Frequently Asked Questions

For brides, ideally, your 1st fitting should be 3 months before your wedding date. However it is so important that you don’t wait til that time to try to book! Reach out to your seamstress as soon as you buy your dress, even if you have ordered it and don’t have it in hand, book your bridal seamstress right away! The best ones book up many months in advance, and for most, the closer you get to the wedding date, the more it could cost. Here at The Alterations Shop, rush fees are added for bridal alterations for anything under 10 weeks. 

The same advice to book when you buy is given for bridal party, prom, pageant, homecoming, and any other special occasion  dress customer. The first fitting for these dresses should be booked for 8 weeks before the event. Any 1st fittings occurring 4 weeks or less before the event incur a rush fee.

You will need any and all undergarments and shoes you plan to wear with your dress on your wedding or event day. We offer a variety of bra cups that can be sewn into your dress if you are opting not to wear a bra. Any other items need to be brought with you to all fitting appointments.

Upon your arrival, you will be welcomed into our fitting space and placed into a private dressing room to get started. Once you are in your dress, you will experience a one-on-one fit assessment to discuss and pin your alterations according to your needs and vision of what you would like the finished dress to be. Labor costs will be determined at this time as well.

Absolutely! We ask that you bring no more than 3 of your biggest cheerleaders, and avoid bringing small children if at all possible. We have sharp and hot object that curious little hand can get injured on. We understand that sometimes it is not possible to get here without your little one, and that it totally fine! 

Please give us a heads up so we can accommodate by moving some fitting items out of reach, and provide entertainment and snacks for your time with us. Also, bringing a person who we can demonstrate bridal bustle use to at a final fitting is very helpful!

Alterations costs vary GREATLY from one customer to the next depending on garment design, and the complexity of the work to be done. Brides should expect an investment of $400-$1,200 plus their fitting package for alterations. (Please refer to the pricing guide for a general idea of ranges.)

Special occasion dresses that are not bridal are priced very differently! We have a minimum investment of $75 but the total will depend on what needs to be done in order to accomplish the perfect fit.

Rush fees are added to alterations cost when you need your dress completed in a shorter turnaround time that is standard on our calendar. It is not unusual for our calendars to fill out many months in advance, but if we can accommodate a request for alterations in less than standard leadtime, it will require either longer days or additional seamstresses to handle the request, Therefore costing the customer a bit more. Ideally first fittings for brides should be at least 12 weeks before the big day. First fittings for other special occasion dresses should be at least 8 weeks before the event. Please refer to the information below in order to see rush fee cost ranges.

Wedding Gowns:  

• 10 weeks = $100
• 8 weeks = $150
• 6 weeks = $250
• 4 weeks =$350
• 2 weeks = $450

Rush fees for special occasion dresses start at six weeks and range from $45-$250 depending on timeframe and complexity of the alterations to be completed.

Honestly, the answer to this question changes throughout the year, depending on the season and what all you are going to require to get the perfect fit.  The best thing to do is just to reach out to us, and we can discuss your options.

Instead of having to pay a consultation fee, or a fitting fee each time you come in for an appointment, you choose one of the packages that best suits your needs. The package includes things such as the time for the fitting and consultations, pick up time, steaming services, and discounts for pre-booking cleaning and preservation services.

Simply fill out the alterations inquiry form and someone will reply by email or text within 24 to 48 hours. Timeframe may vary if inquiry submitted on a holiday or weekend.

Brides must choose and pay for a fitting and service package up on booking their first fitting appointment. Labor for all alterations is a separate charge and must be paid in full at the first fitting unless other arrangements are ahead of time. We accept cash, credit or debit cards, or Venmo. We do not accept checks.