Get in touch as soon as you have a wedding date. Most brides book four to five months out, the first fitting sits around eight weeks before the day, and there are three fittings from there. If your wedding is sooner than that, ring us anyway — we very rarely say no.
When to get in touch
You know your wedding date months and months out, so get hold of us as soon as you have it. That is the whole trick — once you are booked in, you have a spot.
Brides who assume their dress will not need alterations are almost always wrong. Every single dress needs something, whether that is a bustle, a hem, taking in or letting out. There is always something to be done.
Most of our brides book about four to five months ahead of their wedding date, which is usually a good amount of time to make sure you can get a slot.
The three fittings
The sequence is the same for almost every bride, and the appointments sit roughly a month apart:
- First fitting, around eight weeks out. Any shoulder, bust, waist and hip changes. This is where we pin the gown, work out exactly what it needs, and email your quote through.
- Second fitting, around four weeks out. This allows for any body changes over that first month. We double-check that all our alterations are correct and we pin the hem — so this is the one where you definitely need your shoes.
- Final fitting, two weeks to ten days out. This should be your last appointment, and the dress goes home with you. We have had brides collect two days before the wedding and that is absolutely fine, but we like to be finished ten days to a fortnight out so that you are at peace and everything is perfect.
Eight weeks is a guide, not a rule
We like to see you eight weeks out because it allows for body changes, gives the alterations a sensible timeline, and gets the ball rolling on the final details of your wedding. But it can move, and we understand that as the wedding approaches there is a great deal going on — a hens' do, cake tasting, dance lessons.
Most of our fittings run on Saturdays, simply because it is the best day to get everything done in one go. If Saturdays do not work for you, we will make a plan during the week. And if you are going to be away, a date closer to the wedding often works better — that is fine too.
If your wedding is sooner than eight weeks
Contact us anyway. We hate saying no.
Part of the reason we allow for eight weeks is precisely so that we have room to slot other brides in. There are three of us, and we will always make a plan. We have had a bride get hold of us on a Tuesday who was flying to Bali for her wedding on the Friday, and her dress was done that week.
We take rush work, but we do not rush the work — that distinction matters. It becomes a priority, not a shortcut. Whether your alterations were not quite right somewhere else, or you simply did not think about it, or you have suddenly lost weight and are in a pickle, get hold of us and we will make sure the dress fits perfectly and is ready in time.
We reply to every email within 24 hours, and if we miss your call we phone you straight back. Our inbox is monitored even while we are sewing, so anything urgent gets seen.
When we are busiest
November through February. Most weddings still land in January, February and March, so the studio fills up ahead of them.
That said, we are seeing brides move away from waiting for the summer months — partly on the reasoning that summer may not turn up anyway — so things fill up across the year now rather than in one block. There is almost always a way to make it work.
Since we moved into the new studio we have two fitting rooms, which means twice as many fittings in a Saturday, and it means we can accommodate everyone.
Any dress, from anywhere
Essentially none of the gowns we alter came from us, and there are no restrictions on where yours came from.
We alter dresses bought on Facebook Marketplace, from Australian labels, from Auckland boutiques, from Christchurch boutiques, ordered online, bought overseas, and handed down as vintage. We are genuinely happy to see all of it — there is something exciting about being handed anything at all and making it fit.
Not sure alterations are even possible?
Ask us. You are very welcome to enquire and ask questions, though we will be upfront that there is a limit to how much we can tell you without seeing you in the gown. Brides ask whether this or that is possible all the time, and the honest preface is always that we will not know until we see the dress.
For that, there is a $30 check fitting. You come in, put the dress on, and we check whether the changes you want are actually possible in your gown — plus a rough outline of what it might cost.
It is worth doing early, and we usually see people six to eight months out. Brides who bought a dress before Covid, or before having children, or picked something up cheaply online, would far rather find out now than arrive at eight weeks feeling overwhelmed and discover the changes cannot be made.
What to bring to each fitting
Your shoes, always — the hem is set from them, and we will not guess. Your veil matters too.
Bring your undergarments as well: whatever you are actually planning to wear on the day, because we want you in it. If you have not sorted that yet, we hold a range of underwear and shapewear in the studio and can advise on what will work best under your gown. We can add it to your invoice and have it waiting for your next fitting, which takes one more thing off your list.
For your final fitting, try to line it up with your hair or makeup trial, and bring your jewellery and any other details along. It is your chance to see the whole look together, in a clean, safe space with a big mirror, before the day itself.
Questions brides ask us.
As soon as you have a wedding date. Most of our brides book about four to five months ahead, which is usually enough to be sure of a slot. Every dress needs something — a bustle, a hem, taking in or letting out — so book on the assumption that yours will.
Around eight weeks before the wedding. That allows for body changes, gives the alterations a sensible timeline, and starts the final details rolling. It is a guide rather than a hard rule, and we will move it where a hens' do, travel or anything else gets in the way.
Three. The first at around eight weeks out covers shoulder, bust, waist and hip changes and is where we pin the gown and email your quote. The second at around four weeks checks the alterations and pins the hem. The final one, two weeks to ten days out, is when the dress goes home with you.
Yes. Contact us — we hate saying no, and part of the reason we allow for eight weeks is so there is room to slot brides in. We have had a bride get hold of us on a Tuesday who was flying to Bali for her wedding on the Friday, and her dress was done that week.
We take rush work, but we do not rush the work — it becomes a priority rather than a shortcut. Whether your alterations were not quite right somewhere else, or you have suddenly lost weight and are in a pickle, get in touch and we will make a plan.
Almost every gown we alter came from somewhere else, and there are no restrictions. Facebook Marketplace, Australian labels, Auckland and Christchurch boutiques, bought online, bought overseas, or handed down as vintage — we are happy to see all of it.
A $30 appointment where you come in, put the dress on, and we check whether the changes you want are actually possible in your gown, plus a rough outline of what it might cost. We usually see people six to eight months out, and it is ideal if you are not sure your dress can be made to work.
Your shoes every time, because the hem is set from them, and your veil. Bring the undergarments you are actually planning to wear on the day — if you have not sorted those yet we hold underwear and shapewear in the studio and can advise. For the final fitting, line it up with your hair or makeup trial and bring your jewellery.
November through February, because most weddings still land in January, February and March. Brides are increasingly marrying outside the summer months too, so it fills up across the year. Since moving into the new studio we have two fitting rooms and can get through twice as many fittings in a Saturday.
We reply to emails within 24 hours, and if we miss your call we phone you straight back. The inbox is monitored even while we are sewing, so anything urgent gets seen.
Your dress. Your fit. Your day.
Book your alterations consultation at the Sydenham studio — and see why brides travel from across the South Island to have their gowns finished here.