)
What do Bridal Gown Alterations Cost?
Bodice Basics
I like to start my alteration process with the Bodice. A good fitting bodice is essential to everything else a wedding gown needs.
Basic fitting in the bodice area is usually done at the side seams. Simple side seam bodice adjustments start at $40 but can go up to $80 depending on how the seams are configured. If the seams have boning in them, the extra work to adjust that can add another $40. Gowns have been designed with extra corsets inside the lining lately. That adds more layers of seams that need to be dealt with. This can double the cost to size a bodice. If the gown's decoration makes it necessary for the work to be done at the zipper, than it can get over $160 easily because of the complications the zipper may add.
Other alteration needs in the bodice area can raise the alteration cost considerably. Lace and beading that has to be removed to accomplish the adjustment must be reapplied, sometimes creatively for the space it came off of has changed so much. In the case where seams have had to be pieced, sometimes it is necessary to add lace and beading to camouflage the extra seamlines. This process can get very expensive. My fee for this type of work is $30 an hour. I can give a guess as to how many hours I think it might take, but it's only a guess. I do let brides know when this situation is necessary for her gown and do my best to predict the final cost, but sometime it's just not easy to predict accurately.
Most gowns don't need anything this complicated in the bodice area and many need nothing. A good guess for would be around $30 to $80 for the average gown. With replacement of beads and other decorations or boning, it can easily go over $100.
Basic fitting in the bodice area is usually done at the side seams. Simple side seam bodice adjustments start at $40 but can go up to $80 depending on how the seams are configured. If the seams have boning in them, the extra work to adjust that can add another $40. Gowns have been designed with extra corsets inside the lining lately. That adds more layers of seams that need to be dealt with. This can double the cost to size a bodice. If the gown's decoration makes it necessary for the work to be done at the zipper, than it can get over $160 easily because of the complications the zipper may add.
Other alteration needs in the bodice area can raise the alteration cost considerably. Lace and beading that has to be removed to accomplish the adjustment must be reapplied, sometimes creatively for the space it came off of has changed so much. In the case where seams have had to be pieced, sometimes it is necessary to add lace and beading to camouflage the extra seamlines. This process can get very expensive. My fee for this type of work is $30 an hour. I can give a guess as to how many hours I think it might take, but it's only a guess. I do let brides know when this situation is necessary for her gown and do my best to predict the final cost, but sometime it's just not easy to predict accurately.
Most gowns don't need anything this complicated in the bodice area and many need nothing. A good guess for would be around $30 to $80 for the average gown. With replacement of beads and other decorations or boning, it can easily go over $100.
Sleeve Solutions
Sleeve length is another area I check for alteration needs. If the gown has no sleeves, or short ones, this is not a concern. Long sleeves with much decoration can be as much of a problem to shorten as the bodice adjustments. A cost of $80 to over $100 is not uncommon. Most gowns the past few years have been strapless, but I have had several with shoulder seams that need adjusting. This runs anywhere from $20 to $80, depending on decoration that need to be removed and replaced to get to and adjust the seam.
Hemming Hassles
The biggest area of cost in altering a bridal gown is usually for hemming. Most wedding gowns need to be hemmed. If you can adjust your gown’s length by wearing higher heeled shoes, you are a rare bride.
In my 40 years I have seen only 2 brides with perfect hem lengths.
There are 3 main hemming processes most gowns may need:
1. The first is a horsehair braid hem. This is usually found in satin gowns and can be identified by the stiffness of the hem. There is a plastic webbing (often called horsehair because that's what it used to be made of) sewn at the edge of the hem, often between the outer layer and the lining. This needs to be removed and resewn to the proper level for the new hem length. It can be a tricky process to get it sewn back on at the right tension so that it properly stiffens the hem without buckling it into ugly permanent wrinkles that do not steam out. The cost for this is usually $90.
2. Shear fabrics like organza and chiffon need to be roll hemmed. This hem can be identified by the tiny roll of fabric that is topstitched very precisely on the edge of the hem. This is a delicate and exacting process that often has to be done on more than one layer. My pricing starts at $90 for the first layer and $80 for the second, and so on.
3. Lace fabrics are sometimes rolled, but most often there is an edging lace that is sewn onto the hem edge that will need to be removed and sewn at the proper level for the new hem length. This type of hem starts at $90 and can be more if beading has to be removed and reapplied along with the lace.
There are other hemming methods I use for gowns that don't fit into the 3 main techniques. These can range from adding tucks to the front of the gown as is seen on my Creative Hemming description, to bustling the front of the gown.
Also go to The Bridal Hem page for more hemming information.
In my 40 years I have seen only 2 brides with perfect hem lengths.
There are 3 main hemming processes most gowns may need:
1. The first is a horsehair braid hem. This is usually found in satin gowns and can be identified by the stiffness of the hem. There is a plastic webbing (often called horsehair because that's what it used to be made of) sewn at the edge of the hem, often between the outer layer and the lining. This needs to be removed and resewn to the proper level for the new hem length. It can be a tricky process to get it sewn back on at the right tension so that it properly stiffens the hem without buckling it into ugly permanent wrinkles that do not steam out. The cost for this is usually $90.
2. Shear fabrics like organza and chiffon need to be roll hemmed. This hem can be identified by the tiny roll of fabric that is topstitched very precisely on the edge of the hem. This is a delicate and exacting process that often has to be done on more than one layer. My pricing starts at $90 for the first layer and $80 for the second, and so on.
3. Lace fabrics are sometimes rolled, but most often there is an edging lace that is sewn onto the hem edge that will need to be removed and sewn at the proper level for the new hem length. This type of hem starts at $90 and can be more if beading has to be removed and reapplied along with the lace.
There are other hemming methods I use for gowns that don't fit into the 3 main techniques. These can range from adding tucks to the front of the gown as is seen on my Creative Hemming description, to bustling the front of the gown.
Also go to The Bridal Hem page for more hemming information.
Best Bustle
After these main areas that usually need alteration, the last item to check is the need for the gown to be bustled. I will show the bride the alternatives in the ways gowns are usually bustled and then discuss which looks best. Depending on the decoration on the train one version may look much better than another, but they all are determined by what I call points. The train is lifted to the waist area at these points and secured in various ways. My charge for bustling is dependent on the number of these points, $40 for up to 4 points than $10 per additional points. The longer the train, the more points will be necessary. It used to be that the average gown had around 6 to 9 points. Last year many gowns used only 2 points. This year (2011) I have done many bustles that don't fit easily into one category of Ballroom, French or Pick-up. I am working on adding pages to the Bustle section of this site with several new techniques that brides love. Some of these bustles have been quite time consuming and labor intensive to get the train up decoratively. I have had some bustle fees go over $200, but it's very rare.
Visit our Beautiful Bustle Studio for much more information on Bustling.
Other Concerns
There are many other things a bride may want done to her gown. Depending on her figure and the construction of the gown, these could range from no big deal to major work. If a bride wants to wear your mother’s gown for sentimental reasons, but the design or fit is all wrong, some major work will need to be done. Or if that same gown is in poor condition, reconstruction is often available but comes with many variables such as availability of fabrics and lace that match the gown.
These situations I will discuss with the bride, give her all the options I can creatively think of and the cost for each, and then let her decide which is best for her and the gown.
