Frequently Asked Q's
Fittings
What should I expect at my first fitting?
First and foremost, know that this is supposed to be fun! This process can be intensive, requires a great deal trust, time, responsibility, and sometimes a leap of faith, but apart from making your gown fit you as best as possible, we have one additional goal:
That you have FUN with us, and that you enjoy the alterations process as much as possible!
What should I bring to all of my fittings?
Please bring the shoes you are planning on wearing on your wedding day. Please make every effort to have the actual shoes you will wear. We do not recommend that you not have your actual wedding shoes, and instead bring shoes of similar height as to what you plan on wearing. We can sometimes make an exception, but you run the risk of not being able to find the exact same height shoe, and requiring new hem alterations at an additional cost.
Any undergarments or shapewear, and any bras you are considering wearing, please have for all of your fittings. If you opt to wear body enhancing shapewear, please let us know that you are wearing them ( ie. booty lifting, high compression, waist trainer, etc). All undergarments you are planning to wear should be worn to all fittings. Any type of shapewear/undergarments can significantly affect the fit of a gown, so please have all with you for all fittings. We can discuss shapewear options in person, if you bring multiple options with you. Lastly, please wear undies to all fittings (seamless is best).
What happens during the fitting process of my wedding gown?
During fittings we will go over how we will alter the gown, what your goals are with your gown. We will discuss the fit of the gown, look at proportions, consider adding cups, discuss making customizations (if you are considering any), If you want a bustle, we will discuss those options with you as well.
What happens at my final scheduled fitting?
Often at this fitting, you are all done, and you take your gown home with you. The gown is pressed/steamed, we make sure all looks good, and we go over your bustle. If you have a guest with you, we teach them your bustle, and if not, we will do a bustle video that you can share with your most trusted friends. If for any reason the gown needs to stay for final tweaks, you will come back within a few days.
***Please note that if your body size has changed significantly between your first and last fittings, we will address this, but an additional fee will apply.
When will my wedding gown alterations be completed?
There is not answer fits all for this question, but most of our clients choose to pick up their gowns 1-2 weeks before their event. Depending on your unique circumstances, your timeline may differ.
Do I need to buy cups, or do you have them in stock?
We have cups in stock up to size G.
***If your bust size is a DD or larger, please bring a strapless bra (or if your gown style hides straps, a regular bra) to your fittings even if you are considering adding cups.
How many fittings will I need?
This depends on the complexity of your alterations and your goals. We see clients anywhere from 2-4 total fittings although very often 2 fittings does the trick. The type of alterations/customizations that you need will dictate how many times we will meet. We will discuss this further at your first fitting. We will schedule your second fitting and subsequent fittings when we meet at your first fitting.
**Please note that additional fittings that are requested by you outside of what we consider necessary/normal will incur an additional fitting fee.
I plan on changing into different shoes/flats/sneakers, can you hem for two heel heights?
Unfortunately, no. We can only hem for one shoe/heel height and we recommend that you hem your gown for the shoes that you will use for your ceremony, and photography. If you later change to a lower heel, know that your hem will be too long for those shoes. We like to recommend that you consider switching to a comfy platform sandal/shoe that has a similar heel height when you are ready to party, but.... tis' your day! You do you!
What if I want to lose weight after we meet for alterations?
We highly recommend that you are at your goal weight, maintaining your diet, or on a set exercise routine by the time we meet for your first alterations appointment. Weight fluctuations/body changes from weight loss, or new workout routines, can significantly complicate your alterations, require additional fittings, and often requires extra expense later in the alterations process. Altering bridal gowns is a very delicate and nuanced process. We are often working with, and working on extremely delicate fabrics that do not respond well to being overly handled, so it is always best to minimize how many changes need to be made.
If you are anticipating weight changes after we begin alterations, please just let us know. Honesty is always the best policy here. We can plan accordingly, come up with a different alterations schedule, save each other extra time, and stress, and potentially save you extra expense. You may need to be put under a rush timeline, and incur that extra cost, but it can save you money, and time in the end. Honesty and transparency is always best, and please do not worry too much about this if you have uncertainty with your weight. We will accommodate the changes/alterations as best as possible. We too have been brides before, and we understand that sometimes things are outside of our control.
Scheduling and Guests
When should I schedule my first fitting with The Tailory?
In all honesty—now! Although we are likely only going to meet about 6 weeks before your wedding, we tend to book up for appointments about 6+ months in advance. Even if you are one year out from your wedding, get yourself on our schedule so that we can guarantee you a spot. Please do your best to keep the appointment though, because rescheduling (especially once we are close to the appointment day), can be very difficult.
*** Due to Covid, we are currently booked out even farther than usual.
I am reaching out early to schedule, but when will we actually meet?
We recommend starting your alterations about 6 weeks prior to your wedding/travel date on a gown that was ordered to your current size. If you have a sample gown that needs a great deal of work (damage repair, re-styling, large re-sizing), or know that you will lose a significant amount of weight by the time your newly ordered gown comes in, we can meet a little sooner (reach out to us, to discuss if you fall in this category).
***We highly recommend that you are at your goal weight by the time that we meet for alterations. If you are anticipating weight loss after we begin alterations, it can significantly complicate your alterations, require additional fittings, and require extra alteration costs.
