There is no definitive answer to the cost of wedding gown alterations. However, we have layed out some basic costs and explanations if you have an idea of what may need to be done to your dress. Just click through the different dress parts and get an idea of what it may cost you. Also, here are some things to consider:
Beading and Lace will always cost more
Many times brides need the wedding dress taken in at the sides. Don’t be mad at your bridal boutique for ordering a size too big though as you wouldn’t want to be stuck with a bridal gown that was too small, would you? Again, lace and beading will increase the amount that taking in the sides of your wedding dress will cost. Additionally, most places charge for how much they need to take the wedding dress in, whether it is just in the bust area, the hips, or along the entire seam… So what does is the average cost for taking in the sides on your bridal gown? From our experience you can estimate anywhere from $50-$300.
The bustle (picking the back of the bridal gown off the floor so you can bust a move on the dance floor!) $65-$200 - If you have a train a bustle is needed. This is where we see many seamstresses make the most profit as they put an insane number of bustles into wedding gowns. In our experience you should rarely need more than 6 or 7 bustle points, but we have seen as many as 35 in a wedding gown. Can you imagine having your friend or mother under your dress trying to decipher 35 bustle points? Neither can we… So what is the average price for a bustle on a wedding dress? From our experience you can expect to pay $65-$200, but beware, many seamstresses will push that number as high as $500. This is something to ask about!
The bottom of your bridal gown will almost always need to be shortened. As such the hem is many times much more complicated than it looks. You may see some plastic webbing around the bottom, or feel it in the dress. This is called horse-braid or horsehair, and as a result of that little bit of plastic your price is higher. Have more layers with it? You will be charged more. Have a layer of lace on your bridal gown down there? Yep, the price goes up with that. Is the bottom of your wedding dress beaded? Guess what, the price goes up even more… So what does an average bridal hem cost? From our experience you can estimate $140-$450.
Cups are one of those things that almost all brides want in their wedding dresses, but rarely think about before their bridal alterations appointment. The cost to put cups in will vary slightly but you can pretty much expect to pay in the $20-$40 range.
