Cliff Notes: I thought I would have to get a ton of work done on my dress but now all I need is a hem and bustle!
I had purchased a dress on clearance for $250 but it was a tad small on me (maybe two inches). The bridal shop said that it should be no problem to let it out or put in a corset back. They said it would be between $250-350, expensive but still cheaper overall than other dresses I had looked at. Well, we ended up moving from California to Illinois so I had to find a new seamstress.
My wedding coordinator recommended someone and I went to see her on Friday. She had me really push the fabric from the front of the dress to the back and she was able to zip the dress up! It was snug but didn't feel uncomfortable at all. She said that a lot of times people don't push the fabric back enough and it gets "stuck" at the front. Then the dress ends up looser than it needs to be and you end up pulling the dress up all night. She told me that all I really need is a hem and bustle which will cost me $60 total!
I'm so glad I went to her because I know that most places would probably just go ahead and do the unnecessary work and charge me for it. It's good to know there are people that actually care about their work and are not just out to make money!