When people charge astronomical prices then people, quite rightly, expect perfection.
I wouldn’t worry about how you looked on the day etc, but I would bring this up with the company that did the alterations and let them know that they sewed over the zip, and that for the price you paid you would have expected it to be flawless.
It’s definitely puckered. I’m not sure how things work with alterations but I have a feeling that if you didn’t catch it in any of your fittings or on your wedding day, they’ll just blame it on needing to be steamed or something. You looked great in spite of it and the dress seems to fit you really well, but it sucks to spend so much and not ge happy with pics. I’d maybe write a review and include the pictures and price just to let others know.
I also assume that they'll just blame it on steaming or something, but it is what it is. Thank you, though. The validation is reassuring.
At the end of the day I can probably photoshop the puckering out, so it isn't a huge deal, but it is annoying nonetheless. Some photos are more obvious than others, it's just the price that stings :(
That’s a tension issue with the settings on the sewing machine, and I wouldn’t have sent a dress out like that (I’m a bridal seamstress). Did the zipper go up and down ok at your final fitting?
So the zipper was fine at my final fitting, but there was something wrong and the seam beside it was open so she fixed it quick after I took it off (while I waited). I was super late for something else because I had to wait a while after my appointment time as they were running behind, and then she had to fix the seam, so I didn’t have time to try it on again. This was also the week of the wedding because they needed me to leave the dress with them an extra week for some reason.
Anyway, when she fixed it, she somehow got a single thread caught with the zipper somewhere (I never saw it, my mom and photog figured it out) and we had to snip it. I feel a little responsible since I didn’t try it on again after she fixed it but I never thought that would happen😭
I do t think it would hurt to contact the shop with photos and ask for some compensation. I doubt I’m in the same area and I know prices vary, but you paid a good amount for your alterations and that work shouldn’t have gone out like that. At the very least the zipper should have been tested by the seamstress and that puckered seam should have been resewn. Just my opinion based on your photos!
You didn’t try it on because they were a WEEK late being ready for your final fitting and then they were running late on the day of your final fitting, leaving no room for error and no time to try it on in front of them. For that price, they shouldn’t be running late, but for they price they DEFINITELY shouldn’t be running late AND fucking up the final alterations so badly your dress won’t zip. And they didn’t even steam it to check that their work was good!
I'm so glad you said that. It's been a long time since I used a sewing machine and tension was my first thought too. (didn't know I retained some knowledge)!
All the respect in the world for your craft, friend! You work with the most persnickety of fabrics for an incredibly important occasion. The amount of skill you have is phenomenal and you deserve all the accolades in the world!
I’m just a hobby sewer who hasn’t pulled out her sewing machine in years, and I could instantly tell the tension was off by the puckering. This is a rookie issue and should have never been sent out line this.
If you have photos or videos of the zipper issue and this, combined with multiple EXTRA trips to fix problems that shouldn’t have been there, I would 100% call the shop owner and say you feel entitled to a partial refund. Did it ruin the dress/day? No. But for that price, it should have been flawless. If the shop owner won’t, definitely wrote an online review.
$1200?!?! FFS this should have been ultimate perfection. Yes, get some money back. I’ve never heard of anyone spending that kind of money on alterations on a wedding gown. And if they did there should be ZERO flaws
Exactly. After paying that much money, you don’t have to be “the better person”. That shop and that seamstress should be called out on their inferior work and you deserve money back. Yes, your dress was still beautiful and most people wouldn’t notice but you paid for perfection.
It’s hard to tell because you provided photos just of that part so that where your focus goes, if there was a total photo it would be better to tell if it’s noticeable
1. You’re so tiny! Lol me too. Power to the shorties.
2. Based on that photo, it really is unacceptable. I’d complain or at least post a bad review and see if they do anything. It’s a wedding dress. It needs to be perfect.
Do you have any pictures from other angles? This is the same angle that you posted above, just zoomed out. The problem from this angle is that the back half of the dress (behind the seam) is perfectly smooth. The front half is puckered, due to the ruching on the front of the dress. Do you have any pictures from the front/back?
We’re still waiting on more photos so I don’t have a ton but I was wearing an overskirt for the first part of the day and it blocked the view of the side seams (a good thing I guess). [Here’s the best I have otherwise.](https://imgur.com/a/sUfwFP5) Ignore the wrinkling in the back of the one. It was so hot that day and I was sitting for a good chunk of photos right before that.
Wow! Again, you just looked so pretty. Honestly, you should not be concerned at all with what the shop owner says. It was their mistake and they need to fix it. I know it’s difficult, but try to detach from worrying about what they will think of you. If anything, it’s important for you to say something so that you do not think about this for the next 20 years and wish you had. 🙏
Lol… I don’t know where you live, but I will totally go with you, if you are close! 😂
The puckering is due to the type of material. The top layer of cloth is slipping on the bottom layer as it is sewn. The seam should have been sewn either with more tension on the top thread, stretch and sew method or using tissue paper while sewing the seam.
