Sticker shock...part 2

Pepperally

So yeah, I thought I was over all of the main expenses and sticker shock of WR stuff (part 1).  But I just had my first fitting today and I could not believe the price for alterations!  Ugh.  I budgeted/anticipated for about 2/3 of what it was.  But, I'm not going anywhere else at this point...it is what it is. 

And, as a positive, I LOVED my dress still and it fit perfectly.  I will probably have to lose a couple pounds if I want to sit down or eat something at the wedding, though.  lol.  But all of the buttons buttoned up the back so we have progress!

Emily104

I felt the same way - the alterations cost nearly as much as my dress! 

Pepperally

Yeah, my mom said "I don't understand why they'd charge that much after we paid so much for the dress already".  Anything bridal and they will "justify" the cost!

bekt14

Yikes! I'm scared now. I haven't seen the cost of mine yet. 

ashwise

Alterations have been a nightmare, I got an AMAZING deal on my dress so I don't feel soooo bad, but so far I'm up to at least half of what I paid for the dress.  I have my next fitting (#3) on Friday so hopefully I'll be finished then. I'm so in love with my dress tho, I want to wear it all of the time. lol. 

labro

I have my first fitting tomorrow. I hope alterations aren't TOO scary. I don't need a lot done so I'm hoping that keeps the costs down.

Dignity100

Now you ladies have me scared!!  The alterations shop I'm going with lists out:
Hem, Bustle, Sides:  $150-$250
Added Bra Cups $15

Now you ladies have me worried it's going to go over what I have anticipated!!

My first fitting is Friday.

kebebb

I had the opposite happen. I was terrified mine were going to be crazy expensive, but they ended up being under $200. I had thought they were going to be around $400. Of course, I also somehow managed to gain weight despite not changing my eating/exercise habits and the sides didn't need taken in. No bustle. Just needed hemmed, and found out that the fancy part at the bottom is actually a separate piece of lace, so the whole dress doesn't have to be taken apart to do the hem. Of course, now I'm super terrified that when I pick it up on the 17th, it's not going to fit because of my stupid random weight gain. Fingers crossed that my body stops being stupid before then.

ETA: Sorry, I got really ramble-y and stupid there

mocarski002

My first alteration appt cost me $265. I had a bustle added, my sash sewn on to the hip area then instead of hemming the dress which would cost more they added more "poofiness" to the front of the dress to pick it up more. I got back Sept 18th.

smalfrie19

Wow.. these number make me SO GLAD I have someone who makes wedding dresses in my life to alter my dress. We just went to hancock's fabrics on Monday (50% off!!! woo) and got supplies and started altering my dress. 

labro

Well I thought the damage was bad but after reading everyone's alterations costs here I guess it isn't as bad as I'm thinking. The total was $170 to have the bust taken in, to have the fabric under my "belt" taken up slightly because there's some weird wrinkling occuring, to add a French bustle, and also take in the sides of the hem slightly because they were dragging when she pinned the bustle.

My next alterations appointment is October 8th!! Just a week and a half before the wedding and I can't wait for it to get here!!

Kerigirl9

So far $100 for the hem and now I need to add the bustle (don't know what that cost will be. Everything else is fine and doesn't require alterations.

Pepperally

My damage was $283. This was for making the straps fit ...shortening them (they are lace), sides of bust taken in, hem (I had the train completely taken off to floor length), plus double cups sewn in. No bustle needed. I'm hoping there won't need to be a round 2 of alterations. I had guesstimated $200 so it was more than I planned but not ridiculous I guess. My mom was more shocked than I was.

Emily104

Apparently I have a short torso, so I had to have the dress shortened through the middle, as well as shortened at the shoulders, hemmed, and bustle.  While there was no beading, my dress has lace over the whole thing, so my damage was around $400.

Jessica2426

this is why iI bought a dress that fit. iI dont want to do any alterations, they are not in my budget!!!! lol

labro

@Jessica2426 I think most people went in purchasing a dress that fits (at least as close as possible). It's not anyone's fault necessarily that the bust came in slightly too big, or the hemline was too long. Body proportions don't always 100% match dress size proportions.

LDay2014

LaPeanut1018 said:

@Jessica2426 I think most people went in purchasing a dress that fits (at least as close as possible). It's not anyone's fault necessarily that the bust came in slightly too big, or the hemline was too long. Body proportions don't always 100% match dress size proportions.

Do they ever?

Mine is about $300 in alterations.  That includes hem (lace), taking apart and re-beading the belt because the one sent was too big, and adding some poof to the bottom.

I have to call another seamstress tonight to get my daughter's dresses brought up in the shoulders a bit.  My kids are too skinny and they look malnourished right now in them.

