It broke me!

jessienjeremy

I went yesterday to have my dress altered at DB... I walked out of there and it cost me $281  .  I wanted to cry!!!  My FI almost had a heart attack!  


my mom felt bad cause that dug into our photographer money and is giving me some of it but geez! almost $300 for alterations.. I only paid $500 for the dress..

Night_Sprite

You should have asked for a quote before you gave it to them.

tidetravel

This is why I took mine to an independent seamstress.  From the stories that I've heard about DB alteration's department, you should be glad that you got the dress back at all, and even more glad that it actually fit. 

JenGin74

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_broke?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:3aece851-0070-4e2b-bf57-90251b086129Post:cc87bc7c-9f87-44df-b5aa-67ac9dec3c59">Re: It broke me!</a>:
[QUOTE]This is why I took mine to an independant seamstress.  From the stories that I've heard about DB alteration's department, you should be glad that you got the dress back at all, and even more glad that it actually fit. 
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]


Ditto this. I got my dress at DB, but had it altered (a lot) somewhere else for only $70

Anysunrise

I completely missed the "alterations" part and thought you were complaining about getting your dress for 281 bucks, lol.

Yeah, that's ridiculous. I'm glad my aunt is a seamstress.

jessienjeremy

Well she did quote me at $200 but apparently she didnt realize when she quote me that they would have to do something else IDK what.. so that raised it $65 and then there was the tax. 

I am afraid to use someone else my other 2 friends bought there dress from DB and used a different seemtress and had horror stories. Everyone I know that has used the DB Seamstress said they were expensive but that they did a good job.


I guess bc of the way my dress is and has to be bustled is what cost so much more. 

I just hope it fits and is right cause I cant afford to have to have them do more!

AllAboutTheBenjamin

Sadly - that's what you get at DB.  I once paid for alterations on a damn bridesmaid dress MORE than I paid for the actual dress.

ETA - You are right about it being done well, though.  They do do a good job, it just sucks that it has to cost so much.  If there is ONE thing you want to make sure is taken care of the right way, it's your dress alterations.  You probably could have gotten them cheaper, but what you pay will probably be worth it.

[Deleted User]

Holy crap. My alterations were $25. That sucks.

tidetravel

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_broke?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:3aece851-0070-4e2b-bf57-90251b086129Post:0d04e8ce-c455-456e-864d-a41ca88c5bcf">Re: It broke me!</a>:
[QUOTE]Well she did quote me at $200 but apparently she didnt realize when she quote me that they would have to do something else IDK what.. so that raised it $65 and then there was the tax.  I am afraid to use someone else my other 2 friends bought there dress from DB and used a different seemtress and had horror stories. Everyone I know that has used the DB Seamstress said they were expensive but that they did a good job. I guess bc of the way my dress is and has to be bustled is what cost so much more.  I just hope it fits and is right cause I cant afford to have to have them do more!
Posted by jessienjeremy[/QUOTE]

Didn't you get an invoice?  How do you not know where your money went?  Also - there are local boards here on TK.  I'm sure if you checked your local board, you could have found a recommendation for a reliable and affordable seamstress.

That being said, you have your dress and it fits.  Just make sure you lay off the chocolate cake between now and the wedding :)

jessienjeremy

Yeah one of my BM was there and her dress had just came in and she decided to just get it altered while we were there. It was $60 to have it hemmed.

Again we dont really know any seemstress' that we trust to do it. Well we know one but she is the one that did my friends wedding dresses. She had to have it redone 4 times and it was finally somewhat right.  I dont need that stress!

So I guess $300 is worth not having the stress cause if DB screws it up.. its their responsibilty;

ehathewa

My alterations at DB were a bit expensive $200 - but they really know wedding dresses... they must alter hundreds of the same dress.  My dress was perfect after just 1 fitting. 

tidetravel

Waitaminute.  Your wedding isn't until the end of Jan.  Why in the heck did you get it altered this early?  Be prepared to pay for more alterations closer to the wedding date.

Starmusica

whoa.. yea I am with Tide. Why on earth are you altering it now?!

AdeleDazeem

So many girls on my club board (May 2011) have their wedding dresses in and altered already.  I'm boggled by it.  My dress won't even be in my hands until April.

tidetravel

I mean, I can see getting the bustle and the hem done now, but why even bother with the rest?  3 months is a lot of time for one's body to change, especially dependant on how it deals with stress.

