Help! Advice on ordering a custom-made dress

futuremrswoodzy

I posted yesterday regarding a VW dress I fell in love with-- but have nowhere near the budget to afford it. Per the board's suggestions, I spent the day looking at dresses on Etsy and researching tailors/ dressmakers in my area. I am strongly considering getting my dress custom-made, and have already recieved feedback from a dressmaker that this design is something they are able to recreate. This being said, do any brides who also had their dresses custom-made have any words of advice if I do decide to go this route? I am concerned that I won't get to try on the actual dress before purchase, which is why I am seeking an individual who will accept returns if it is not what I expected. But that puts me in the dilemma of searching for another dress with a limited amount of time. So what are the pros and cons. Tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly. Thank you so much in advance!

-Danielle

PS My wedding date is May 17, 2014, I have plenty of time but that's why I'd like to get this process moving fast if this is what I decide to do.

Ella and Pedro

I just ordered a custom dress myself, and as I have not made all my payments, the dressmaker has not made it yet.  Starting early, allowing for time to make a change or get repairs/corrections done is my advice.  And document every communication. 

winelover123

No seamstress is going to take back a custom made dress. I'd suggest you go to David's Bridal and try on similar styles. Before I decided on a seamstress, I tried on similar style dresses to see what looked the most flattering in terms of waist (drop waist, natural waise, no waist) and length. Your seamstress will also make a mock-up from cheap linen of the dress for you to try on so if you don't like anything you can change it. I cannot stress this enough if you're getting a custom made dress: you need to be 100% sure that you love this dress style on yourself.

Don't forget about the cost of fabric as well. Your seamstress will tell you what kind of fabric you need and the weight and should have some recommendations for fabric stores. Take a day and wonder around the store until you find something you love. Most of the stores (around me at least) won't take the fabric back if you change your mind, so you need to be 100% sure that you love the fabric as well.

tiny speck

I got my dress from Etsy and was very nervous between purchasing and trying it on, but I couldn't be happier with it.

Before I went ahead and bought it, I made sure to research the seller, and talked with her about the dress, how it would be made, gave her my measurements, etc. Also, I already knew that the style would be flattering for my body type, as I had tried on a few dresses of a similar style before. When I finally was able to try on the dress, all that needed altering was the hem. Perfect. You can see pictures at the link in my signature.

So I would say if you (and the seamstress) are confident that she can make the dress you want, definitely go for it, and don't look back. Make sure you are happy with the design before you commit to it, but once you are sure, stop looking at other dresses and just wait for yours. Good luck!

smith5jm

Like PP said, I would definitely recommend going to David's Bridal and trying on a similiar style to see if you like it on you.  I am getting my dress custom made and thought that I knew what I wanted from pictures and wasn't going to try any dresses on.  Somebody suggested that I try different styles on and I'm so glad I did because I ended up liking a completely different style on me.  I took a couple pictures of me in the dresses that I liked from the front and back and gave those to the seamstress.  The seamstress created a pattern based on the pictures and my measurements (if possible, I would recommend that she take your measurements since she knows exactly where a seam should fall, etc.) and created a mock-up of the dress in cheap linen for me to be fitted in.  We made a couple minor adjustments from that (i.e. I wanted it a little tighter around my thighs, etc.) and now she is making the "real" dress out of the fabric that I provided her.  I won't see the actual dress until June, but so far the process has been great.   

If you are going to be buying your own fabric, make sure you talk to your seamstress before you buy it so that she can provide recommendations about type.  Most likely you will not be able to return your fabric and I would be shocked if you find a seamstress that would allow you to "return" a dress that was custom made.

csweaney

I totally agree with what everyone is saying about going out and trying on different silhouettes just to be 100% sure. And about tracking every single piece of communication with the seamstress you end up using. 

futuremrswoodzy

Great tips-- thank you so much ladies! I am going to try on my dream dress next weekend to be sure it's what I want, and also am scheduling an appointment at DB the weekend after that, so hopefully I'll have a better idea of my game plan after that. Thanks again!

-D

futuremrswoodzy

Not so much. I found a reputable seamstress who works in New Jersey. And I'm not just limiting myself to Etsy. Thanks for your concern though.


In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_help-advice-on-ordering-a-custom-made-dress?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:1d6f1c45-0dde-4dd0-8fb5-12804ce410d9Post:ec5ddee3-3c14-4ab6-99ae-1501cc76375e">Re: Help! Advice on ordering a custom-made dress</a>:
[QUOTE]You do know all of the dresses on Etsy are Chinese copy site stuff.  Consider that also.
Posted by Kisswhodat[/QUOTE]

lisajones467

I actually bought a dress from ebay a year ago and paid < $254 with shipping.  I tried a few dresses and I couldn't fall in love with any of them because I kept wanting to stay in my budget. 

The dress is shorter than I expected it to be.  I measured myself with a pair of shoes that were about 3 1/2" high.  I know for sure I won't be able to wear those shoes without showing my toes.  It's not a big deal because I wasn't set on wearing those shoes but I'm making it a big deal because what if those shoes I measured myself with were THE shoes?  Then my toes would be sticking out of them.  Not cool. My advice: buy your dress earlier to leave more time for alteration and make sure to give extra length to the dress. And if you can, have yourself professionally measured.