Jessica2426

yeah, iI understand that. iI meant that iI had to buy a dress tbat fit. iI had to try on a lot of dresses. iI couldn t go with one that needed alterations. it wasnt an option. for me. 

TeddiD34

If you choose a dress in lace, that automatically bumps up alteration cost BIG TIME!!!

It sucks!! But, the dress looks amazing, so I will suck it up

JennyColada

Everything in the topic sounds really reasonable to me, but that could just be my LA upbringing talking!

My alterations were pretty high in price (I knew they would be) but they basically had to re-make the torso of my dress.

Dignity100

My alterations were $160, I was figuring $250-350! 

Instead of doing anything to the hoop she said 'we'll just bunch it, nobody sees that fabric anyway' - which is what I thought would be ok but wasn't sure because the bridal shop was horrified that the top layers wouldn't lay right if I did that!

So all I need is a hem and bustle.  She was very happy with the way the dress fit.  She said next time I might want to try a strapless bra (not a long line) just to see if I'm more comfortable with it (I'm pretty modest).  She did not want me doing a long line bra because the boning would be uncomfortable with the corset dress.

Pepperally

Sounds like you really lucked out on your alterations, @Dignity100!

foreverofcourse

I did not luck out with my alterations!! I was thinking $250-300, nope, I wish! Mine came in at $440! And my dress to begin with was only $600.

I'm not even having anything unusual done to my dress, just a hem, having it taken in ever so slightly, and a bustle. So insane! Ugh!

tharkrider

My alterations were also $400+! Hem (x3 - multiple layers of fabric), taken in through waist/chest, sew in bra cups, tack my sash in place, and 2 bustles...since my dress is layered they had to do a bustle to the under fabric and also the overlay.

Oh well! I had my 2nd fitting today and everything was spot on! I got to bring my dress home today!!!! And the tailor called and FIs suit is ready! It's getting so close!!!

kla728

I was expecting ~$200, but was quoted $400.  I'm just going with that tailor because the wedding dress shop recommended her and I don't feel like searching, but I was bummed.  My dress fits like a glove but its lace and needs to be hemmed.  I would totally wear higher heels if FI and I weren't pretty close in height... as it is I'm wearing a baby wedge.  Oh well.

Dignity100

@foreverofcourse - I think I would have taken my dress for a '2nd opinion' elsewhere if you were able!!  I was able to find my alterations lady on my local boards, her name kept coming up she had good reviews on Google, so I decided to go with her! 

The shop I bought my dress from had horrible reviews for alterations!

Pepperally

I guess maybe these prices could vary depending on where you live, too? Just like everything else WR.

JennyColada

Dignity100 said:

@foreverofcourse - I think I would have taken my dress for a '2nd opinion' elsewhere if you were able!!  I was able to find my alterations lady on my local boards, her name kept coming up she had good reviews on Google, so I decided to go with her! 

The shop I bought my dress from had horrible reviews for alterations!

I think with the cheaper dresses though, they tend to lack good structure to make them easy (read: less expensive) to alter.

I was actually slightly appalled that my dress's structure was so bad. It's Jcrew and originally like $2100 (but I only paid $750). But since there is 0 structure on the top, my alterations are around $500.

I mean, I guess I could just not have altered the top and it would still be perfectly good, but I wanted the dress to be as well-fitting as possible.

Dignity100

@JennyColada - I don't think a cheap dress = cheap alterations; I think there are many things that are taken into consideration.  I looked at a few dresses that were under $500 and the alterations on them were $300+ from the shop.  Yes, a more expensive dress potentially will have more expensive fabrics and more beading that the seamstress needs to work around but that doesn't mean a less expensive dress won't have detail work that needs to be worked around.  I also saw plenty of dresses $1500+ that lacked structure just because that's the type of dress it was.

A lot of it has to do with your location and who is doing your alterations - I would expect if you lived in Detroit the cost of alterations would be less than New York city. The shop I bought my dress from quoted me $350 for alterations (they were going to add cups and take in the bust, hem, and bustle) when I went for alterations she said the shop just didn't have the corset adjusted right in the back and I didn't need anything additional to the top just a hem and bustle.

I know in my area to have a corset added: 
David's Bridal - $75
Bridal boutique w/in house alterations - $150
Self-Established Alterations Place - $50

My dress was not a 'cheap gown' by my standards, however it does have a plain skirt.  Had I had to have it taken in, there would have been A LOT of beading that had to work around.

JennyColada

@Dignity100‌ I was saying that cheap dress = more expensive alterations (due to lack of structure).

Kerigirl9

Update! Bustle was only $60 and $15 for bra cups plus the aforementioned hem brings total to $175. Just had the bustle designed tonight and I love how it flows.