My dress has been in for about a month now but I just went in for my fitting this Wednesday. You might recall my yellow shoe search that had to take place before I could have my fitting, and that the dress shop is a little over an hour away. I didn’t have time to make the trip just to see it and try it on, and I knew I’d need alterations so I waited until the shop’s alteration pro could take an appointment. The whole dress process has been difficult since I’m away from my mom, my best friends, and I really know nothing about hemming and bustles and fittings even though I’m a religious blog stalker. I brought my photographer/bff in bham with me and the following images are thanks to her.
I must ask that no one who reads this blog and knows me in real life directs Garrett to this post. He already knows not to look and I think he really does want to be surprised. I sent the images to his cousin and she bawled over them, which is really sweet. I don’t usually cry or tear up over anything sentimental (except things like baptisms or if my hormones are out of whack I’ll cry at anything) so I’m surprised when I can evoke that kind of emotion out of how I look in a dress.
I did not come prepared besides putting my hair up just because I figured I should see kind of what I would look like the day of, and bringing my shoes. I didn’t go look at bustle pictures or scour blogs for fitting tips. Maybe I should have, but I’ve had a “meh” attitude about all things wedding lately. Of course, with 4 months to go and no STDs out yet (bad kelly!) I’m starting to feel the crunch. The shoes I got are pretty tall (I’m only 5’2″, the heels are 3 or 3.5 inches) so the dress barely touched the ground. There is a lot of lace though, and I don’t want it getting too dirty, especially since I’m planning to wear it on Friday and Saturday (my weird 2 day event that I’m so excited about). So it’s being taken up about half an inch. As far as the bustle, I thought I wanted the English pick-up bustle but Amelia pointed out that the French bustle accentuates the mermaidness of the dress which I really want and though the factory french bustle was lacking, the bustle the seamstress is doing is a lot prettier.
I don’t mind saying how much my alterations will cost, and I think it’s good to have something to compare to for reference. $180, I’m pretty sure a hem is $100 and the bustle is $80. This is a pretty small town in Alabama though, and I’m aware a lot of places will cost a lot more. I didn’t need the size altered, I’m really petite and it was a good snug fit in the torso. I asked what would happen if I lose weight (and really it wouldn’t be much, I’m just planning on toning my tummy, arms, and thighs before the big day) and she discouraged it. I’m not going to listen though, because I’m pretty sure my ribs won’t shrink and they are what holds it up anyhow. I forgot while I was there that I’d thought about getting a sash (duh!) and I didn’t bring the Belgian lace veil Garrett’s mom is letting me borrow (I forgot to ask and didn’t have time the day of) so I guess in 8 weeks when it’s finished I’ll try to remedy all that.
I will say having Amelia there was great, she was a bride a few years ago, shoots dresses every weekend, and since she’s not in a fog like I am [ “oooh, pretty dress, oooh yellow shoes, oooh lace”] she examined the dress and pointed out a place where the lace needed to be trimmed, threw out suggestions, and questioned decisions. Bring somebody with you, just do. She told me on the way home that she had an insider tip about bustles, an english bustle is easier, so sometimes alterations people try to steer people that way because they can charge the same amount and do less work. Not that that should affect your decision, but keep it in mind. I went with this seamstress because she works through the shop where I got my dress and I knew if it was messed up in any way the shop would be responsible. I didn’t love her as much as the wonderful woman who sold me my dress, but I laughed off her quirks and still had a great time prancing in my dress.
I’m just glad it fit (it’s the first time I tried on the dress in my size) and that I still love it. I’d worried quite a few times that my dress might actually be hideous and I just remembered it as pretty but now I feel pretty confident that I will feel and look wonderful on my wedding day.
How was your first fitting? Anything you wish you’d known?