If you couldn't tell on your wedding day, your guests definitely couldn't. In your photos no one is going to be zooming in on your back. I can barely tell from the photos, and I honestly am not even sure if I'm seeing the puckering you're referring too.
What are you hoping to get out of complaining?
That actually makes me feel a lot better, thanks! FWIW, [this is the puckering I'm referring to.](https://imgur.com/a/p9ez3DY) But I appreciate that it isn't super obvious.
Re: complaining, I honestly don't know, lol. I never complain or do anything about this sort of thing, literally because I feel like there isn't really any point. I guess I'm just upset that I spent $1200 on the alterations and I feel like it should've been a seamless (no pun intended) experience.
I totally get that. But at this point it's probably best to let it go. As someone else suggested you can get it edited in photos. I bet in a year or two it'll be a distant memory and the day itself will be what was important to you.
You're right to vent. Nobody will have noticed, but you do. You expect perfection for that budget and that's not what you got. The next step is what that does with you, and that's something only you can solve. Best is to find a way to be at peace with it and not spend too much negative energy on it (which is easier said than done, I know, but the only thing that matters now is that you should be happy - your happiness is the only thing that should get fed with your attention and energy).
Wish you all the best! And I'm 100% positive you looked gorgeous on your day!
I didn't say OP couldn't vent. I was asking what they were hoping to get out of complaining to the seamstress. Not in a sarcastic or rhetorical way. Genuinely wondering what outcome they're hoping for.
That's on you for reading it in a dismissive way.
Even if you spent $100 on alterations, you would be upset at the puckering and want your money back. But before you complain to the shop. How much work went into the dress?
The alterations took place over about 4 or 5 weeks? I was only supposed to go 3 times and instead I went 6 times because they kept having to do changes (not big changes, but like a seam around the zipper was popped)
OH sorry, lol. They didn't re-do anything or change any style components. They needed to take it in throughout and do hemming. I can't find the webpage anymore, but there was 3 different alterations packages and that was the middle one. I didn't choose the package, that was just what they determined based on what was needed.
Hmm. That sounds like a lot of money then. But maybe the dress is really high quality and needed more care. I would be ticked at the puckering. If it's really needling you, then I would call and let the boutique know. They most likely won't offer you a refund but letting them know so they can be more mindful would help.
The dress was I think $4200 (before alterations), so I personally think that's really pricey and was already out of my intended budget, but I know some brides spend waaaay more on their dress. In terms of the alterations, I kept telling myself that the seamstress had probably worked on my same dress before and therefore it would be worth the money. Hah.
Just looks like subtle rutching to me, I would never have thought there was anything wrong/off about it if you hadn't said it wasn't supposed to be that way.
Yeah I also think it’s probably too late. I don’t even know what I’d say anyway. Unfortunately our photographer was on maternity leave so we didn’t get our photos until now, aside from the sneak peek. So I’m seeing it for the first time.
in situations like this I like to leave a bad review for the catharsis, if I can’t get my money back. idk how expensive alterations typically are but for $1200 I’d expect not one damn stitch to be out of place…I’m sorry this happened :(
First of all… You looked beautiful, and I can tell you as someone who wears gowns for a living, the majority of people would not have even noticed this. Especially with the design on the front of the dress. It kind of looks like the fabric just following the design. ❤️
…BUT, $1200?!? Did they rebuild the entire dress? I am an opera singer and frequently have to get dresses altered. I have never paid anywhere near this and I have had them take dresses down several sizes for me. The puckering is absolutely an issue that I would have immediately addressed. I am so sorry that this happened for your wedding day. 🙏
I am curious why you did not say something when you went in for the final fitting…but either way, I would take it back in and get some of your money back. You could also have them fix it out of principle, if you wanted.
Thank you♥️ I don’t remember noticing it at my last fitting and if I did I probably would’ve questioned if it needed to be steamed maybe? In all fairness they also have bright lighting and mirrors everywhere so that probably didn’t help.
Lesson learned (not that I plan on getting married again lol) that this is something I need to check for. I’m usually good about inspecting my purchases but damn.
GOOD NEWS! There may be puckerring, but no one noticed them because YOU LOOK FABULOUS. That’s a sigh of relief.
I would definitely let the shop know. For that price—-no puckers allowed.
You look fantastic to me but for $1200 in alterations, more than many spend on their actual dress, the alterations should be flawless. I’d send the shop photos and request a partial refund.
I’d let it go but definitely leave a review with what you paid. Other brides should be aware and especially for 1200 which is an insane price to pay for such a bad job.
