Finding Your Perfect Fit: The Benefits of a Custom Wedding Gown

A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many brides. And every bride wants to look her best on that most special of days. Many brides spend weeks (sometimes even months!) visiting bridal shops to find the dream wedding dress. But not every bride finds that perfect dress off-the-rack. Sometimes the fit just isn’t right for you, or the style of the dresses don’t fit your body type. Some brides have a very specific dress in mind that just can’t be found in any bridal store. Whatever the reason, you may decide that the best option for you is a custom-made wedding dress. However, getting a bespoke gown comes with its challenges, and may be an intimidating process for some.

Fear not.

We’re here to share with you some tips and insights to help you get that perfect custom-made wedding gown.

Having your very own, made-to-fit bespoke wedding dress can be a thrilling idea. However, it is a commitment in both time and money so before you make the decision to get a custom wedding dress, it is useful to ask yourself several important questions –

You have a very clear idea of the wedding dress you want. You’ve spent weeks visiting every bridal boutique in your town and the next. You’ve spent hours upon hours searching online bridal retailers. None of them seem to have the dress you’ve envisioned, and even if they do have something that looks right, it doesn’t fit you right. Most stores, both online and brick-and-mortar ones tend to include in their stock inventory dresses of a certain size range. That may mean that if you are petite or plus-size person, you may find it extra hard to find a dress that fits you. They may also offer a limited selection of styles and fabric, and these may not be what you are looking for, especially if you have a truly unique or trendy design in mind.

Do not be disheartened. If you can’t find your perfect wedding dress, you can always make one.

A custom wedding dress is designed in collaboration with a skilled professional. When you find the right wedding dress designer, he or she will be able to transform your dream into reality. It will fit you like it was made just for you – and guess what? It was!

Custom wedding dresses are typically more costly than off-the-rack dresses. There are several reasons for that. A custom-made dress is the product of intensive labour from a skilled designer. It takes time and expertise to design a gown from scratch and you are paying for that. Moreover, quality wedding gown designers often take pride in using only premium fabrics for their gowns. Premium fabric is expensive. Many brides who choose custom gowns like to add flourishes and extra detailings and accessories such as long trains, intricate embroidery or beading, delicate lace etc. which again costs more.

On average, a good quality wedding dress bought off-the-rack from a retailer in New Zealand may cost anywhere between $1,500 and $2,500. You can then customise it to your requirements for an additional few hundred dollars. On the other hand, the cost of a bespoke dress at Alter Me starts from $2,500. It can cost several times more depending on the fabric, the complexity of the gown and the addition of embellishments and accessories.

Having a bespoke wedding dress made takes time. On average, it can take between 3 to 6 months to make. Alter Me bespoke dresses require a minimum period of 4 months to be made from conception to completion. ——We can make one on a shorter time frame, but that would incur a rush fee. So if your wedding is in 4 weeks, you might want to reconsider having a custom wedding dress made and opt for altering a premade wedding dress instead. (If you would like to learn more about that option, have a look at our previous blog post here)

It can be a very exciting prospect to have a custom wedding dress, but it can be an expensive, time-consuming and sometimes challenging process to make one. It is a decision you should only make after carefully considering all your options and limitations.

So you’ve now decided that you want a custom wedding dress. What happens next? Here are some Do’s and Don’ts for you to take note of –

It’s good to have a clear concept of the kind of wedding dress you want to wear. It helps if you consider your venue (Is it indoors? Outdoors? In a rustic setting? An elegant setting? Is it themed?) so that you have an idea of the image you want to portray as a bride. Other questions you may want to ask yourself is “Do I want to look elegant and classic or chic and trendy?” These questions would help you focus your search on the type of wedding designer you want. Most wedding designers have their own design style. Having a clear concept in mind you can narrow your search to the designer whose design style matches your vision.

Once you know the kind of dress you want, do a search through various media for dresses that come close to your dream design. Social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, bridal magazines and online blogs for brides are great places to start. Then do a search for wedding dress designers who have a portfolio that matches closely with your ideal dress design. Ideally, you would be able to narrow your search down to a few designers with whom you can arrange an initial meet and consult to then decide on the one that suits you best. Designing a wedding gown from scratch takes time and lots of interaction between you and your designer. Choosing a designer you have the best chemistry with and one you can trust to have your best interest would go a long way in making the process smoother for you.

You may have a clear idea of your perfect wedding dress, but it is good to keep in mind that designing a gown is a creative process. As such, the design may evolve due to certain requirements and restrictions. These include budget and time constraints, fabric suitability, whether the dress silhouette and patterns suit your body type etc. Do keep in mind that you are working with an expert who has experience working with different women with different body types and styles. Your dressmaker’s ideas and suggestions about fabrics, styles and embellishments may be those you may not have considered before and these could very well help enhance the design you originally had in mind. If you are on a tight budget, your designer can make recommendations that help you create your dream gown without exceeding your budget. Have an open mind and approach this process as a partnership with your designer who has invaluable input. Trust their opinions and abilities. Ultimately, you are both invested in creating a gown that would fit you perfectly and showcase you at your best on your wedding day.

