Wedding Dress Alterations Surrey
Charmaine Mossman wears a Charlie Brier two piece with fringed skirt. I undertook alterations to the waistband size, skirt length and straps on the top.
The Dress Alchemist
- Wedding Dress Alterations
Alterations for size or styling to shop bought or vintage wedding dresses are important to make a dress look like it belongs to you and to give you confidence on your big day. Very few people are a standard dress size so most dresses need adjustment to the bodice, hem length and straps. Changes to the style; adding straps, changing the neckline or adding lace appliqué can transform an off the peg dress into something uniquely special.
I take on a limited number of alterations per month.
I am now taking bookings for late 2025 and the 2026 season. Booking early for the popular summer sewing slots is encouraged.
See FAQ below for an in depth look at how your alterations will be accomplished, or download the same information as a PDF leaflet.
I have worked in bridal alterations for more than 22 years and there is very little I cannot manage. If you are unsure your dress can be altered the way you would like I can offer advice at a free fitting consultation.
Alteration ConsultaTions
At an alteration consult I can check the changes you want are possible and give a quote. I cannot give more than a ball-park price guide by email.
For alterations a pre-consult is optional. Many brides needing just straight forward sizing alterations opt to simply book in without the extra visit. If the changes you need are more than 2 dress sizes down, increasing the size or more complicated style changes, a consultation is advisable.
I take on a limited number of bridal alterations per month. I am now taking bookings for late 2025 and the 2026 season. Booking early for the popular summer sewing slots is encouraged.
Please note I have a £250 minimum charge for bridal alterations. Most sets of wedding dress alterations cost something £300-£600 but if you actually only need one change (like the straps lifted or a bustle button) it might be cheaper to find a less specialist seamstress who can help for a lower charge.
How long do wedding dress alterations take?
I usually accomplish most alteration jobs in 1-2 days sewing, however I normally space your fittings 1-2 weeks apart to allow me to fit your sewing around other work and commitments.
I recommend alteration work is started 3-6 weeks before your wedding day to allow for any weight change. Most good seamstresses will get very busy, especially in the summer months so pre-booking your sewing slot in advance is essential.
Check my availability for sewing slots suitable to your wedding date by submitting an enquiry here.
How many fittings will I need?
Two is usual, one to pin the changes and another to check everything is perfect before you take the dress away. Occasionally a third fitting date is scheduled, if a further tweak is needed. My suggested timeframe of starting 3-6 weeks before your wedding allows plenty of time for fittings.
Booking In
I take a limited number of alteration bookings per month and am usually fully booked 3-4 months in advance, possibly even sooner for busy summer months. Please enquire in good time to avoid disappointment.
A booking-in fee of £80 secures a sewing slot for you in my schedule. This is deductible from your final bill. Weekday fittings are free, evening and weekend appointments are charged at £40 each.
You are welcome to bring your dress in for an early assessment and firm quote, before booking-in. Or you can book your ideal sewing slot without visiting and I will see the dress for the first time at the fitting appointment. I have altered more than a thousand dresses in my time so unless your alterations are very out of the ordinary an early assessment would be for your peace of mind rather than my benefit.
How much do wedding dress alterations cost?
A typical wedding dress alteration cost is £300-£600
I charge £80/h for sewing work. Costs will differ from dress to dress depending on how each dress is constructed. Fuller skirts, multiple layers, lace edges, beading detail or delicate fabrics are all elements likely to increase the cost of your alterations. Very occasionally work might take longer than a seamstress expected at the outset. My breadth of experience at cost estimation means I very rarely have to charge more than my original quote.
Can you give me a quote by email?
No. I only give firm quotes in person. But if you send me pictures of your dress I can let you know if there is anything about your dress style that might take us outside the usual costs outlined below.
I can give a firm cost estimate at a pre-fitting consultation or at your first official fitting as best suits you.
"Everything you did was absolutely perfect & I can't thank you enough! The day went perfectly & thanks to the alterations you did it made me feel super comfortable in the dress, especially having everyone's eyes on you all day"
- Lisa Duffy
Price Guide
All prices are a guide only.
Costs are as individual as each brides’ requirements.
Common Size Alterations:
Take in dress at sides
Bust only £80-£160
Bust and Waist £90-£180
Bust, waist and hip £100-£240
(may include multiple layers of skirt)
Hem length
Front only, tapered into train from sides
Prices from: £80 hemmed layers
£40 cut edge layers (tulle and net)
£160+ lace edge layers
Double the cost for hems all round, taking up the train as well
Bustles
Usually free with other alterations
for simple “button and loop”, over or under bustles.
From £20 if no other work required
or for more complicated bustle arrangements
Other alterations such as reducing bodice cup size, narrowing or shortening sleeves, removing trains etc can be quoted for at a consultation.
Common Style alterations:
Create straps from £80-£220 depending on style and materials required
Create sleeves from £300 + materials
Change back fastening to:
Lace up with eyelets from £120
Lace up with loops and flat lacing from £150
Buttons and loops from £150
Add buttons next to zip from £90
Other style alterations such as adding lace applique or beaded detail, changing the neckline front or back, adding a sash or beaded belt or narrowing a skirt shape can be quoted for at a consultation.
