Everything you need to know about having your wedding dress custom-made
Fashion Advice, Shopping
By
on June 11, 2008
94 Responses
A while back I ranted about how I think brides are best off having their wedding dresses custom made — you'll get a better fit, exactly the design you want, and won't have to suffer the attitudes and obscene prices of a bridal boutique.
There was some grumbling in the comments about "Ok, fine: but how do you find a custom dressmaker?" My best advice is start in your immediate circle and work your way out &mash; do you know any seamstresses or amazing sewers? Do any of your friends or family known any? If not, search online or in the Yellow Pages for someone locally. Being able to do fittings in person is a big bonus. If there's no-one in town you like, then start looking online for seamstresses with styles you like who will work with you via email.
The ladies of the OBT came to the rescue with lots more tips on picking a custom dressmaker, as well as specific dressmaker recommendations:
If any local college has a fashion program, you might be referred to someone that way, either a prof or a student. I'd definitely go in with a design and fabric swatches in hand. If they start telling you about how they don't need any references or what not, leave! -Amanda
When selecting a seamstress, see photos from a portfolio AND actual dresses. And talk to past clients if you can. Photos can look amazing compared to looking at them up close. Although it is very important to know what you want when it comes to style, it is just as important to make sure the seamstress has sewn other dresses in that same style. Find out if they have had to make their own patterns in the past, and see how those have turned out. -Kate
A good tip for finding a seamstress is calling the costume department of your local theatre. Costume ladies are kickass stichers and love creative challenges. Also, be wary of buying really cheap fabric. Most of the time, cheap fabric makes a dress look cheap. -Darryl
Ask to see some samples, pay attention to quality, look at the seams, ask to see photographs, etc. Once you find a seamstress you like, bring in as many photos as possible to show garment construction, color, style, fabric, etc. Your seamstress will probably have her own opinions on what will work fabric-wise. Settle on what you need and go fabric shopping or take her with you to do so. Then turn it over to her. Be brutally honest at the fitting. -myaimistrue
If you just can't find a seamstress near by, here's a select list of indie dressmakers who work online, as recommended by the lovely ladies of the OBT:
- Kambriel (North Carolina)
- Curved & Darted (San Francisco)
- Wai-Ching (Seattle)
- Amanda Archer (San Francisco)
- Olivia Luca (Portland)
- Samiah (Ojai, CA)
There's also the option of outsourcing your dressmaking overseas, which has saved many offbeat brides huge wads of cash:
- Kaersen (China)
- Gloria's Bridal (China)
- Whirling Turban (Bali)
Here's one OBT member's excellent review of what it was like to work with a Chinese dressmaker, in this case Kaersen:
The Pros:
- They ask for 20+ measurements before starting work on the dress
- Hundreds of dresses to select from
- You can custom order any dress as long as you have photos to send
- CRAZY cheap dresses - most are under $200, with just $20 shipping (and they accept PayPal)
- Online customer service agents available
- Most dresses completed in 20 days
- They actually do a pretty great job.
The Cons:
- Poor customer service. Shanghai hours and limited grasp of the English language made it difficult to be sure they understood the details I was asking for.
- Very, very hard to track the status of your dress once the order has been submitted. Their website is horrible!
- Every customer service agent's name is "Jackie". It's not really a huge con, but it bothered me to know I was speaking to different people all under the same guise.
And now I'll open it up to the peanut gallery: Did you have your wedding dress custom made? How did you pick your seamstress? Any tips or advice?
PS: If you're a dressmaker or seamstress, please don't spam the comments with your business. Instead, get in touch with me about advertising!
About Ariel Meadow Stallings
Author of Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides, Ariel acts as the publisher of all the Offbeat Empire websites. She lives, loves, and dorks out hard in Seattle, WA.
Rykie said
Another place to check: the cast and hardcore patrons of your nearby renaissance festival and/or the local SCA group. Many of the seamstresses you'll meet there are used to designing and pattern-making.
Catherine said
I agree with Rykie. I'm from South Africa and am part of a Medieval Armoured Comat group. We needed dresses made and a friend of mine found a fabulous seamstress who made both her and another friend's dresses. Friend # 2 got married in February, and the same seamstress made her dress which was amazing! I'm using the same seamstress to make my dress now.
Fae said
The local fabric shop is another one to try. If yours employs knowledgeable-type-ladies (and not passive-agressive 18-yr-olds, I'm looking at you, Polaris), try asking them if they know anyone. The store I grew up with even kept a binder of local seamstresses for such occasions.
Chelle said
I'm using a fabulous corset and dress maker here in the Bay Area. She is well known in our faire and Dickens Xmas faire circles.
You should be prepared that custom work is not necessarily cheaper than getting your dress at some crazy bridal store. I'm having a vintage inspired cocktail dress made in red silk taffeta with a custom corset and it's not cheap.
But it will be exactly what I want, and include things like my wedding date embroidered in the lining of the skirt and the corset. Really the most important thing to look for in a custom seamstress is attention to detail. Often people who sew take time short cuts or think "something looks good enough." So pick a seamstress who does more than put a pattern together. They should know how to draft or drape a pattern, and be willing to make several mock ups to get the pattern and fit right BEFORE they cut into the expensive fabric.
