The short answer
How long wedding dress alterations take depends on the changes you need, the fabric and the seamstress’s schedule, so ask for the time from first fitting to pickup in writing. Then count back from your wedding date: pickup and the final fitting come before the wedding, the first fitting comes after the dress arrives, and the order date comes before that, set by the shop’s written delivery date.
How long do wedding dress alterations take?
The time depends on the changes, the fabric and how busy the seamstress is around your date, and this guide does not give a number for it. Ask the person doing the work, once they have seen you in the dress, how many fittings they expect, how far apart they will be, and when the dress will be ready to collect. Get the answer in writing, with the dates.
Then build the timeline backward from the wedding: the pickup date, the final fitting before it, any fittings between, the first fitting, the day the dress arrives, and the order date. Leave a gap between pickup and the wedding for a last fix, and a gap between the promised delivery date and the first fitting in case the dress is late. Add each date to your planning timeline, with the person responsible for it.
- Wedding date
- Pickup date for the finished dress
- Final fitting
- Fittings in between, if any
- First fitting
- Delivery date from the shop, in writing
- Order date
When should you order your wedding dress?
The order date comes from the shop. Ask how long the style you want takes from order to delivery, then add the alteration time the seamstress gave you and a margin for delay. If the dates do not fit, ask about buying a sample dress, a style in stock or a rush order, and what each one costs, in writing, before you agree to it.
Before you pay a deposit, read the order form. It should name the designer, the style number, the size, the color, any changes ordered from the maker, the price, the deposit, when the balance is due and the delivery date. Check what happens if the dress arrives late, in the wrong size or damaged, and whether the deposit can be refunded. Keep a copy of the signed form with your other vendor contracts.
- Designer and style number
- Size ordered, and the measurements it was based on
- Color and fabric
- Changes ordered from the maker
- Price, deposit and balance due date
- Delivery date
- What happens if it arrives late, wrong or damaged
- Whether alterations are included
How many fittings do you need for a wedding dress?
The number of fittings depends on the changes, and the seamstress can tell you after the first one. At a first fitting the changes are pinned and agreed. A fitting in between checks the work and adjusts it. The final fitting checks the finished fit, and is where the bustle is shown to the person who will do it on the day. A dress with small changes may need fewer fittings, and one with larger changes may need more.
Ask whether each fitting is included in the alteration price or charged on its own, how long each appointment lasts and how many people you can bring. Book all of the fittings when you book the first one, so the dates you need are held, and put them on the same calendar as your other wedding appointments.
What should you bring to a wedding dress fitting?
Bring what you will wear on the day: the shoes, which set the length of the hem, and the undergarments, which change the fit, along with any shapewear, slip or petticoat. Bring accessories that sit on the dress, such as a veil, a belt or jewelry, so their placement can be checked with the changes.
Bring the person who will help you into the dress and bustle it on the day to the final fitting, and ask them to practice while the seamstress watches. Take photos and a short video of the bustle so they can follow it later. Ask how the dress should be stored and carried home, and whether pressing is included before pickup.
- Wedding shoes
- Undergarments and shapewear
- Slip or petticoat, if you are wearing one
- Veil, belt and jewelry
- The person who will bustle the dress
- A phone for photos and video of the bustle
- The written alteration quote
How much do wedding dress alterations cost?
Alteration prices depend on the changes, the fabric, how the dress is made and who does the work, and this guide does not give figures. Ask for a written quote after the first fitting that lists each change with its price, such as the hem, the sides, the straps or sleeves, the bustle and any added cups, and says whether pressing is included. A price for each change shows what a change you are unsure about would add.
Ask whether the dress shop includes alterations in the dress price, sells them as a package or sends you to an outside seamstress, and get the answer in writing before you order. Ask when you pay: a deposit at the first fitting with the balance at pickup, or the full amount in advance, and what a rush or an extra fitting costs. Put the deposit and the balance on your payment schedule with your other vendors.
Does the same timeline work for suits and the wedding party?
The same timeline works for any outfit: a suit or tuxedo bought and tailored, a rental, or dresses and suits for the wedding party. For a purchase, ask for the order and delivery time and the tailoring time, and count back from the wedding. For a rental, ask when measurements are due, when the outfits can be collected, when they must be returned and what a late return or damage costs.
For the wedding party, send each person the order or measurement deadline, the shop or website, and who is paying, in writing. Ask the shop for a list of the orders it has received, so a missing order is found before the deadline passes. Put rental returns on your list for the day after the wedding, with the name of the person taking them back.
How do you get the dress to the wedding in good shape?
Collect the dress on the pickup date and try it on there, with your shoes, before you take it away, so anything left to fix is fixed by the person who did the work. Ask how to keep it until the wedding: hanging or flat, in its bag or out of it, and how to steam out creases. Decide who carries it to the venue or wherever you are getting dressed, and give them the time and the address.
Put a small sewing kit, safety pins and fabric tape in your emergency kit, and send the bustle photos and video to your point person. If a seam opens or a button comes off on the day, they will have what they need for a quick fix.
Dress and attire timeline
Use one row for a decision or deliverable. Keep unanswered items visible. Download the blank worksheet to open in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
On a small screen, swipe the worksheet sideways to see the remaining columns.
| Step | Date | Who | Cost | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order placed | — | — | — | — |
| Deposit paid | — | — | — | — |
| Delivery date | — | — | — | — |
| First fitting | — | — | — | — |
| Fitting in between | — | — | — | — |
| Final fitting and bustle | — | — | — | — |
| Balance paid | — | — | — | — |
| Pickup | — | — | — | — |
| Rental returns | — | — | — | — |
A message you can make your own
Change the wording to suit you, fill in anything in brackets and keep the questions that apply. You decide what to send and send it yourself.
Hi, our wedding is on [date] and the dress is due to arrive on [date]. Could you tell me, in writing, the changes you expect once you have seen it on, the price of each, how many fittings you plan and their dates, and when the dress will be ready to collect? Please also let me know whether pressing and the bustle are included, and what a rush or an extra fitting would cost.
Common questions
How long do wedding dress alterations take?
How long wedding dress alterations take depends on the changes, the fabric and the seamstress’s schedule. Ask the person doing the work, after they see you in the dress, for the number of fittings, their dates and the pickup date in writing, then count back from your wedding date to set your order date.
When should you get your wedding dress altered?
Get your wedding dress altered once it arrives: book the first fitting soon after the delivery date, and the final fitting and pickup before the wedding, with a gap after pickup for a last fix. Ask the seamstress for the dates in writing, and order the dress early enough to fit them.
How many fittings do you need for a wedding dress?
The number of wedding dress fittings depends on the changes your dress needs, and the seamstress can tell you after the first one. A first fitting pins the changes, a fitting in between checks them, and a final fitting checks the finished fit and shows the bustle to whoever will do it on the day.
How much do wedding dress alterations cost?
What wedding dress alterations cost depends on the changes, the fabric and who does the work. Ask for a written quote that lists each change with its price, says whether pressing and fittings are included, and states what a rush or an extra fitting adds, before the work starts.
Are alterations included in the wedding dress price?
Whether alterations are included in the wedding dress price depends on the shop. Ask before you order whether they are included, sold as a package or done by an outside seamstress, and get the answer on the order form or in writing.
Do you pay for wedding dress alterations before or after?
When you pay for wedding dress alterations is set by the seamstress or the shop: a deposit at the first fitting with the balance at pickup, or the full amount in advance. Ask for the terms in writing, and add each payment to your payment schedule.