I am
"the dress alchemist"
I have altered more than 2000 wedding dresses during my sewing life and there is very little I cannot manage. If you are unsure whether your dress can be altered the way you would like I am happy to offer advice and help at a consultation appointment.
Ready to book?
"Felicity did some alterations to my wedding dress !! She was so professional and very understanding. She did an amazing Job and couldn't be happier with the outcome of my dress .Lovely person who makes you feel so comfortable !! Definitely would recommend !!! Felicity also altered my bridesmaids dresses including readjusting a dress for my pregnant sister at the time, a wonderful job done !! AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING !!"
-Nseko Salalha
After Rebecca decided I was the right person for the job of making her wedding outfit, I began work on this gorgeous, floaty dream of a wedding dress.
However, we had an additional challenge to overcome...Rebecca lives in Germany. (there`s something about me and German brides - we just get along. This is my second bespoke order from Germany!) But we found a system that really worked for us during this process.
So if you`re an overseas bride, looking for the complete bespoke experience (as opposed to `made to measure` which is what we do if you can`t visit for fittings), take note.
The dress was made over the course of six months. Rebecca first visited in May for 4 days, during which we had three separate fittings. Then I worked on the dress, including the intricate dye techniques required to achieve this pastel rainbow. In September she visited for another three days (three weeks before her wedding), with a fitting every day. After the final fitting, she took the dress back to Germany with her.
I`ve had many other overseas brides, and they often choose made-to-measure: where I make the dress according to their measurements (following my strict instructions on how to take those measurements). This process leaves less space for changing the design, and always requires some additional work from a seamstress once it has been sent.
For Rebecca, having the full bespoke experience was absolutely the right choice. During our fittings she changed her mind on a few design elements - including removing the sleeves - meaning that by the time it was finished, it was exactly what she wanted.
You just can`t beat bespoke 💜
~
Photography - @pesto_fotografie
"The dress got so many compliments and it was so nice to be able to wear something that felt so much more like a reflection of who I am."
Look at this beauty!
I`ve made a lot of custom dip dye wedding dresses, and many of them have been the Phoenix colourway. But somehow Jess made it feel brand new when she asked me to add blue to the bottom, and lower the saturation on the colours.
So instead of bright sunflower yellow, we went with a buttery pastel yellow. Instead of vibrant orange, we chose a warm coral. Followed by dusky pinks and muted purples, right down to that faded navy.
The effect turned out looking like like watercolours 🖌️ I love how it turned out and I`m so glad Jess did too 💜
Photography - Craig Foreman Photography
It`s not everyone who gets to say that part of their job is hand-sewing a delicate, beaded spider`s web, finished with Swarovski crystal dew drops.
It`s only because my brides have such brilliant and beautiful imaginations that I get to make such wonderful things.
Happy Halloween, everyone 🕷️🕸️
Destination Vegas. Rockabilly bride. Halloween vibes.
Sounds like the perfect wedding.
Gorgeous goth Ellie got married in Las Vegas on Halloween. She wanted something alternative, retro and a little spooky. She realised she was never going to find that with an off-the-rack wedding dress. That`s where I came in.
I designed and made her white and purple wedding dress with a wonderful blend of 1950’s and 90`s shapes, modern styling and subtle Halloween Vixen detail. Harkening back to when Halloween was a little more stylish - perfect for this gothic bombshell. Below the boned bodice, I ruched and layered white satin over sumptuous shot black/purple taffeta and layers and layers of white net. The white satin was spangled all over with hand sewn crystals, ready to sparkle under the Vegas lights.
My favourite detail? The hand beaded spider web made from Swarovski crystals. Spooky but subtle.
As a seamstress there are certain things that give me the ick. Usually they`re pretty specific and unless you`re also a dressmaker it might be something you`re completely unaware of.
I`ve always had a ‘thing’ about language generally. I find it really interesting. I`ve noticed how strong a reaction I can have to people using language differently to what I’m used to. And when I notice that I often go on a bit of a deep dive to understand where that difference stems from. I think coming from a historical costuming background also means I love to know the history of things (and despite my instinctive language-conservative leanings, I do actively work on being accepting and open minded, trying celebrate the differences).
That said, please don’t say your dress has a trail!
Snails have trails - dresses have trains! 🐌
Have you ever dreamed of getting married somewhere beautiful, gothic and very Scottish?
Richelle got married in Edinburgh and wanted a bespoke wedding dress that could compete with one of the most iconic cities in the world.
We had to go structural, to echo the beautiful architecture of Edinburgh Castle (where she got married), as well as the rest of the atmospheric city`s layers of winding lanes, stacked stone buildings and hidden tunnels. So I designed her a pink and silver waterfall skirt wedding dress in organza, silk and lace.
I also included lots of versatility in the outfit, by making several removable pieces. These included a medieval-inspired bolero with waterfall sleeves, and a 1950s skirt for London part of her wedding (scroll to the end of the photos to see).
Oh, and her wedding reception was museum of Scotland. What a dreamy wedding 😍
Photography - @LinaandTom