I'd only use a seamstress who sews for ren faires or the SCA if they have a portfolio of modern clothes. Clothing construction for those time periods was often more straightforward than some of the modern sillouettes and styles we are used to now.
Ariel said
Chelle you make a good point — I think custom-made dresses are about value, not cheapness. They won't always be inexpensive, but you get so much more for the money … ie, custom design, truly custom fit, etc. Plus the warm fuzzy feeling of supporting a seamstress instead of a salon.
And when it comes to truly couture bridal wear (ie $6k dresses), going custom is definitely cheaper.
HeidiAphrodite said
For any offbeat brides in or near Utah, I recommend Nancy Barrus of www.nancybarruscouture.com, based in Provo, Utah. I worked for her for a few months and she does absolutely amazing work and works with brides on a very personal level. Check out her gallery for a small example of what she can do. She's one of two people I'd trust, besides myself, to make my wedding gown.
jennifer said
Just 38 days and then I can show you mine. I'm hoping I'll be as happy with mine as PrincessLaserTron was with hers!
beaugirl said
I had mine custom made by a local (Seattle) corset maker (see corset/skirt here: http://picasaweb.google.com/vi…2441163906). I picked out the fabric, we came up with the design together, and she was able to integrate the fabric from my grandmother's 1937 dress into my skirt (the ivory part) and the binding of the corset. She also made my hubby's red vest. I found her through a friend whose wedding attire I had admired the year before, but the people at the fabric store definitely knew her, so I agree with the above posting about asking at local fabric stores.
Katie said
Awww, I'm a costume lady and this post made me feel all warm and fuzzy! It really is the way to go – I think it makes it much more fun and exciting to work with someone for exactly what they want.
Lara said
I am having my wedding dress custom made by a designer in Houston, Texas (http://azacdesigns.com/). I have ordered many things from her before, and they are all exquisite. She's been in business for years and years (don't let the pretty, young face fool ya!) so she's well established, too!
ShiloM said
Admittedly, I didn't go the route of design school kids (because as a recent jewellery design grad, I know that students will let your project fall to the wayside, and then rush it or miss the deadline if they fall behind in school), nor did I go to a costume maker in my area (because I used to do theater, and I've seen some of those costumes up close, and between the apolstery notions, and trims, and the plastic jewels, I just couldn't bring myself to trust them). But I did suss out several "bridal" seamstresses, and if you want a wedding dress, that is probably one of the most high-profile garments you will ever wear, you need to consider that it has to fit very well. A custom made garment should look like it was made for your body, it should also have the support structures, to support, tuck, pull in, lift up, and look crisp. Even the most billowy dress has secret nips and tucks in the fabric to make it fall just so. And you need a dressmaker with enough experience to tackle these issues. And in my area at least, Toronto, there wasn't one bridal dressmaker that was under 4000$ to start. Custom-made is fabulous if you can afford it, and since I know about proper fitted garments, I couldn't settle for less. So I had to compromise, and get an off the rack, that I will ahve expertly tailored for my figure.
Cathy said
True, not all costumers are equal. However, if you find seamstresses working at a professional theatre–not summer stock, either–you will be in luck. I made more intricate, finer made garments in a theatre shop than anyone ever has required of me in fashion. All professional costumes are made to fit like custom. Ask for a draper or first hand, rather than a stitcher, to get a more experienced professional. Custom varies widely, be careful, but ask around. I think you can get a great dress for less than some off-the-racks, if the materials are reasonable. Especially when considering some salons charge $350 in alterations on top of the cost of the dress.
suzzanne said
I'm having my dress made by a woman named Haehie in DC. She is a former opera singer (they have to make their own costumes)and has had her own dressmaking business for years. She came highly recommended from a patient of mine (her wedding dress was beautiful).
While it isn't cheap, I think it will be totally worth it and I NEVER have to step foot in a bridal shop. I brought in a picture of a 1950s cocktail dress and she is making it from scratch.
Just remember that you should be having at least 1 if not 2 muslin fittings before they ever cut the fabric the dress will be made of. Especially if they are not going from a pattern. Once your fabric is cut that is it, so speak your mind and be very honest. They really do want you to look your best and be happy.
Diane said
Hi Suzzanne,
I have made a deposit with Haehie Chang in Georgetown for my wedding dress. She seems like a really nice lady. I'll be honest with you though, I'm a bit nervous about whether she is healthy enough to finish my dress. She doesn't come cheap for sure and my wedding date is approaching fast and I have not had 1 muslin fitting yet. What was your experience with her like? Please keep this confidential. I don't want to hurt Haehie's feelings, but I am really concerned.
OffbeatAriel said
Diane, just as a heads up: your comment here appears publicly and will potentially show up in Google searches. If you have concerns about confidentiality, a public blog comment isn't the way to go.
Karen said
ShiloM – I had the same issues here. NOLA dressmakers were completely out of my budget. Maybe my size might have had something to do with it (I'm plus sized – 22/24). I'm not saying that what they do isn't worth every penny – I simply can't afford to pay that much.
