The fitting process
What actually happens to your gown
Handing over a wedding dress is a nervous moment, especially the first time. Here is the whole sequence, so nothing about it is a surprise.
Photo needed
A fitting in progress, pinning at the hem or bodice. Shows the process, not a product.
- 01
Booking your first fitting
Call or book online. Nina works by appointment so that your fitting is private and unhurried. You are not sharing a mirror with three other brides. Tell her roughly what your gown is and when the wedding is, and she will find you a time that leaves enough room.
- Aim for 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding
- Appointments run about an hour
- Bring whoever will help you dress on the day
- 02
The first fitting
You get into the gown with your real shoes and undergarments on. Nina fits it to you, pins what needs to move, and looks inside the seams to see what the dress can actually take. You talk through what you want and what is realistic. Then you get your quote, before any scissors come out.
- Exact shoes, or the same heel height
- The undergarments you will actually wear
- Veil or belt if they affect the look
- Your quote, itemised and agreed
- 03
The work
Your gown is altered by Nina herself. It is never passed to a bench. Beadwork comes off by hand and goes back on by hand. Lace is matched rather than approximated. Each layer of the gown is altered separately so the outer fabric hangs the way it was designed to.
- One person from first pin to final press
- Beading removed and re-applied by hand
- Every layer altered individually
- 04
The second fitting
You try it on again. The fit is checked and refined, the bustle is set, and whoever will be helping you into the dress on the wedding day is taught how to tie it. This is much easier to learn standing in the room than from a photograph on your phone at the reception.
- Fit checked and refined
- Bustle set and demonstrated
- Your helper taught the bustle
- 05
A third fitting, if the gown needs it
Heavily beaded gowns, significant restyling and heirloom projects often want a third appointment. So does any gown where your body has changed between fittings, which is completely normal and never a problem. Better one more fitting than a dress that is nearly right.
- Common on beaded and restyled gowns
- Body changes are expected, not a problem
Checklist
What to bring to your first fitting
Essential
- Your shoes. The exact pair, or the same heel height. The hem is measured from them.
- Your undergarments. What you will actually wear. It changes the fit of the bodice more than people expect.
- The gown itself, on a hanger, not folded in a bag.
Bring if you have it
- Your veil, belt or sash if it affects the neckline
- A photo of how you want the gown to look
- Whoever will help you dress on the wedding day
- Your wedding date, venue and roughly what the day involves
Questions
About fittings
How many fittings will my wedding dress need?
Most gowns need two to three. The first is the fitting where everything gets pinned and measured. The second checks the work and refines the fit. A third is common for heavily beaded gowns, major restyling, or if your body changes between appointments. Simple hems sometimes need only one fitting plus a pickup.
Do I get a quote before the work starts?
Yes. Nothing is cut, pinned permanently or charged until you have heard the price and agreed to it. There are no surprise line items at pickup.
What should I bring to my first fitting?
Bring the exact shoes you plan to wear, the undergarments you will have on under the gown, and any veil or belt that affects the look. If you have not bought shoes yet, bring a pair at the same heel height. The hem is measured from your shoes, so the wrong pair means the wrong length.
Should I bring someone with me?
Bring whoever will be helping you into the dress on the wedding day, usually your mother, your maid of honour, or both. They will be taught how to do the bustle, and it is much easier to learn it in person than from a photo.
How long does a fitting take?
Plan on about an hour for the first fitting and thirty to forty-five minutes for the ones after. Getting into and out of a wedding gown takes longer than people expect, and Nina does not rush the pinning.
Do you press and steam the dress before pickup?
Yes. Your gown is pressed and packed properly before it leaves, so it is ready to hang and wear.
Ready for the first fitting?
Bring the dress and the shoes. Everything else Nina will walk you through.