A custom wedding dress costs on average more than a store bought wedding dress. Alter Me custom gowns start at $2,500. From there the price depends on the intricacy of the final design and your final selection of fabrics. Additional items such as custom veils or bustles for certain styles of wedding gowns would be an added cost. Additional fittings or alterations to the original design would incur further cost as well. Ideally, we recommend that you have a budget in mind before you approach a wedding designer and do be prepared for the final cost to exceed the budget anywhere between 10 to 20%. If you are on a tight budget, have an open discussion with your designer about your concerns. He or she can then give you practical suggestions about fabric choice or design which would help you keep to your budget.

Bespoke wedding dresses take several months to create. If you have a weight loss plan in mind, be prepared for extra fittings and alterations to get the fit just right. It is also a good idea to let your designer know of your weight loss plans from the first fitting so that they can take that into consideration when designing and making the dress. You’ll then need to schedule several more fittings as you get closer to the wedding date so that the dress can be altered to fit your slimming figure. Other factors that may add time or extra fittings to the dress-making process may include changes in the design or embellishments to the gown that weren’t discussed about in the initial consult. Any additional requests or changes the designer has to include would add time (and cost) to the process, so be aware of that.

It’s been months in the making. Time, energy, blood and sweat plus a healthy dose of stress and anxiety went in into the creation of your perfect wedding gown. It’s finally in your hands now. After all that effort and not inconsiderable money spent on your dream gown, you understandably want to keep it in perfect condition, before during and after the wedding. Some brides even use the same dress on pre-wedding photoshoots. I mean, why not? It was made to fit you perfectly. It would make a picture perfect dress for your pre-wedding photoshoot. How do you keep it in mint condition throughout? Ask your wedding dress designer. He or she would have a list of recommended care instructions for you. All you’ll need to do is follow those instructions carefully and you’ll have the wedding of your dreams while wearing the wedding gown of your dreams.

And here are a couple of Don’ts

Perfection takes time. Unless it is fast approaching the wedding date and the dress is not even halfway done. Then it might be a good idea to have a chat with your seamstress about the approaching deadline. If you have concerns about your designer’s ability to finish the dress on time, have an open discussion with them. It might be that the process is taking longer than it should because of additional embellishments and details that you’ve requested for. In which case, you might want to dial down on the additional requests. There may be other reasons why the process is taking longer than expected, so transparency on the designer’s side is important as well. Remember that this is a partnership and open communication is necessary for any partnership to work well.

You are working with an expert. Let them do what they do best. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have questions or suggestions. But if you’re looking over their shoulder and criticising every minute detail of the dress and giving yourself anxiety, then perhaps it would be wise of you to take a step back. Don’t miss the forest for the trees. Look at the dress and ask yourself these questions – does it suit my style? Does it enhance my best features? Does it flatter my figure? Would it photograph well on me? If the answer is yes to all these questions then take a deep breath and let that anxiety go. You’re in good hands.

• An alteration is a good option if you do not have the budget or time for a custom wedding dress and manage to find one off-the-rack but want it customised to your requirements. 
• Wedding dress designers will work with you and gather the right information like your body type and size, learn more about your wedding details such as venue and theme and create a design based upon your style and preferences. 
• The cost of a custom wedding dress depends largely upon the design, the materials needed, and the chosen designer. The overall process typically takes several months and requires multiple fittings to ensure a perfect fit. Bespoke dresses cost from $2500 to about $6000 on average.
• Inform your dressmaker about any weight loss plans you have so they can take the size change into consideration when measuring and making the gown. This way you can prevent any major alterations (or panic attacks) in the final step.
• Too many cooks spoil the broth. Try not to bring too many people to your fittings. 1 or 2 of your most trusted companions whose knowledge of your style preferences and whose opinions you trust are the ideal number.
• Bring your shoes, bra, shapewear if required or anything you are wearing on the day
• Follow the fabric care instructions provided by the designer, which may include instructions for cleaning, pressing, and storing the wedding dress.

If you are considering a custom wedding gown for your upcoming wedding, it is important to understand the benefits and process of creating one. Working with a designer to create a unique, perfectly fitting custom dress tailored to your specific style and preferences can be a beautiful and bespoke experience. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your custom gown plans, you can contact Nazneen at contact@alterme.co.nz or by phone at 0212521307. Don’t forget to book an experienced photographer to capture you and your beautiful dress on your special day.