Louise...why are her prices so low?!

ssminy79 · February 2010

Good morning ladies-
In no way to I doubt your rave reviews of Louise, and after getting a quote from the seamstress at Brides of France (375!!!) and Louise-maybe 125, I am just making sure this is for real I have heard all the rave reviews, but you know...wedding dresses are expensive, and I just want to make sure that I am putting my dress in good hands. She seems extremely nice and willing to do whatever it takes to make your dress right, but again...I paid a pretty penny for my dress and I just want to know that price is right. It sounds like she really loves what she does,which is why she keeps her prices low.

If anyone can calm my slight aprehensions about this, that would be great! I really don't want to pay 375 for alterations!

veijes · February 2010

Louise is amazing and doesn't want brides to pay high prices. She is altering my dress (which was originally $1000) and making my BM dresses. I totally trust her! She was a pattern maker for 20 years, not just a seamstress, one of those people that designs wedding dresses and clothing! My FMIL was in awe of her when she was talking about her experience (and my FMIL sews all the time and knits).

Also, most brides on here are pretty picky, including myself! The girls on here that have been married haven't complained about her so I trust she will do great. I have already had my second fitting and what she has done so far is amazing!! look in my bio, on my bust she completely took off all that detail and moved it in since the bust area was too big. HTH!

Bimbi284 · February 2010

She charges such a low price because she CAN! She's awesome, LOVES what she does, and isn't gonna be all greedy about it. She could easily charge what the dress shops do and then some, because I think the quality of her work is at the very least comparable, if not WAAAY better. The bottom line is, she gets a lot of business from word of mouth, so she doesn't advertise. She works out of her own home, so she's not having to pay rent or anything at a studio or other location. She also does not charge extra for using her materials, in other words, she doesn't add fees on for having to get materials for you or whatever. All of these little things add up, and Louise is very aware of that, which is why she does it this way. She realizes the stress of being a bride, and how much of that stress comes from the $$$ it costs.

I would not think twice about going with Louise, especially considering that price! Not only that, she makes you feel like you are her ONLY priority, and like, as others have said, a pretty pretty princess

, but in a completely genuine and sincere way. Try to get THAT at any bridal shop!

debbieupper · February 2010

I got my dress from Brides of France, too. They told me their seamstress knows the line they carry (La Sposa) very well, and that they completely trusted her to not alter the dress in a way that would compromise its structure ... which is why I had the same concerns about taking it to another seamstress.

I posted a similar question to yours a couple weeks ago and got nothing but incredibly positive response about Louise. I'm sure she's worked with everything out there, and at less than half what BOF would be (they told me it would be about $400), I think I'll go for it.

Here's that thread if you want more info on Louise from that: http://forums.theknot.com/default.aspx?path=http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_minnesota-minneapolis-st-paul_tailors-louise-only-one

caritravis · February 2010

I used her and wasn't entirely impressed. She didn't do a bad job, but I wasn't blown away. After a lot of stress and down to the wire alterations, my dress didn't fit the way it should have. She was also really far away from me and if I could do it all over again, I would have gone with someone else.
You can read my full review in my married bio

yellowbabyducky1 · February 2010

I agree with caritravis.

Louise is awesome and very very nice. I was wowed by her attention to detail and experience. However, my dress just wasn't what I hoped it would be. After about an hour my dress sagged and looked sloppy (my strapless top didn't sit straight). I trusted Louise and went with her suggestions about fit, boning and built in cups. I was saddened that on my wedding day I didn't feel 100% confident in my dress. I didn't even feel 50% confident in my dress since it didn't fit properly.

Given the chance again I would go to someone different.

I know other brides on this message board have felt the same way.

drdifabio · February 2010

I have only met with her once and LOVED her. My mom is actually a great seamstress as well - although she prolly could alter my dress I wouldnt want to put that stress on her (my mom gets stressed really easily) - and she came to my appointment and also vouched for her knowing what she was talking about.

