Where to get wedding alterations
Shopping for your dream wedding dress or suit is often no simple task! The choices seem to be endless, especially if you’re looking for a gown. Color, cut, style, details, adornments, on and on. 😵💫 If you’re in the early stages and still just browsing tens or hundreds of options online, you may have felt your eyes glaze over once or twice. I know mine did!
It’s often remarked that “you can always alter it,” which gives you some peace of mind. If you don’t love this cap sleeve, you can remove it. If you don’t love the extra applique on the skirt, it can disappear. If you don’t love how slim the skirt is, you can add more layers of tulle for volume. If you don’t love this suit lining, you can exchange it for another. If you don’t love the width of the pant, you can slim it up.
But then somewhere between mermaids and ballgowns, boleros and lapels, it hits you — sure you can alter your wedding suit or gown, but where…? Can they do that at the boutique? Do you have to find someone on your own? What do they call those people anyway?
A wedding is often people’s first interaction with a professional seamstress, tailor, or alterations specialist. (That’s what we call those people 😉) So, the questions and confusion are to be expected.
But worry not! In this post we’ll be listing your wedding attire alterations options and what differentiates them, so you have a place to start.
It should be noted that there is no right or wrong choice here. Neither of your alterations options will be inherently better than another. It comes down to preference and what circumstances might be most convenient for you.
Keep in mind that these are generalizations in order to simplify the difference experiences you may have at each alterations provider. Especially when talking about possible costs and timelines, your milage may vary. So always speak directly with a the provider you’re considering working with to get their specific details.
Who alters wedding attire?
As mentioned above, the words used to describe professionals who sew clothing for a living are: seamstress, tailor, and alterations specialist or alterations professional.
A seamstress has traditionally been a woman who sews and alters women’s clothing. Conversely, a tailor has traditionally been a man who sews and alters men’s clothing. Today, however, these terms are not so completely black and white. For example, at Merci’s Tailoring we don’t currently have any men working behind a sewing machine, but we do offer tailoring services: alterations on suits, jackets, slacks, pants, sport coats… clothing traditionally described as “men’s attire”. “Tailoring” is also used for generally improving the fit of a piece of clothing to an individual person. So, a woman’s blouse can still be “tailored”.
Confusing? Yeah a bit. So to capture all garment-sewing, specifically when describing changing the fit of a ready-made piece of clothing, we use “altering” and “alterations specialist” or “alterations professional”. These are general terms that encompass all types of garments, regardless of who they were traditionally made for.
So when searching for someone to alter your wedding attire, you can use all these terms: wedding alterations, wedding dress tailoring, wedding dress seamstress, suit tailor, etc. The important thing will be clarifying with the specific service provider if they do indeed work on wedding attire.
Confirming that your provider of choice does indeed work on wedding attire, and has ample experience, is of vital importance. Suits, as well as wedding gowns, are their own alteration specialities. It takes unique knowledge and practiced skill to alter them correctly and to a professional finish. For a garment that you’ve spent so much time, energy, and cash to acquire, you want to be confident it’s in experienced hands.
At our shop Merci’s Tailoring in Cedar Rapids, we have saved many an attempt at wedding gown alterations, so we don’t recommend being an experiment!
Option 1: In house at a wedding boutique
Now on to our specific wedding alteration providers. First up are our in-house wedding boutique alteration teams.
If you plan on shopping or ultimately buying your dress at a specialty bridal / wedding boutique, some shops do have their own seamstress or alterations team in-house. This means you can visit the same place you bought your dress for your alterations. Another big benefit of shops that have this option available is the possibility of having an alterations consultation while you’re considering a specific dress. They can give you real-time feedback about what can and can’t be altered, and around how much it might set you back. This of course is contingent on whether the seamstress is on site and available during your appointment, (they are sewing back there!), but it can happen! And you can take advantage of this even if you don’t end up buying the gown or if you ultimately have your alterations done elsewhere.
Returning to the sight of the sale for your alterations could be a downside if you traveled far from home to do your shopping. My sister chose this route, but I opted not to drive the 90 minute round-trip for each of my subsequent fitting appointments. #nothanks
An in-house alterations team also means they are guaranteed to have a lot of experience working on wedding attire. And not just any wedding attire, but the specific designers and styles sold in the boutique. On the other hand, designers sometimes have specific guidelines and limitations to what can and cannot be altered or changed on their designs. If this is the case, the in-house team likely has to comply.
Finally, in terms of time it takes for the alterations, we see that boutiques tend to have the longest turnaround times: 3+ months minimum, so you’ll want to plan accordingly.
Highlights of working with an in-house wedding boutique seamstress:
is likely familiar with the dresses sold by a specific bridal boutique; has perhaps worked on your dress before and has experience
can have longer turnaround times
requires traveling back to the boutique, not ideal if you traveled to find your dress
may have designer limitations on what can be done or altered on a dress
Option 2: Bridal boutique referral
Even if the wedding boutique doesn’t have a seamstress or alterations team on site, they often have at least one local seamstress or alterations shop they refer their customers to. Not only do you get the confidence of a referral, but you still retain the confidence of knowing they have a lot of wedding attire experience. They likely also have specific experience with some of the designers and styles from the boutique if they get a lot of referral business from them.