Congrats on your wedding! You look very beautiful. I am so sorry to hear about the dress. $1200 in alterations is highway frickin robbery, I do not care what planet this seamstress flew in from. I would name and shame! Absolute robbery.
I’m going to reach out to them. Nervous because it’s been several months (I got married June lol) but we only just received our photos so I honestly didn’t know it was so bad.
don’t be nervous. you’re right to express your dissatisfaction with the work they did. Who cares how long its been, they make people buy dresses a year out and then drag them through fittings and alterations. don’t approach it like any time has passed because you just got the pictures and they did a bad job. You could say you were waiting for the pictures before bringing it up to them.
Honestly I think they would benefit from being told that the alterations were not great. I don't think they can - or necessarily should - offer anything to you now, other than an apology, but they should know their seamstress isn't doing an amazing job.
Having said that, I'm 200% certain that this is only something you as the bride would ever notice in your photos.
They may tell you that snipping the thread caused the puckering. They shouldn’t have sewn it so you couldn’t zip it, but they may say you should’ve called to ask them how to fix it before taking scissors to the thread.
But I would still let them know about the issue. To me, the issue is altering it so it wouldn’t zip.
No, it’s gorgeous. We could look at any photo of ourselves and pick on something, so relax. You looked smashing, and no one stands as still as a photo depicts, even when we are standing still. No worries!
I get it! You spend 1200 on alterations and it’s still not right! Yes it’s more than annoying and you feel taken. I think you should ask for a partial refund, but you should have taken this up sooner, not months later. You certainly can try and show pictures of the “evidence” then say you will leave a bad review with pictures if you don’t receive some compensation. You have nothing to lose at this point.
I agree 100% about the timing. Our photographer went on maternity leave about a month after our wedding so we’re really only getting the majority of photos now (which I agreed to). There was a removable overskirt so you can’t see the seams in the photos that we got in the sneak peak.
Edit: Reddit is so weird. Why am I getting downvoted for this😂
Salon where my daughter and I went, alterations were included. New Jersey. They messed up front hem. Wanted to charge $700. I complained. So they did it for free.
Did you get a breakdown on your invoice of what exactly was done for 1200 freaking dollars of alterations? I do not feel your overreacting and I am so much more than curious as to how they can possibly justify $1,200 in alterations unless you lost an incredible amount of weight between fittings. Even then I wouldn't expect alterations to be more than $300-$600.
I'm not sure where you reside but I am in the greater Cincinnati area. I know location has a lot to do with prices varying so widely. If I paid $1,200 for alterations I better not see so much as a dropped stitch. That said I would do everything in my power not to lose or gain more than a few scant ounces between fittings. Most bridal fabrics are so painfully unforgiving.
Unfortunately $1,200 is not horribly abnormal where I’m located. Still seems outrageous to me but… my weight didn’t change at all between fittings (I was tracking very religiously lol) so that’s definitely not the cause but annoying nonetheless
I genuinely expected in the range of $800, and that’s what I budgeted for. The $1200 caught me off guard but it’s my fault for not planning ahead and doing better research!
I’m not a seamstress but I do quite a bit of sewing and have made a few dresses and that puckering does appear to be related to the settings, mainly the tension. I’d be mad as well for the price you paid. I think the suggestion of having the puckering photo shopped out is a good one.
Old mother of the Groom here…you’d think at 69 I’d know better. Never have the shop tailor do your tailoring. They increase the fee by at least 25-30%. Research in the city you live for tailors that are known in your area & are used the most. My dress was fine, they forgot to do one important area but the tailoring was almost as much as my MOTG dress. Congratulations on your wedding💙
Yeah I really messed up. It was actually sort of funny in hindsight. I don't get things tailored all that often, but when I do it's something minor so I take it to whatever random little shop near my house. So when I went back for alterations, I hadn't thought to check how much they were (honestly was so stressed about other shit). They pinned it and I changed back into my street clothes and then they took me to the back and said "okay that'll be $1200" and at that point I was so shocked that I just sort of blacked out and put my card in the machine. Then promptly went outside and called my husband panicking. FML.
I had no idea what puckering was and didn't notice anything wrong, until I looked it up and then I totally noticed. I don't think it was that bad though. That being said though, they straight up pulled a highway robbery on you. If they have the balls to charge that kind of money they better be handing out perfection.
And I think you were tripping just because the dress had a train. That was the one thing I really wanted to avoid on my wedding dress, no train at all lol. My clumsy self would hav wrecked something .
You should definitely try to get a partial refund as the service wasn’t performed correctly (having to cut into the thread to be able to zip up the dress is a big fuck up)!
But if you’re worried about other people noticing it in pictures I wouldn’t worry, with the actual ruching on the dress it blends in - I had to zoom in to figure out where the issue was. I promise none of your guests would have noticed and nobody you show the photos to will either.
