Now that you’ve said “Yes to the Dress” and you are officially a J. Andrew’s Bride here is everything you need to know about the alterations | fitting process.

Please note there is a $50 booking fee to reserve your time with the seamstress & this fee will be applied to your alterations cost. If you cancel within 24-hours of your appointment or no show the fee is applied as your cancellation fee and is nonrefundable. Booking another appointment will result in an additional $50 deposit.

The 1st Fitting | Your gown has arrived and you are close enough to the big day to avoid any major changes in size / fit of your gown. For most Brides that is within 3 months of the wedding date.

You’ll need to bring your shoes to this appointment. This is a crucial part of the process. However, if your gown was ordered with a specific length measurement you must not commit to the shoes until you’ve tried them on with your gown. We measure for length, when possible, to avoid the cost & time of a hem. However, all length measurements have a 1/2 to 1” tolerance so you might have to switch up the shoes to walk away (without tripping) without a hem.

This is the “Pinning” fitting that typically lasts an hour to an hour and a half. You’ll discuss with the seamstress how the gown feels and what you’d like adjusted. You can also discuss any customizations you’d like to have done to make it truly one of a kind. Customizations are above and beyond the cost of standard alterations. Yes, we can add beautiful hand sewn lace sleeves as long as you are prepared to pay an extra $500+ on average for customizations.

The “Work in Progress” Fitting | After your 1st fitting you and your seamstress will book this next work in progress appointment. This is so you can try on the gown to determine the fit of the work the seamstress has done. Often times extra fabric will still be in the seams, pins will still be on the gown & lace appliques might not be sewn back into place. This is part of the process and we always say you have to trust the process.

The Final Fitting | This is when all your patience and trusting of the process pays off!! At your final fitting you’ll see how perfectly your gown has been made to fit YOU! It’s really a magic moment because this is when you see how you’ll look as you walk down the aisle. We suggest bringing a close loved one to learn how to bustle your gown. What’s a bustle? See below!

DO THE BUSTLE!   Your bridal gown train is designed to WOW as you walk down the aisle and have your moment at the altar. But then it’s party time! Having a seamstress sew hidden hooks & eyes or ribbons to allow your train to sweep up and let you dance the night away!

GET TO KNOW YOUR SEAMSTRESS

On average, our seamstresses will spend 15-25 hours working on a single gown and sewing many details by hand.

GET TO KNOW SACHIKO Sachiko grew up in Japan and learned to sew at a young age when she grew taller than the average Japanese woman. She is close to 5’8! So, when she wasn’t able to buy clothes to go to the Disco she had to make her own, yes Disco music is her jam! We lovingly call her Disco Sachiko! Sachiko has been a Bridal Seamstress with J.Andrew’s Bridal since 2005. You are truly in good hands with Sachiko and your gown will be fused with disco music and good vibes so it’s ready for the dance floor!

GET TO KNOW ANNA Anna grew up in Paris France. She has been working with J.Andrew’s Brides since our doors opened in 2005. We always say she doesn’t use a sewing machine; she uses a magic wand. At your final fitting with Anna you’ll wonder how she did it because you wont’ even see a single stich or thread out of place.

We hope that helps prepare you for your alteration’s appointments, if you still have questions or concerns, please let us know we are here to help! Text us 833-915-2368