So it was off to the bridal boutique to order a dress. When it comes in I'll take it to a good tailor to see what they can do.
KC said
as a plus size bride i understand what u are talking about karen.
there is one local dress maker but her rates to start are 70 an hour. I am trying to keep my wedding very low budget, so i am going to buy a dress off the rack and have it custom fitted and altered to add my own flair to it.
laura said
I agree with ShiloM the seamstress is the best place to start.
I'm lucky enough to have a seamstress friend who is helping me with my dress.
No matter what you do, bring photos, and lots.
no one is a mind reader
Maxie said
Patsy Bessolo in Roanoke.
missscurious said
After a few visits to bridal salons that left me thinking that maybe I had taken a women's movement time machine back to 1850, I decided to get my dress custom made. I am going to a wonderfully creative seamstress and really enjoying the whole process-much less cookie cutter and often less expensive. If you live in Northern Vermont or the vicinity, check out Ava Bishop at www.damnfinepants.com
notengomiedo said
I'm in Iowa and looking for someone to work with. Anyone out there have any hints?
Also, I ran across this website a while back that seems to have some great feedback on it. I would love to know if anyone had tried them yet…
http://www.lilywedding.com/index.php
verve294 said
Where are you in Iowa?
Have you tried looking at Dornik in the East Village in Des Moines?
Nena said
thanks for the link to CurvedNDarted! Sasha is an AMAZING seamstress, and a good friend!
Ariel said
Hey ladies: I don't think this comment thread is the best place to ask about seamstresses in your region. (There are thousands of you reading from all over the world — way too many cities for this blog post to answer them all!) Instead, let's focus on folks who've found seamstresses and want to share their recommendations. If there's not a recommendation for your area, try searching Google or following the tips in these comments about asking around at your local theater, fabric store, ren faire, college, etc.
missfee said
I totally agree – custom made is much better if you have the budget – I am going the next step and knitting my wedding dress – I will have to get a slip made for under, and the current debate is either to find one or make one myself.
princess lasertron said
hi! I'm the polka-dot bride pictured in the OP.
I want to agree with Ariel. My dress cost less than many of my friends who bought theirs in bridal salons (can you get them cheaper? yes of course, but it was a comparably lower price).
I found my dressmaker from a blind google search, searching for designers in my area. I think that I lucked out…she did a fantastic job.
Tmae said
I met with Patsy Bessolo in Roanoke this weekend. I took in several pictures for inspiration, as well as these awesome shoes I bought to wear (no problem I didn't know what my dress would be when I bought them – I figured I could find a dress to match the shoes!)
She asked a bunch of questions about what I wanted, what I didn't want, what sort of fabric I was envisioning…I left feeling awesome, and wondering why I hadn't met with her sooner. Could have saved myself oodles of stress. I'm looking forward to seeing the designs she comes up with, and am feeling pretty confident about it.
Gold darr said
I happen to be close by in Roanoke, dying trying to find someone that can do a pretty complicated design.. but I'm also a graduate student, and slightly price conscious. How expensive did your dress end up being?
Natalie said
I found Gloria, my wonderful seamstress, through a fabric shop. Being a plus sized bride, I was concerned about finding a seamstress who knew how to draft patterns and create a dress with lines that flattered. The helpful assistant at the fabric shop recommended Gloria highly, and it was only after meeting her that she said that she only ever dressed petite or plus sized brides! She is a master pattern drafter as well, and it was fortuitous that I connected with her when I did because she divulged that my wedding was the last wedding she'd take on before semi-retirement!
My dress was on par with other couture bridal quotes. For plus sized haute couture, it was pretty damn well priced though!
Tway said
I went to 1 bridal dress shop and just about ran screaming out the door. The woman tought I was crazy because I didnt' like a single of the blow-up creampuff monstrocities in her silly books (I wasn't even allowed in until I picked a picture!).
So I went to a local designer (I live in Montreal–not really too hard) and bought the first dress I tried on. A little too expensive, but so beautiful and simple. And unique. And ME! A few adjustments are needed, but I feel good. Designers do one-of-a-kind lines–try it out!
Designer Joi said
Hi, I am the designer of the polka Dot Dress above. I would like to participate in this discussion on finding dressmakers, true designers and what to look for in a wedding gown professional. My background is well rounded in that my degree and background is in the fashion industry, I write for a trade publication, I have a garment patent, and I also do my couture custom designs. I have been designing for 16 years and have operated my studio for 10. I state all that because I have found my experiences in the industriy areas have really given me insight on what works well with custom brides and how sewing professionals should also in turn work with brides. It is a partnership. Some seamstresses are not meant to deal with brides, and some brides are not Custom criteria. I have quite a bit to say, but I will break this off at my introduction and touch on one topic tomorrow that may be helpful in your selection.
I do have to add a comment on pricing for custom. I will expand on that tomorrow, but I recently heard on one discuss list and it is true that no one goes down the isle saying "I chose this gown because it was the cheapest".
When buying RTW or custom you just have to be an educated consumer, know what to expect and what you get and do not get with either option as well as being totally comfortable with whoever you are dealing with.
Nice to meet you and I will share some more tips later.
Designer Joi