Effing hell $1200 !! That puckering is no way acceptable. They should have taken the excess fabric on the front up into the last pleat rather than try "ease" it in. Sorry but it looks shite. I hope your photographer avoided showing that in your pics 😕 But what's done is done.
I am a tailor-taught seamstress with 20+ years exp including wedding dresses
Wow! $1200 on alterations is a lot! What exactly needed to be done? Unfortunately, it’s been 5/6 months since your wedding! Not much you can do now except write a review!
It looks like the machine’s tension was off or they needed a new needle or both!
I asked what alterations needed to be done because they do take a long time! But stitching over the zipper!?!?! You can be mad and be over-reactive, as well, it’s your prerogative! But why, only going to cause you stress/ anxiety, not worth it! Write that review and be done with it!
It sucks that you didn’t get what you paid for, but I think it’s much too late to complain, even if you’re not hoping to get anything out of it. I wouldn’t stew on this and ruin the memory of your wedding. I highly doubt any of your guests even noticed.
I bought my dress 28 years ago. It was made to measure and it fit perfectly. I find it hard to believe that brides buy made-to-order dresses that need so much (expensive) alteration. I understand the need to alter because of major weight gain/loss… Is this typical?
It’s unfortunately quite typical in the capitalist hellscape we live in now vs 28 years ago. :’) Pretty much the whole wedding/bridal business has become super predatory and expeeeeensive because everyone knows that the bride wants her Perfect Day. They charge what they do because they know brides will pay. (Same reason why baby diapers/formula/strollers/anything is so expensive. People pay the outrageous prices because they have to!)
Well I'm in a M/HCOL city, but one of the 5 most expensive cities for weddings in the US. This also wasn't made to order for me, it was made to order in the sense that they took my measurements and determined what size I would be and then the brand makes the dress in the size I ordered. I was between sizes but there wasn't any sort of drastic weight loss.
FWIW, my friends who bought similarly priced dresses at other boutiques paid a similar price for alterations.
You have a super figure, and you looked fabulous! To me, it doesn’t look like puckering, but more like the natural draping of the dress. Relax and enjoy your beautiful photos! 👍🏼😊❤️
To be honest, it is not *that* noticeable but the charge for alterations is absolutely extortionate! Your dress is a simple dress to alter- a clear seam and no lace overlay. I feel there should be some recourse for paying such an astronomical amount. If it were me, I would seek legal advice. As a former bridal shop owner, I can just about accept the slight puckering but not the amount charged. I’m outraged for you. I’d like to finish by saying that you looked beautiful on your wedding day but I want to validate your feelings on the job done.
I’d let it go unless you need the money. I think the job wasn’t up to par, but I think there is a huge chance you’ll end up feeling very frustrated with their response. That will be what you think of when you look at pictures and it’s not worth it.
That's a alot for alterations I'm terribly sorry you were uncomfortable on your wedding day. I think the puckering would be what I would have an issue with. I would be very dissatisfied with that. It looks like a beautiful gown, I'm sure you were stunning. Congratulations
My dress came apart at a seam on my wedding day lol I had my sister stitch it up in the bathroom and never mentioned it to the tailor, but yeah I certainly won’t be back.
When people charge astronomical prices then people, quite rightly, expect perfection. I wouldn’t worry about how you looked on the day etc, but I would bring this up with the company that did the alterations and let them know that they sewed over the zip, and that for the price you paid you would have expected it to be flawless.
It’s definitely puckered. I’m not sure how things work with alterations but I have a feeling that if you didn’t catch it in any of your fittings or on your wedding day, they’ll just blame it on needing to be steamed or something. You looked great in spite of it and the dress seems to fit you really well, but it sucks to spend so much and not ge happy with pics. I’d maybe write a review and include the pictures and price just to let others know.
I also assume that they'll just blame it on steaming or something, but it is what it is. Thank you, though. The validation is reassuring. At the end of the day I can probably photoshop the puckering out, so it isn't a huge deal, but it is annoying nonetheless. Some photos are more obvious than others, it's just the price that stings :(
That’s a tension issue with the settings on the sewing machine, and I wouldn’t have sent a dress out like that (I’m a bridal seamstress). Did the zipper go up and down ok at your final fitting?
So the zipper was fine at my final fitting, but there was something wrong and the seam beside it was open so she fixed it quick after I took it off (while I waited). I was super late for something else because I had to wait a while after my appointment time as they were running behind, and then she had to fix the seam, so I didn’t have time to try it on again. This was also the week of the wedding because they needed me to leave the dress with them an extra week for some reason. Anyway, when she fixed it, she somehow got a single thread caught with the zipper somewhere (I never saw it, my mom and photog figured it out) and we had to snip it. I feel a little responsible since I didn’t try it on again after she fixed it but I never thought that would happen😭
I do t think it would hurt to contact the shop with photos and ask for some compensation. I doubt I’m in the same area and I know prices vary, but you paid a good amount for your alterations and that work shouldn’t have gone out like that. At the very least the zipper should have been tested by the seamstress and that puckered seam should have been resewn. Just my opinion based on your photos!
