If you were paying £800 for your wedding dress would you expect minor alterations to be included?[:S]

Yeah, I would actually but I think a lot of shops don't include alterations unfortunately.

No. I wouldnt.

The dress is priced at that price for a reason. That reason is the business of the shops/supplier.

Any alterations no matter what they are should come seperate as the shop can often be 'employing' a seamstress outwith their company.

Nope I wouldnt.

No i wouldn't expect alterations to be included

No I woudn't.

Depends entirely on the shops policy but generally they are not included. the price is for the dress only. If it needs altering, normally they have someone separate who does that and will get paid accordingly.

Paid £700 for my dress and £60 for alterations

I would only expect it if it was standard at that shop, IYSWIM. My dress shop included alterations in the price of all their dresses, but I didn't expect it - they had to tell me.

No. I don't know any shops where alterations are included in the price. My dress was £600 and I paid £100 for alterations!

The shop are wanting £175 just to take the hem up I really do think its silly.

Can you take it to an independent dressmaker for the alterations?

I wouldn't expect it either, but £175 does sound a lot. Was this not outlined when you ordered it?

I ordered mine and it cost £699, at the time of ordering I was given rough costs for alterations. I think it was £35-£40 to have it shortened, £10 to have the seam taken in about 1cm at the bust on one side, and £5 to have the loops sewn on to be able to hook up the train.

But I suppose all shops are different

Bloody hell

I paid £60 to have the hem taken up about 4" (and there are around 6 layers) and to have a couple of other minor bits (shoestring straps nipped off etc)

£175 seems steep but then it depends on the dress. If its a really difficult fabric or style it might take hours to hem.

Go to Alter Girls in Glasgow as they are much more reasonable than shops.

To be fair, taking up wedding dresses is a knack. It doesnt get taken up alllll the way round and the stitching alone has to be so delicately done by hand so as not to be seen...... not like they can run it under a sewing machine!

I wouldn't expect it, but I think 175 is excessive! x

No i wouldn't. £175 seems excessive for a hem, but there's nothing from stopping you picking up your dress and getting alterations done elsewhere - that's what i'm doing (more for convenience, less for price).

No I wouldn't expect it either although £175 is a bit much but at the same time independent dressmakers price on the details of your dress and exactly what it will take to alter your dress...shop around for someone else, there is bound to be someone cheaper in the area.

Hi

I wouldn't expect alterations to be included in the dress price no, a lot of shops do a you pay £150 and all alterations are included deal.

When you say take the hem up - thats easy on a dress that is pure satin/silk for example but totally different if lace or with some kind of pattern, my dress is lace and because it had lace detail on the bottom and a recurring pattern, normally the alterations person would have to have lifted the dress under the bust area and then recut the dress back to where your waist should be etc, so as not to ruin the pattern/repetition - is this the case with your dress?

If not then yes £175 is was too much

My shop actually guaranteed the length of the dress and if it needed to be altered that was done for free. I had to have my shoes befreo I ordered the dress though which doesn't seem to tbe the case for most others.

£175 does seem a bit steep but as others say you could always take it somewhere else for the alterations.

When I got married my Mum paid over £100 just for the skirt of her suit to be shortened - this was because it had a pattern around the base of the hem and therefore had to be shortened from the waist otherwise the pattern which was the key feature of the suit would have been lost. This involved taking the whole thing apart, basically recutting a pattern and starting again. Therefore, it may be because of the style of your dress that it is so expensive?

Catherine

This is the dress and it has the same detail on the back i havent any photos as the shop do not alow pics to be taken.

Yes I would! I am about to buy my dress for approx. £1,100. If I do not get a discount I will hope to have alteration fee included. Hopefully in this economic climate suppliers can be a little flexible.

It was just never mentioned to me that alterations would be sperate but perhaps I was supposed to know that x

I paid the same for my dress but was aware that alterations would be extra. I was told verbally when I paid the deposit and my receipt also stated that there would be an additional fee for altertations.

I paid £150 for alterations but I needed quite a lot. Length taken up, waist taken in, halterneck added and added a panel onto the sweatheart neckline.

£150 for length alone seems a bit steep to me.

My bridesmaids dresses all needed the length taken up. I was charged £35 per adult bridesmaid and £20 for each of the flowergirls.

Kellie-Ann, your dress is gorgeous! I hope you think the expense is worth it in the end. x

My bm dresses also need altered but I bough them online and have a family friend (retired seamstress) doing these for me although I fear the detail on my dress might need to be done by the shop so I know it is done right and have someone to blame if it isnt!

My bm dresses also need altered but I bough them online and have a family friend (retired seamstress) doing these for me although I fear the detail on my dress might need to be done by the shop so I know it is done right and have someone to blame if it isnt!