Timeline
When to book your wedding dress alterations
The most common mistake brides make is not booking too late. It is assuming there is more time than there is. Here is the schedule that works.
8 to 12 months out
Order your gown
Most wedding dresses take four to eight months to be made and shipped. This is also the moment to start thinking about who will alter it, not months later.
4 to 6 months out
Choose your seamstress
Good bridal seamstresses book out, especially through spring and autumn wedding season in Atlanta. Making contact now costs nothing and secures a place in the schedule.
6 to 8 weeks out
First fitting
The sweet spot. Your body is close to where it will be on the day, and there is comfortable room for two or three fittings without anything being rushed.
4 to 6 weeks out
Second fitting
The fit is refined and the bustle is set. Bring whoever will be helping you dress so they can be taught how to tie it.
2 to 3 weeks out
Final fitting
The last check, and any small adjustment your body has asked for since the last appointment. For most gowns this is the last time Nina sees it.
1 to 2 weeks out
Collect the gown
Pressed, steamed and packed. Take it home, hang it somewhere it will not be knocked, and leave it alone until the morning.
Everything else in the wedding party
- Bridesmaid dresses
- With the bride
- Mother of the bride and groom
- With the bride
- Custom veil
- 2 to 3 months before
- Heirloom restoration or restyling
- 4 to 6 months before
- Prom and formal wear
- As soon as you have the dress
If your wedding is sooner than that
Call. That is the whole advice. Hems, bustles and take-ins can often be turned around quickly, and brides regularly assume they have run out of time when they have not. Heavy beadwork and full restyling genuinely do need longer, but you will get a straight answer rather than a maybe.
What helps: bring the gown to the call in your description, know your date, and be flexible about appointment times. What does not help: waiting another week because you are worried the answer is no.
Questions
About timing
When should I schedule my wedding dress alterations?
Start looking for your seamstress as soon as your gown is ordered, and book your first fitting for roughly 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding. That leaves room for the two or three fittings most gowns need without anyone rushing. If your date is closer than that, call anyway. A lot can be done in a short window, and it is better to ask than to assume it is too late.
How long do wedding dress alterations take?
It depends entirely on the work. A hem and a bustle is a different job from reconstructing a bodice or adding sleeves. Call Nina with your date and a description of your gown and she will tell you honestly what her schedule allows.
Do you take rush or last-minute alterations?
Yes. Rush and last-minute alterations are possible when Nina’s schedule allows, so call first and she will tell you honestly whether she can meet your date. Even if the wedding is days away, it is worth the phone call before you give up on the fit.
My wedding is in two weeks. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Hems, bustles and take-ins can often be turned around quickly. Heavy beadwork and full restyling need more time. Call and describe the gown. You will get a straight answer, not a maybe.
Let’s get your gown fitting properly.
Bring the dress and the shoes. Nina will tell you exactly what it needs and what it will cost, before anything is cut.