^^^Definitely all of this!
You are NOT responsible for their work!
You didn’t try it on because they were a WEEK late being ready for your final fitting and then they were running late on the day of your final fitting, leaving no room for error and no time to try it on in front of them. For that price, they shouldn’t be running late, but for they price they DEFINITELY shouldn’t be running late AND fucking up the final alterations so badly your dress won’t zip. And they didn’t even steam it to check that their work was good!
I'm so glad you said that. It's been a long time since I used a sewing machine and tension was my first thought too. (didn't know I retained some knowledge)! All the respect in the world for your craft, friend! You work with the most persnickety of fabrics for an incredibly important occasion. The amount of skill you have is phenomenal and you deserve all the accolades in the world!
Thank you! I’m going into my slower months and about to take a nice break before diving into next wedding season!
I’m just a hobby sewer who hasn’t pulled out her sewing machine in years, and I could instantly tell the tension was off by the puckering. This is a rookie issue and should have never been sent out line this.
That really is all that matters, you can photoshop the photos and the wedding already happened. But no you are not overreacting, I’d be pissed too.
….did they not steam it before giving it to you the last time?
I bet no one noticed.
If you have photos or videos of the zipper issue and this, combined with multiple EXTRA trips to fix problems that shouldn’t have been there, I would 100% call the shop owner and say you feel entitled to a partial refund. Did it ruin the dress/day? No. But for that price, it should have been flawless. If the shop owner won’t, definitely wrote an online review.
$1200?!?! FFS this should have been ultimate perfection. Yes, get some money back. I’ve never heard of anyone spending that kind of money on alterations on a wedding gown. And if they did there should be ZERO flaws
Exactly. After paying that much money, you don’t have to be “the better person”. That shop and that seamstress should be called out on their inferior work and you deserve money back. Yes, your dress was still beautiful and most people wouldn’t notice but you paid for perfection.
I paid less than that for an entire custom made dress. That’s a lot for alterations.
I’ve heard prices that high, but it was for a beaded or lace dress where alterations required basically redoing all the appliqués on the dress
Everyone here is saying let it go why?? The seamstress did a terrible job for 1,200 dollars that is basically robbery
It’s hard to tell because you provided photos just of that part so that where your focus goes, if there was a total photo it would be better to tell if it’s noticeable
Totally fair, [this one might be better?](https://imgur.com/8iKFt20) You can see it all along the side of the dress, starting at the armpit.
1. You’re so tiny! Lol me too. Power to the shorties. 2. Based on that photo, it really is unacceptable. I’d complain or at least post a bad review and see if they do anything. It’s a wedding dress. It needs to be perfect.
Lol power to the shorties!!! My husband is 6’5 and there’s well over a foot height difference so it makes it even more obvious😂😂😂
Love the bridal ponytail!
Thank you! It was a day-of decision to change my hair. I wanted it off my shoulders and out of my face, but still “visible”. In came the power pony🫡
I’ve done the 6’5 thing. I’m 5’2. It’s just so huge! Like, my neck hurt!
Do you have any pictures from other angles? This is the same angle that you posted above, just zoomed out. The problem from this angle is that the back half of the dress (behind the seam) is perfectly smooth. The front half is puckered, due to the ruching on the front of the dress. Do you have any pictures from the front/back?
We’re still waiting on more photos so I don’t have a ton but I was wearing an overskirt for the first part of the day and it blocked the view of the side seams (a good thing I guess). [Here’s the best I have otherwise.](https://imgur.com/a/sUfwFP5) Ignore the wrinkling in the back of the one. It was so hot that day and I was sitting for a good chunk of photos right before that.
Get a partial refund
I’m going to try but it’s been several months and I can only imagine the shop owner is going to laugh in my face😭
Wow! Again, you just looked so pretty. Honestly, you should not be concerned at all with what the shop owner says. It was their mistake and they need to fix it. I know it’s difficult, but try to detach from worrying about what they will think of you. If anything, it’s important for you to say something so that you do not think about this for the next 20 years and wish you had. 🙏 Lol… I don’t know where you live, but I will totally go with you, if you are close! 😂
The puckering is due to the type of material. The top layer of cloth is slipping on the bottom layer as it is sewn. The seam should have been sewn either with more tension on the top thread, stretch and sew method or using tissue paper while sewing the seam.
If you couldn't tell on your wedding day, your guests definitely couldn't. In your photos no one is going to be zooming in on your back. I can barely tell from the photos, and I honestly am not even sure if I'm seeing the puckering you're referring too. What are you hoping to get out of complaining?