One possibly big difference concerns the environment. Wedding boutiques can be wild and chaotic during their busiest times, so visiting an independent alterations specialist may provide a calmer atmosphere where you can avoid all that boutique-shopping mayhem. This is especially true if you visit a seamstress who works out of their home.
A side benefit of going independent, is that both the engaged couple plus the whole wedding party and guests can visit the same place. Mother of the Bride/Groom, flower girl, groomsmen, everyone!
Highlights of working with a wedding boutique referral
still possibly familiar with the specific styles from the boutique
done outside the bridal boutique, possibly in a calmer environment with less people and chaos
can be done out of someone’s home, great if you like a cozy, intimate atmosphere
confidence of the referral and that they have a lot of experience working with wedding dresses, a specialty in its own right
Option 3: Independent alterations or tailoring shop
And sometimes the wedding boutique doesn’t have an in-house alterations team, or any referrals that are local enough to you. Or you’re buying your dress online, second-hand, or wearing something from a family member. In either case, you’ll need look for independent providers on your own. These come in two flavors: with a storefront, and without a storefront. We’re going to start with those that do have a storefront. They may be in a mall, a strip-mall, a rented office suit, or have their own standalone building.
When choosing an independent alterations specialist, first and foremost, you want to be sure they work on wedding attire. But you’ll also need to ask if they work on suits and children’s clothes before you send the whole wedding party their way.
Good to know: Merci’s Tailoring in Cedar Rapids is your one-stop shop for everyone in the wedding party!
Additionally, we often see turnaround times at independent seamstresses and alterations shops tend to be shorter: starting at just 4 weeks. Of course, always check the specific provider for their current wedding attire lead times, but this could save you a bit of time! Even if you need your alterations even sooner, some shops also offer a rush fee to get them done for you ASAP.
And since an independent shop isn’t going to be directly connected to a boutique, they’re not going to have the same design limitations that a in-house provider may have.
Highlights of working with an independent alterations shop:
can often have shorter turnaround times in comparison to in-house boutique seamstress teams
wider offering of alterations so all your bridal party, including parents of the bride/groom, flower girls, groomsmen, etc. can all be serviced at the same location
may offer even faster turnaround for a rush fee
no design limitations on what can or can’t be altered or changed on a garment
done at an independent storefront, ideal if you’re looking for a professional “storefront” experience
Schedule your Wedding Consultation
Get the perfect fit for your perfect day at our alterations shop in Cedar Rapids. Over 30 years of wedding attire experience!
Option 4: Independent seamstress or tailor without a storefront
Finally, let’s talk about visiting an independent seamstress or alterations specialist without a storefront. These providers operate out of their home.
Most of the notes and benefits from our providers with storefronts equally apply here. The characteristic that make these providers stand out is their homy-atmosphere.
The best at-home seamstresses provide a tidy, clean, and separated area to conduct their alterations business. Even if you’re visiting someone’s home for a service, it should still feel professional. This type of setting can also be conducive to a calmer and more relaxing atmosphere than even that of an independent alterations shop. So if you’re really looking for that kind of experience, this could be the way to go.
Be cautious about approaching just anyone who claims to do alterations at home! The casual hobby-sewer does not a professional make. And even if this is someone’s main income, you’ll still need to inquire about the type of alterations work the provider does. There is no guarantee, just like at alterations shops, that they are experienced in wedding dress or suit alterations.
Highlights of working with an independent seamstress without a storefront:
typically operates out of someone’s home, great if you like the cozy, intimate vibe
can encourage a slower-paced, and more intimate experience
be sure they have sufficient experience, and are not only a hobby sewer
typically a calmer atmosphere; no one coming in and out while you’re in your appointment
some people many feel less comfortable visiting someone’s home for a service
Tips for choosing your alterations specialist
So now that you know of all the places you can look for your wedding attire alterations, how to do you choose among them? There’s more we can say here, but for the sake of brevity and simplicity, here are 4 things you can do to help you choose.
Ask your network for recommendations
A common first stop since this can shortcut the service provider search! Also try asking in relevant Facebook groups or forums.
Read public reviews
Almost feels like we don’t need to mention this one, but here it is! Check Google, Facebook, or your other favorite public review platform.
Ask them about their wedding attire experience
A very important one! Not everyone who sews, sews wedding clothes. Wedding attire its it’s own speciality, so you want to be sure you’re working with a professional.
Visit them for a consultation
Take some time to visit them, or even ask to schedule a first consultation. Some offer this complimentary, and some come with a fee. At our shop in Cedar Rapids, our Wedding Consultation fee becomes a credit on your final bill if you do ultimately choose us for your alterations.
In the end: small businesses win!
At the end of the day, no matter which provider you choose, you will be supporting a local small business. As a proud Iowa small business ourselves, we want to encourage the success and prosperity of all our fellow small business owners. Small local businesses are what give a heartbeat to our towns and cities and provide local jobs and services to our community. That is something that makes everyone a winner.