Alteration Fear

Most dresses can be altered, they wouldn't sell them otherwise as brides are all different shapes and sizes.

Most alterations are done through the side seams, rather than the waist seam.

your dress will be absolutely fine. I used to work in the industry and have seen many beaded dresses altered (Jenny Packham dresses in particular are usually covered in beads and we altered hundreds).

Hi Cache 13. Thanks for your reply. Your information is really very much appreciated. It's actually the hemline I am worried about. It is all beaded. I read somewhere here that someone hace dress with an elaborate hem and someone else said it was an applique that was taken off, then the hemline altered and the applique put back on. Do you know if that is the same for all dresses with hemline detail? I looked at the Jenny Packham dresses and they have a lot of gorgeous beading, like you said, but none on the hemlines on the ones I looked at.

It depends on how your dress has been made - if the beading has been added via one or two large appliques sewn onto the hems then yes the dressmaker will unpick the stitching, hem your dress, and then reapply your applique/beading.

If, like the Jenny Packham's, the beading is sewn directly onto the dress then your dress will be hemmed and then the beading hand finished. Jenny Packham Esme for example is an entirely beaded dress so that excess beading is removed when the dress is hemmed.

Augusta Jones Paola is 3/4 beading on the skirt of the dress but the bottom 2 inches or so is actually an applique that can be removed.

Which designer and style is your dress?

My dress is Stella York. This is it...

http://www.essensedesigns.com/stella-york/wedding-dresses/detail/5833

That dress is absolutely stunning!

Stella York is a reputable well known designer so your alterations will be completely normal (it's rare to be perfect wedding dress height with shoes on).

How long was the sample on you? Most samples are designed for a 5'7 girl in a 3" heel so girls of most heights can visualise the dress.

If your height + heel height is 3" or more below 5'10 then you may lose some of the beading if it's not removable, but not enough noticeable.

I know you've spoken to the bridal store already but I'd recommend you phone them to ask how they'll do your hem. They'll have seen you in the dress too which will help.

My own dress is actually in store, Cache 13. It arrived about two weeks ago, which is when I started to panic. The wedding has been postponed and was to be in June but will now be in March. When I tried it on it is about two sizes too big overall and about two and a half inches too long as I am five three and three quarters wearing 2 inch heels. They ordered me a size twenty. I am a 16-18 in street clothes on the top because I have big boobs, but a 12-14 bottom. Daisy Bell, I will say it is nothing like what I was going for but my bridesmaid pulled it and she chose better for me than anything I had selected myself. I fell in love the moment I put it on. I am having two ceremonies, one in Scotland and one in Florida and the light weight of this gown will be much better for the heat of Florida than the all lace I was set on.

Mine is also nothing like I expected when I walked in, I was expecting to go for something with lace, and ended up with an all satin dress. Favourite number two was a taffeta one. The only thing I did get right was the shape as I was hoping to get an A-Line one as I thought it would suit my body shape best,

I was going for a 'grown up' look as this is my second marriage and I have changed a lot since the first time, when I was only 20 years old. I was looking at lace fir and flares with straps. After trying a few I had given up hope of finding something I really liked in a conventional shop so I was going to get a celtic gown custom made. I had decided this half an hour before I went to the last appointment that I had booked, just after booking the venue, tht Cartland Bridge in Lanerk. We actually only went to the appointment at the Wedding Store in Newhouse as we felt it was too late to cancel. That is a LOVELY place, by the way, with great staff. My bridesmaid and her daughter pulled most of the dresses for me and I only tried this on to please them. Honestly, this rock chick was for sure NOT considering blush pink, and with big boobs I thought that strapless gowns would have me falling out and looking trashy. However i tried this on to please them and it was total love. They almost could not get me out of it. On my first wedding I was barely a size eight and had been battling anorexia. My gown was long sleeved and high necked and I still love it on the girl I was then. Anyway, I have ended up with a princess-y look again and still can't believe how good it looks on me. My first dress did not need any alteration though, and that's why I am so nervous now. Funny, you and I are not the only brides i have heard of who picked something totally different than what they thought they wanted.