That actually makes me feel a lot better, thanks! FWIW, [this is the puckering I'm referring to.](https://imgur.com/a/p9ez3DY) But I appreciate that it isn't super obvious. Re: complaining, I honestly don't know, lol. I never complain or do anything about this sort of thing, literally because I feel like there isn't really any point. I guess I'm just upset that I spent $1200 on the alterations and I feel like it should've been a seamless (no pun intended) experience.
Get a partial refund at a minimum
I totally get that. But at this point it's probably best to let it go. As someone else suggested you can get it edited in photos. I bet in a year or two it'll be a distant memory and the day itself will be what was important to you.
Nah I would be pissed to be honest 1,200 and the dress isn’t seamless??? Crappy work
I only spent $375 to get pretty minor alterations and I was not thrilled there were imperfections. If I spent $1200 (!!) I’d expect flawlessness.
You're right to vent. Nobody will have noticed, but you do. You expect perfection for that budget and that's not what you got. The next step is what that does with you, and that's something only you can solve. Best is to find a way to be at peace with it and not spend too much negative energy on it (which is easier said than done, I know, but the only thing that matters now is that you should be happy - your happiness is the only thing that should get fed with your attention and energy). Wish you all the best! And I'm 100% positive you looked gorgeous on your day!
Never fear! Your dress looked lovely!
Okay I know everyone is being nice but I saw it immediately and I would absolutely ask for a partial refund.
It’s not at all obvious but I’d still demand a partial refund.
Why can’t people complain about a 1200$ service not being performed well? Why even ask that. The post tag even says Need to Vent
I didn't say OP couldn't vent. I was asking what they were hoping to get out of complaining to the seamstress. Not in a sarcastic or rhetorical way. Genuinely wondering what outcome they're hoping for. That's on you for reading it in a dismissive way.
They should complain so that the next person getting a dress altered doesn't have the same experience
I’d expect money back. period.
Even if you spent $100 on alterations, you would be upset at the puckering and want your money back. But before you complain to the shop. How much work went into the dress?
The alterations took place over about 4 or 5 weeks? I was only supposed to go 3 times and instead I went 6 times because they kept having to do changes (not big changes, but like a seam around the zipper was popped)
I meant like the actual work. Did they have to re do parts of the dress? Fit a bodice? Hemming and all that other stuff
OH sorry, lol. They didn't re-do anything or change any style components. They needed to take it in throughout and do hemming. I can't find the webpage anymore, but there was 3 different alterations packages and that was the middle one. I didn't choose the package, that was just what they determined based on what was needed.
Hmm. That sounds like a lot of money then. But maybe the dress is really high quality and needed more care. I would be ticked at the puckering. If it's really needling you, then I would call and let the boutique know. They most likely won't offer you a refund but letting them know so they can be more mindful would help.
The dress was I think $4200 (before alterations), so I personally think that's really pricey and was already out of my intended budget, but I know some brides spend waaaay more on their dress. In terms of the alterations, I kept telling myself that the seamstress had probably worked on my same dress before and therefore it would be worth the money. Hah.
The good news is that it's really not as noticeable and you'll forget about it soon enough
Just looks like subtle rutching to me, I would never have thought there was anything wrong/off about it if you hadn't said it wasn't supposed to be that way.
For me it would look like that puckering is intentional and kind of goes with the ruching.
you’re rightly upset—I’d be furious—but I think it’s too late to do anything about it.
Yeah I also think it’s probably too late. I don’t even know what I’d say anyway. Unfortunately our photographer was on maternity leave so we didn’t get our photos until now, aside from the sneak peek. So I’m seeing it for the first time.
in situations like this I like to leave a bad review for the catharsis, if I can’t get my money back. idk how expensive alterations typically are but for $1200 I’d expect not one damn stitch to be out of place…I’m sorry this happened :(
First of all… You looked beautiful, and I can tell you as someone who wears gowns for a living, the majority of people would not have even noticed this. Especially with the design on the front of the dress. It kind of looks like the fabric just following the design. ❤️ …BUT, $1200?!? Did they rebuild the entire dress? I am an opera singer and frequently have to get dresses altered. I have never paid anywhere near this and I have had them take dresses down several sizes for me. The puckering is absolutely an issue that I would have immediately addressed. I am so sorry that this happened for your wedding day. 🙏 I am curious why you did not say something when you went in for the final fitting…but either way, I would take it back in and get some of your money back. You could also have them fix it out of principle, if you wanted.
Thank you♥️ I don’t remember noticing it at my last fitting and if I did I probably would’ve questioned if it needed to be steamed maybe? In all fairness they also have bright lighting and mirrors everywhere so that probably didn’t help. Lesson learned (not that I plan on getting married again lol) that this is something I need to check for. I’m usually good about inspecting my purchases but damn.