Also Louise did write down everything we had talked about down so I am not concerned at all about her loosing track of anything.

ssminy79 · February 2010

I think one reason I want to use Louise is all I really need is hemming on the bottom and a bustle. I don't need cups put in at all and *maybe* a half an inch taken in at the bodice and waist-my dress fits me extremely well (thankfully!!). Even when I first tried it on, I wasn't concerned about it falling off or having to tug it up. I suppose opinions vary based on what you need to have done to the actual dress.

veijes · February 2010

Ssminy79- I think you are right, you have no need to worry if you are only having her alter the hem and bustle. I am not worried either because my dress has straps so it won't be falling down, and I had it changed to a corset back so it will fit me no matter what.

MesmrEwe · February 2010

The thing to remember with alterations in general is that it's far easier to alter a dress when it's being made than to alter someone else's work after it's purchased off the rack and sewn together. Also, from the perspective of someone who does a lot of sewing (mainly quilting now), but most bridal gowns are not well constructed and sometimes just fixing those problems (sometimes it's the way it's sewn for why one side will look better than the other) you've got to keep expectations in check. Things can be cut properly when it's an original to line up in such a way that it lays properly from the get-go as opposed to trying to "fix" something that needs a little bit taken in/off/on... The pinning is the easy part, getting it to steam and lay right, nightmare and a half...

As for prices, can't speak for Louise specifically, but from having done the BM thing and from my stage outfits up here, you're going to find the second you step out of a bridal/formals salon the prices for most every place that does alterations their price will drop significantly (usually about half). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do a simple hem but bridal shops lay the guilt trip on you that if you have it done someplace else they won't fix it, set the idea in your head that it's never going to look right unless THEY do it, etc. etc. etc. (the shop won't anyway, but hey, it's an extra $375 on what they otherwise would have sold you)... It's the hard part of taking the emotions out of the business transaction of having your alterations done...

LittleSweetie · February 2010

I was impressed with Louise's work for my wedding dress, a few of our BM dresses, and a BM dress I wore in another wedding. I'd be happy taking another dress to her again if/when the time comes! My dress had a zip-up back, I had it taken in around the bust/inner corset, cups sewn in, hem, and bustle. No complaints whatsoever!!

supersalwa · February 2010

My experience sounds similar to Ms.Ricka's. Louise took in the dress too much (to avoid sagging), and although I had one extra day for her to take it back out, she didn't take it out enough. By that point I had no extra time to work with, and since it zipped up and I could breathe a little bit better than the previous day, I took it with me.

On my wedding day, the top of my strapless ended up falling anyway, and I felt physically uncomfortable in the dress the entire day, both because it was tight and I felt I looked sloppy. I had my BMs rezip me in it twice, and each time it fell back down within 15 minutes or so. (Still enjoyed the hell out of the day, for the record, but that sucked).

Louise was VERY nice, I REALLY liked her, and she even let the dress out again after the wedding for my anti-bridal pics, but the bottom line is that I'd have thought an experienced seamstress would have known how to avoid the problem I ended up having with my dress, and was very disappointed that she didn't.

kclepire · February 2010

Hi all - I have been debating on going to louise after hearing the raves about her. my concern is that it's about 50 minutes for me to to go her and the bridal store is only 15 mins from me...I like convience and things to be easy. I finally called lousie for an estimate after hearing about her low prices thinking it'd be like $125-$150 by what everyone had been posting. She returned an estimate of $275 to me for a hem, bustle and take-in so I was taken back a bit. Does this estimate seem high for Louise?

supersalwa · February 2010

That does seem high for her.... I think I paid $125 for a take in, cups, and an Austrian bustle. But she also estimated that it'd be higher (can't remember by how much) when I first inquired w/just a picture of the dress, so maybe that's her standard practice, to estimate on the high side?

yellowbabyducky1 · February 2010

My original estimate was around $200 but ended up being $125 (I think...).

HTH!

ClintonBean · February 2010

I had a really great seamstress - Amy Jane Stariha. Her number is 651-276-9492. She was really affordable and I had a TOUGH dress with TONS of tiny little knots all it that she had to take off and re-sew and she did amazing!

Louise...why are her prices so low?!

Re: Louise...why are her prices so low?!

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