Should I bring a guest?
You do not need to bring a guest with you to your fittings. Not every bride enjoys having people with her for this process, and that is okay. We are happy to supply you with professional advice on your look, as well as styling advice for any questions you may have. When time allows during your fitting, Sara (our founder) will often offer suggestions/styling advice on veil styles/types, accessories, etc. We are also happy to take photos/videos for you if you come alone.
What is your guest policy?
***Please check with us regarding our Covid policy where we may or may not be allowing guests at this time.
We allow one guest per fitting, to help you through the process.
Our studio space, and the time we have together is limited, and we simply cannot accommodate large groups of people. In addition, we have found it very overwhelming/unhelpful to our clients when there are too many “cooks in the kitchen.” We want to hear how we can help you feel your best in your gown, and sometimes extra opinions will make you doubt yourself/what you know you really want. Bring a guest that knows you well and makes you feel supported—not someone who will add tension to the experience.
***Please note for safety reasons we are unable to accommodate children*
What if I want to see you earlier than the recommended 6 weeks out from my wedding date to discuss the concerns I have with my alterations? Is there a consultation fee?
In order to provide you with our best service, we usually like to start alterations about 6 weeks before your wedding date, but if you would like to schedule an additional appointment sooner to discuss your alterations, we will be happy to schedule you in. Yes, there is a consultation fee since we will be beginning your alterations at a later time. The fee runs between $50-$75 depending on how much time we spend together. The fee is usually $50 for an appointment lasting up to an hour.
**During our busy season (March-October), consultation appointments are more limited. Please reach out to inquire further.
What are your hours?
We are by appointment only.
For bridal alterations we hold weekday appointments only between 11am-4pm.
For suiting appointments, we hold weekday, and sometimes weekend appointments. Please contact Tony for suiting appointments.
Customizations and Costs
How much will my bridal alterations cost?
The majority of our alterations fall between $450-$950. There is no guarantee that your alterations will be in this range since we have had brides spend less and more, but it is a good range to keep in mind. Costs are based on the complexity of your alterations, how many fittings are expected, the type of fabric your gown is made of, the types of embellishments it has (lace, beading, etc), etc. We will give you a cost estimate at the end of your first fitting.
For suiting alterations, please see our pricing here.
What if my gown is too small?
Unfortunately there is no guarantee that we will be able to reconstruct a gown that is too small to fit you well. It is always best to have a gown that is too large than too small, but we have had success in adding lace-up corset backs, letting out gowns, expanding sides with delicate pattern reconstruction, and a few other creative design changes. We will require that you do a consultation with us in addition to your first fitting to discuss what changes are possible.
***A consultation fee will apply.
***Please note that large scale re-sizing often will fall on the higher end of our alterations cost range, or very possibly above it.
What if my gown is the wrong size?
If you have bought a sample dress or a dress that is multiple sizes too big, please know that there is no guarantee of being able to reconstruct the gown to look on you the way you see it on a stock/model image. This isn’t to say we are not able to alter it to fit you, it very likely that we are able to alter it to fit you, since we work on sample gowns or gowns that are a few sizes too big quite often with great success. This is just to set your expectations that we will be changing proportions on the gown in a way you may or may not be anticipating. If you are worried about this potential/process, we recommend that you schedule a consultation appointment in addition to your first fitting appointment as soon as possible to put your mind at ease. ***Please note that a consultation fee will apply.
What if I want to customize my gown?
Usually customizations are possible, as long as we have the materials to do so.
Customization examples are: adding new sleeves, creating an illusion neckline, making a gown with a neckline strapless, adding lace/appliqués/beading, etc.
Any work done beyond standard alterations is considered custom work, and falls outside of the standards alterations costs. These projects are charged at either a flat fee or an hourly rate depending on the scope of the work.
I am considering wearing an heirloom wedding gown (mom's, grandmom's, etc), or a vintage wedding gown, do you work on these items? Are you able to reconstrcut/redesign vintage pieces?
Yes we do! Please refer to our our vintage gowns page. What fun this can be! You will likely be taking a leap of faith when you consider doing this, so we highly recommend you come in for a consultation as soon as possible after scheduling your first fitting with us, or after checking that we will be able to accommodate your wedding date (there is a consultation fee for this appointment). During a consultation appointment we can discuss your options, and you can reassure yourself on whether or not this is really what you want to do. This process can be quite intensive, but it can be so very rewarding at the end. Sara (our founder/head designer), deeply enjoys working on vintage reconstructions. She is very sentimental, and loves working on gowns with history.
***Please note that vintage reconstructions often fall on the higher end of our alterations cost range, or depending on what changes you want to make, may even surpass it. This process can sometimes be much more time intensive than working on a new gown.
Do you make custom accessories?
Yes, we do make custom accessories if time permits for the scope of the project that you want. What fun it can be to have a veil edged with lace pieces from your own gown, or a custom veil made with pieces from your mom’s or grandmom’s wedding gown. We have samples for reference if you are considering making a custom veil, cape, sash, etc.
These projects are charged at either a flat fee or an hourly rate depending on the scope of the work.