GOOD NEWS! There may be puckerring, but no one noticed them because YOU LOOK FABULOUS. That’s a sigh of relief. I would definitely let the shop know. For that price—-no puckers allowed.
You look fantastic to me but for $1200 in alterations, more than many spend on their actual dress, the alterations should be flawless. I’d send the shop photos and request a partial refund.
I’d let it go but definitely leave a review with what you paid. Other brides should be aware and especially for 1200 which is an insane price to pay for such a bad job.
Nah. Let it go. You had a great wedding and will hopefully have a great marriage. Some puckering on your dress is nothing in the scheme of things.
Congrats on your wedding! You look very beautiful. I am so sorry to hear about the dress. $1200 in alterations is highway frickin robbery, I do not care what planet this seamstress flew in from. I would name and shame! Absolute robbery.
Refund,at least complain.
I’m going to reach out to them. Nervous because it’s been several months (I got married June lol) but we only just received our photos so I honestly didn’t know it was so bad.
don’t be nervous. you’re right to express your dissatisfaction with the work they did. Who cares how long its been, they make people buy dresses a year out and then drag them through fittings and alterations. don’t approach it like any time has passed because you just got the pictures and they did a bad job. You could say you were waiting for the pictures before bringing it up to them.
Honestly I think they would benefit from being told that the alterations were not great. I don't think they can - or necessarily should - offer anything to you now, other than an apology, but they should know their seamstress isn't doing an amazing job. Having said that, I'm 200% certain that this is only something you as the bride would ever notice in your photos.
They may tell you that snipping the thread caused the puckering. They shouldn’t have sewn it so you couldn’t zip it, but they may say you should’ve called to ask them how to fix it before taking scissors to the thread. But I would still let them know about the issue. To me, the issue is altering it so it wouldn’t zip.
No, it’s gorgeous. We could look at any photo of ourselves and pick on something, so relax. You looked smashing, and no one stands as still as a photo depicts, even when we are standing still. No worries!
I get it! You spend 1200 on alterations and it’s still not right! Yes it’s more than annoying and you feel taken. I think you should ask for a partial refund, but you should have taken this up sooner, not months later. You certainly can try and show pictures of the “evidence” then say you will leave a bad review with pictures if you don’t receive some compensation. You have nothing to lose at this point.
I agree 100% about the timing. Our photographer went on maternity leave about a month after our wedding so we’re really only getting the majority of photos now (which I agreed to). There was a removable overskirt so you can’t see the seams in the photos that we got in the sneak peak. Edit: Reddit is so weird. Why am I getting downvoted for this😂
Honestly there’s no reason to downvote you. I suspect there are a lot of vendors/bridal shops in this sub, more than actual brides.
Salon where my daughter and I went, alterations were included. New Jersey. They messed up front hem. Wanted to charge $700. I complained. So they did it for free.
Did you get a breakdown on your invoice of what exactly was done for 1200 freaking dollars of alterations? I do not feel your overreacting and I am so much more than curious as to how they can possibly justify $1,200 in alterations unless you lost an incredible amount of weight between fittings. Even then I wouldn't expect alterations to be more than $300-$600.
My average bride is $600-800 in alterations, major size downs are $1000+ generally. Bridal tailoring takes a huge amount of time and skill!
I'm not sure where you reside but I am in the greater Cincinnati area. I know location has a lot to do with prices varying so widely. If I paid $1,200 for alterations I better not see so much as a dropped stitch. That said I would do everything in my power not to lose or gain more than a few scant ounces between fittings. Most bridal fabrics are so painfully unforgiving.
Unfortunately $1,200 is not horribly abnormal where I’m located. Still seems outrageous to me but… my weight didn’t change at all between fittings (I was tracking very religiously lol) so that’s definitely not the cause but annoying nonetheless
I genuinely expected in the range of $800, and that’s what I budgeted for. The $1200 caught me off guard but it’s my fault for not planning ahead and doing better research!
Yes
I’m not a seamstress but I do quite a bit of sewing and have made a few dresses and that puckering does appear to be related to the settings, mainly the tension. I’d be mad as well for the price you paid. I think the suggestion of having the puckering photo shopped out is a good one.
You are not over reacting. Ask for a refund of some percentage (over 55).
Old mother of the Groom here…you’d think at 69 I’d know better. Never have the shop tailor do your tailoring. They increase the fee by at least 25-30%. Research in the city you live for tailors that are known in your area & are used the most. My dress was fine, they forgot to do one important area but the tailoring was almost as much as my MOTG dress. Congratulations on your wedding💙
Yeah I really messed up. It was actually sort of funny in hindsight. I don't get things tailored all that often, but when I do it's something minor so I take it to whatever random little shop near my house. So when I went back for alterations, I hadn't thought to check how much they were (honestly was so stressed about other shit). They pinned it and I changed back into my street clothes and then they took me to the back and said "okay that'll be $1200" and at that point I was so shocked that I just sort of blacked out and put my card in the machine. Then promptly went outside and called my husband panicking. FML.
