Introduction - Read this first

Weddings, as a friend of mine used to say, are not the sort of thing you are supposed to get good at. Ideally you do it just once, and high expectations make for a very steep learning curve. 

I’ve been fitting, restyling, restoring, altering, altering again, and sewing on wedding gowns for over 20 years now. Before I started working on wedding gowns, I worked in theater costume shops (fitting, alterations, patterning), and before that I sewed not only my own clothes, but also entire wardrobes for my dolls. 

Working on wedding gowns with brides, and their friends and families, is a niche occupation within the alterations world. I’ve reached the point where I don’t do anything except alter bridal gowns (and the occasional bridesmaid and mother-of-the-bride dress). A wedding dress is arguably the single most important garment a woman will wear in her life; it requires specialized attention and treatment.

There are many things that are unique to bridal gown shopping, selection, fitting, and even the wearing of it. I don’t know about you, but I wear jeans and a t-shirt pretty much every day. We are not well-equipped to make a purchase like a wedding gown. It’s all new — as it should be. 

I have advice. Practical advice. Advice that will make finding the right gown for you easier and less stressful. Read on.