I just wanted to share a recent experience I had with Dolly in Hudson Nh. She is a very nice lady and nothing personal to her. I know someone who used her so I already had the expectation that things wouldn't go super smooth and that the week of the wedding I would probably be going there more than once. Which I was ok with because she appeared to want to make sure the dress fit until the last minute. Two weeks before my wedding it was down to only the outer hem, bustle and a little pocket needing to be done. I went back the Monday of the week of the wedding and was surprised that it was still pinned and not done. I wasn't really sure why I was there. She assured me not to worry that it would be done.
I was called midday the day before my wedding when I was supposed to pick it up that they were "running behind" and could I come a little later. Sure and I showed up almost 2 hours later. Which the day before the wedding you are running around everywhere. I showed up to a full house of people in her shop all upset that their dresses weren't done. My heart totally sank to see that my dress was in the same boat. Still in the garment bag, pinned and none of the alterations done. I fell apart. I ended up having to go back again leaving in the middle of my rehearsal dinner to drive out there and it was in the middle of being steamed. I didn't leave there with my dress until after midnight. Definitely NOT the way I should've spent the night prior to my wedding. My stomach was in knots and the whole day worried if it would be done.
It wasn't just me that was effected either. There was another bride there that day to pick up her dress and her bridesmaids which none of theirs were done either. She was also getting married the next day like me. When I came back around 1030 that night there were 2 mom's there as well. 1 of the bride that was there earlier, working on the bridesmaids dresses herself. Another of a prom girl, doing her daughters dress for prom the next night.
I know that she was behind and she is a nice lady that unfortunately just can't tell people no. As a result she completely overcommitted herself. There were some pieces that were hanging out that I had her fix while it was being hemmed but the hem was not straight across and I was tripping over it coming down the aisle. There were 3 buttons for my bustle and they all broke before the reception started so I had safety pins trying to hold it up but I ended up just holding it up myself all night. Definitely bring a LOT of safety pins the day of your wedding. The big strong ones.
Again, she is a very nice lady but the draw of inexpensive alterations were not worth all the stress that I and others went through for it.