Wedding Alterations: Why You Can Not Avoid Them Even If You Were Measured

When trying on your wedding dress you notice it's too big in places. Now you have wedding alterations costs you weren’t expecting. What happened? Wasn’t this dress being made to my measurements?

Over the past 20 plus years as . . . a wedding dress alterations specialist serving Virginia and parts of North Carolina . . . this question has come up from time to time in my line of business.

The answer lies in knowing the reason why your measurements are taken. And it’s not for the reasons you might think.

There is a good explanation though---for why this situation happens more often than not.

Wedding bridal gowns are designed for what is considered the ideal figure which is a balanced body shape. The standard height for the ideal figure used for designing a wedding dress is about 5’9”.

There are---no figure exaggerations on this figure type--- thus creating what is considered the balanced body shape.

The bust circumference is about 10 inches larger than the waist. And the hip circumference also is about 10 inches larger than the waist measurement.

Remember hearing these measurements 36-26-36. These represent the so called balanced proportions. Some wedding dress designers will vary a little from this 10 inch proportion formula.

The point I want you to know is . . . "if you don’t match the designers’ ideal figure proportions. Guess what will happen? You should expect to need bridal alterations."

You might be thinking . . . "I thought all wedding dresses were made to measure bridal gowns since I was measured for mine. If so I shouldn’t need any alterations, right?"

The answer to this question continues on the next page entitled Wedding Alterations: Your Wedding Gown Is Not Made To Measure?

Your Bridal Dress is too Small or too Big Can this be Fixed?

Independent Wedding Dress Alteration Specialist or Bridal Shop Seamstress--Which Should You Choose?

Instead of Getting a Custom Made Wedding Dress Can You Have One Re-Designed?

Altering A Strapless Wedding Dress: What should you expect?

Wedding Alterations Back to Perfect Wedding Dress Finder Home Page