Start wedding-dress alterations early enough to allow more than one fitting. Bring the shoes and any accessories that affect the hem or fit.
There is no single perfect timeline for every dress. A simple gown and a dress with lace, tulle, beads or several layers can require very different work. The useful first step is to have the dress assessed early enough to understand what needs changing.
Why not wait until the final week?
An alteration may require more than one fitting. After the first adjustment, the hem may need to be checked with the correct shoes, the bodice may need refining or a detail may only become obvious once the dress hangs properly.
What should you bring?
Bring the shoes you plan to wear and any accessories that can affect the hem, neckline or sleeves.
What alterations are common?
Common requests include hems, waist, sides, bodice, sleeves and decorative details. Whether a specific area can be changed depends on how the dress is constructed.
Bring the dress in early enough to leave room for fittings. You can drop by the shop with the dress without an appointment.
Questions about this topic
How early should I bring my wedding dress?
Bring it early enough to leave room for assessment, fittings and any final refinements. More complex gowns may need more than one fitting.
What should I bring to a wedding-dress fitting?
Bring the shoes and any accessories that affect the hem or the way the dress sits.
Can lace, tulle or beading be altered?
Often yes, but delicate construction needs to be seen in person before the safest alteration can be confirmed.