Source
r/weddingplanning•
opalcuttlefish

Brides who had lace at the bottom of their dresses, please tell me about your alternations!

Sorry in advance for this wall of text, I'm just trying to get all my info out in one go, if I can.

I'm in love with two dresses and I can't decide which to chose. Both of them will likely need to be hemmed and both have a train which I would like to remove. My consultant said that since they'd have to be hemmed anyway removing the train would be part of that alteration cost, if I wanted it removed, which I do. (Apparently getting a bustle would be a second alteration.)

This is all fine and lovely, but she said the alterations could be anywhere from $350-$1000, which is such a large range I don't know what to do or think.

Anyway, one of the dresses (Allure 9150) has lace around the bottom which would need to be removed and move up for hemming. For those of you who have had alterations like this, roughly how much did it cost you?

For reference, the other dress I am considering is Maggie Sottero Cosette, which I imagine will be easier to alter since it doesn't have the lace at the bottom.

Edit: Please help me! I'm getting super anxious because I'm approaching 7 months until my wedding and I don't know which dress to chose. Thank you all so much in advance for your imput!

Posted Nov 10, 2015, 5:25 PM UTC

815
PolskaPrincess7/16/16 Deeetroit•

Another option is to ask if the dresses can be ordered with a hem to hallow measurement. I was looking at a dress with lace on the bottom and customizing the height was like $250 vs. a quote like yours for alterations.

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opalcuttlefishOPJune 2016 | Sonoma Valley•

This is such a good idea, thanks!!!

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dontbothertoknockSeptember 17, 2016, Wisconsin•

You should also ask if the dress can be taken up at the waist. It can be done quite a bit cheaper because they don't have to touch the lace, but it can't be done with every dress.

Mine has scalloped lace at the bottom, so we are taking my dress up at the waist. It should cost about $150. I imagine trying to hem the bottom of that dress would be quite a bit more expensive.

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opalcuttlefishOPJune 2016 | Sonoma Valley•

Is yours constructed as 2 pieces? I'm loving this idea except the Allure is one piece, as opposed to the Maggie, which has the skirt attached to the bodice. Thanks!

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dontbothertoknockSeptember 17, 2016, Wisconsin•

Mine does have a seam at the waist. If yours somehow doesn't, you may be able to hide a new seam under that belt.

Of course, I'm not a seamstress, but I don't see why it wouldn't be an option for your dress.

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HannahEBannaOct. 24, 2015 | Married!•

This is exactly what I did with my dress and it knocked me down from $400 to $300 (and $250 is what the actual cost was for hemming and taking it in).

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jerseycowboyhudson valley 11.14.15•

My dress had layers of lace (picture before alterations) and after careful consideration, we decided to bring the bottom layer of lace up rather than alter the dress from the waist. It would have been a lot more complicated and expensive to bring it up at the waist. I wish I had considered how the dress would change when altered to my height (5'4, not wearing heels), but I am pretty happy with how it came out in the end. It cost $350 for all alterations (it was brought in at the bust and waist a bit as well as shortened), and I live in the NY Metro area.

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dithbotMarried! 6/13/15•

I had my dress hemmed (lace bottom) and bustle loops/buttons added (kept my small train) and some extra loops/snaps inside for my bra straps and it was a total of $210. Portland, OR.

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walkaboed•

Allure can be custom ordered to the height that you want. Someone else posted this idea. I can check tomorrow how much that would cost. Also, Allure would probably construct the dress with no train if that is what you want and I can check on the prices of both of those things for you. Generally, alterations cost $400-$600 (This is with the bustle) This price range does not include any other customizations for example if you wanted to add straps. EDIT: the $400-$600 includes: Taking in or letting out, sewing in cups, hem, bustle, press.

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walkaboed•

it is 225$ to 250$ to have the dress made for your height through allure

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adestructionofcatsHitched Sept 2015•

My dress had lace flower appliques along the hem that had to be taken off and reattached piece by piece. It cost $200 to have it hemmed and the bustle was $45 for a single point style.

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FutureMrs59Wifed Up | May 2015•

So I had this Emily Hart Bridal dress and do you see all the lace?? Tons of it. I just chose to order the dress off my measurements instead of an actual size because the alterations were expected to be $300+ if i had to hem the dress.

The basically "hem" the dress by pulling the torso up and shortening it, instead of painstakingly shortening the lace hem.

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takahashi1989April 17, 2016 - American Legion - Chillicothe, OH•

Scalloped lace bottom. $150 for the hem alone. That's from David's Bridal and private seamstresses. Then they'll take in the waist and sew in a bra. I'm looking at about $400 for alterations.

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dyngus_dayOctober 8, 2016 | Richmond, VA•

FSIL's dress had lace at the hem which had to be taken up. They charged her the max of the range they quoted for alterations, and that was all she had done.

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avameowBridal Boutique Owner + Wedding Planner•

Bridal shop owner here! Most gowns will have a scalloped hem that can be removed, hemmed, and seem back on. It is a more expensive hem, I know ours is $250-$350 depending on the intricacy of the lace. They can also take it up from the waist, if easier. Hollow to hem is an option, but most designers have a +/- 3" difference (meaning the hem could be 3 inches off from the measurement they take. 3 inches longer or shorter)

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