t have to worry about tying ribbon
Steam the dress to remove wrinkles
TOTAL: 393.30
How much did you ladies pay and what did you have done?
Post # 3
Member
108 posts
Blushing bee
From what I know, that seems about right. I have heard that they charge for how much needs to be taken in, but I’m not possitive about that.
I haven’t taken mine in yet, but my friend’s mom is doing it and only charging me $50. My dress is pretty simple compared to most of the ones she usually does, and I think she charges everyone the same. I’m getting it hemmed, taken in a couple sizes, and bustled.
Post # 4
Member
538 posts
Busy bee
- Wedding: September 2011 - Franciscan Gardens
Wow~ You’re lucky! The thing that really rubs me the wrong way is that they insisted on ordering me a larger size than I needed, so now it HAS to be taken in…. If they had ordered the size I wanted I wouldn’t need much altered.
Post # 5
Member
285 posts
Helper bee
My bridal salon initially said $475 and I got them to drop it to $350 so yours sounds about right to me but I understand the sticker shock. I still feel like I’m getting ripped off because the size I ordered was the sample size and it fit perfectly without any alterations, so they’re barely going to be doing anything to it.
Post # 6
Member
81 posts
Worker bee
I had the hips taken in 3/4 of an inch on either side and about 1 inch along half of the sipper and it cost me 200$. I was floored! I took it to a family friend where she did the following for free:
Take the back in more (the original seamstress didnt make it fit me
move the ribbon around my waist up in the back
make it a sweatheart neckline
take the dress in the side (to make it fit in the bust)
tapper the dress more (take it in just under my bum)
bustle (half nachos bustle half over bustle)
Frorm what it sound like what you paid isnt that drastic, althought I know I would be questioning it too
Post # 7
Member
187 posts
Blushing bee
You know.. I was thinking about this the other day.. one of bridesmaids when to the salon to try on dresses and get sized.. well she tried on one size that fit her well.. a little snug in the bust (maybe losing 5lbs would make it fit better), but the larger size was too big.. and the lady insisted she order the larger size! It really made me think that she was trying to get her to get alterations done to bring more money to the salon…
Post # 8
Member
3482 posts
Sugar bee
Sounds reasonable to me. Mine were $400 and included: taking the dress in about a size and a half (yeah I lost some weight, lol), altering to sweetheart neckline, a lot of hemming, sewing in cups, and putting in a 14 point French bustle.
Post # 9
Member
4336 posts
Honey bee
oh I thought I was ridiculous for having to spend so much! good thing I’m not the only one… 😉
Post # 10
Hostess
11113 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
I paid £130 pounds which is I think under $200 dollars. I had it taken in and a bustle done. So yours probably sounds about right as you had a few things done.
Post # 11
Member
114 posts
Blushing bee
My alterations were 195$.. I had a few inches taken out of the waist and wanted them to take the train off. However, the seamstress left about 1/4th of the train on so I asked them to at least give me a bustle so they threw that in for free.
Post # 12
Member
660 posts
Busy bee
My alterations were shocking since it was hemmed and she did the bustle and it was around $300.
Post # 13
Member
660 posts
Busy bee
My alterations were shocking since it was hemmed and she did the bustle and it was around $300.
Post # 14
Member
693 posts
Busy bee
@JerseyGirlLaur: Your post sounds like it could have been written by me! I’m actually still deciding between two dresses, but one of the ones I tried on and loved, the sample fit me almost perfectly. So if I ordered that one in the sample size, it wouln’t need much work. But regardless, they have a flat fee of $475 for alterations. Seems ridiculous!
Post # 15
Member
7 posts
Newbee
I had my dress taken in, hemmed, and a bustle added. It was nearly $300. The hemming alone on my dress cost $120-couldn’t believe it!
Post # 16
Member
6572 posts
Bee Keeper
Nothing. When I bought the dress a year before it was too big… but unfortunately by the time the wedding came I grew into it 🙁 I would have rather paid for alterations!