AllAboutTheBenjamin

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_broke?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:3aece851-0070-4e2b-bf57-90251b086129Post:9a7c41aa-181f-41f2-8b98-20916c2890da">Re: It broke me!</a>:
[QUOTE]So many girls on my club board (May 2011) have their wedding dresses in and altered already.  I'm boggled by it.  My dress won't even be in my hands until April.
Posted by Joy2611[/QUOTE]

Ha!  I didn't have mine til just a little over a week ago.  My second fitting is this Thursday.

tidetravel

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_broke?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:3aece851-0070-4e2b-bf57-90251b086129Post:c416c3ec-d0e6-4a39-bf64-e1ff36959a29">Re: It broke me!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: It broke me! : Ha!  I didn't have mine til just a little over a week ago.  My second fitting is this Thursday.
Posted by AllAboutTheBenjamin[/QUOTE]

If I went through what you went through,  AATB, I'd probably make them alter it right there in the store, under my close supervision.  That dress wouldn't leave my sight until the wedding day. 

Night_Sprite

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_broke?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:3aece851-0070-4e2b-bf57-90251b086129Post:a01d4363-711f-42c8-b9c8-0d42b61664be">Re: It broke me!</a>:
[QUOTE]I mean, I can see getting the bustle and the hem done now, but why even bother with the rest?  3 months is a lot of time for one's body to change, especially dependant on how it deals with stress.
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]
Preach on!

Lenore2010

Just my never humble opinion, but I think early alterations are often a huge mistake.

My sister gained 20 pounds in the two months prior to her wedding, I lost 10 the month before and it seems that way for a lot of people.

DB is hella-expensive for alterations, but they do excellent work. The bridal industry is such that they make their money one way or the other, given half a chance.  You can have a 1K dress with cheap alterations or a $700.00 dress with very overpriced ones.

I agree with the private seamstress idea, but I would make very sure she knew what she was doing, obviously.

AllAboutTheBenjamin

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_broke?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:3aece851-0070-4e2b-bf57-90251b086129Post:eb244578-b0d4-41af-8f31-251a20162180">Re: It broke me!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: It broke me! : If I went through what you went through,  AATB, I'd probably make them alter it right there in the store, under my close supervision.  That dress wouldn't leave my sight until the wedding day. 
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]

Luckily, even though my alterations lady is in the basement of the bridal shop - she's not affiliated with them.  So I feel good about it :)

kimheartsscott

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_broke?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:3aece851-0070-4e2b-bf57-90251b086129Post:9dad1e2b-2e13-4f55-b97b-eabbe8dafa6d">Re: It broke me!</a>:
[QUOTE]Waitaminute.  Your wedding isn't until the end of Jan.  Why in the heck did you get it altered this early?  Be prepared to pay for more alterations closer to the wedding date.
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>At Davids, you pay at your first appointment, not when it's all done and you're taking it home (stupid).  I would guess this is her first appointment which is still a bit early but not as bad.</div>

staceytaylor0704

Holy cow. I had the sides taken in on mine, bustle added, lining hemmed up a bit, and steamed for $150. $281 is steep.

jessienjeremy

They told me I had to get it done now so it would be ready in time. Honestly my body wont change due to my health I have weighed the same since HS and I am 28 .   Its sad lol.  It wont even be ready from this round of alterations till the second week of December.  

I have the invoice I looked at it over lunch. It costs more bc my dress has 4 peti coats and they had to alter each individual one. I dont she realized that when she quoted me. No biggie its already getting done I was just in sticker shock!

jessienjeremy

If you can see the front how it is layered it is that way all the way around so the bustle has to be pulled up under not pulled up like normal.


Its called the america bustle.  That mixed with the 4 petti coats is why it wa so much

MissyCee

I feel your pain, my alterations cost $350 with David's Bridal but I didn't feel comfortable bringing it somewhere other than where I bought it. I had a VERY complicated bustle, had to have the waist taken in, the boobs taken out, and hemmed. I also had a lot of beading that they had to take out and put back on for the alterations. It was a lot of work and I don't think another semstress would have done as well. It fit after the first fitting.