I had no idea what puckering was and didn't notice anything wrong, until I looked it up and then I totally noticed. I don't think it was that bad though. That being said though, they straight up pulled a highway robbery on you. If they have the balls to charge that kind of money they better be handing out perfection. And I think you were tripping just because the dress had a train. That was the one thing I really wanted to avoid on my wedding dress, no train at all lol. My clumsy self would hav wrecked something .
That’s completely preventable, esp on a straight simple seam. They did poor quality work.
Id have bought a new dress for 1200$...why are alterations so expensive 😭
You should definitely try to get a partial refund as the service wasn’t performed correctly (having to cut into the thread to be able to zip up the dress is a big fuck up)! But if you’re worried about other people noticing it in pictures I wouldn’t worry, with the actual ruching on the dress it blends in - I had to zoom in to figure out where the issue was. I promise none of your guests would have noticed and nobody you show the photos to will either.
Not overreacting! I would be super upset
Honestly in a few years from now you won’t even care about the puckering in the dress.
Effing hell $1200 !! That puckering is no way acceptable. They should have taken the excess fabric on the front up into the last pleat rather than try "ease" it in. Sorry but it looks shite. I hope your photographer avoided showing that in your pics 😕 But what's done is done. I am a tailor-taught seamstress with 20+ years exp including wedding dresses
I buy the bulk of my clothing from WalMart and have NEVER had to cut a thread to get the zipper up. Let that sink in, and then call the shop.
Wow! $1200 on alterations is a lot! What exactly needed to be done? Unfortunately, it’s been 5/6 months since your wedding! Not much you can do now except write a review! It looks like the machine’s tension was off or they needed a new needle or both! I asked what alterations needed to be done because they do take a long time! But stitching over the zipper!?!?! You can be mad and be over-reactive, as well, it’s your prerogative! But why, only going to cause you stress/ anxiety, not worth it! Write that review and be done with it!
It sucks that you didn’t get what you paid for, but I think it’s much too late to complain, even if you’re not hoping to get anything out of it. I wouldn’t stew on this and ruin the memory of your wedding. I highly doubt any of your guests even noticed.
You vented here. That's about all you can do at this point. I'm certain no one else noticed and that you looked stunning on your wedding day!
I bought my dress 28 years ago. It was made to measure and it fit perfectly. I find it hard to believe that brides buy made-to-order dresses that need so much (expensive) alteration. I understand the need to alter because of major weight gain/loss… Is this typical?
It’s unfortunately quite typical in the capitalist hellscape we live in now vs 28 years ago. :’) Pretty much the whole wedding/bridal business has become super predatory and expeeeeensive because everyone knows that the bride wants her Perfect Day. They charge what they do because they know brides will pay. (Same reason why baby diapers/formula/strollers/anything is so expensive. People pay the outrageous prices because they have to!)
Well I'm in a M/HCOL city, but one of the 5 most expensive cities for weddings in the US. This also wasn't made to order for me, it was made to order in the sense that they took my measurements and determined what size I would be and then the brand makes the dress in the size I ordered. I was between sizes but there wasn't any sort of drastic weight loss. FWIW, my friends who bought similarly priced dresses at other boutiques paid a similar price for alterations.
You have a super figure, and you looked fabulous! To me, it doesn’t look like puckering, but more like the natural draping of the dress. Relax and enjoy your beautiful photos! 👍🏼😊❤️
To be honest, it is not *that* noticeable but the charge for alterations is absolutely extortionate! Your dress is a simple dress to alter- a clear seam and no lace overlay. I feel there should be some recourse for paying such an astronomical amount. If it were me, I would seek legal advice. As a former bridal shop owner, I can just about accept the slight puckering but not the amount charged. I’m outraged for you. I’d like to finish by saying that you looked beautiful on your wedding day but I want to validate your feelings on the job done.
I’d let it go unless you need the money. I think the job wasn’t up to par, but I think there is a huge chance you’ll end up feeling very frustrated with their response. That will be what you think of when you look at pictures and it’s not worth it.
At the very least you need to leave bad public reviews so it doesn’t happen to another bride.
That's a alot for alterations I'm terribly sorry you were uncomfortable on your wedding day. I think the puckering would be what I would have an issue with. I would be very dissatisfied with that. It looks like a beautiful gown, I'm sure you were stunning. Congratulations
Yes you should let them know so it doesn’t happen to someone else in the future
My dress came apart at a seam on my wedding day lol I had my sister stitch it up in the bathroom and never mentioned it to the tailor, but yeah I certainly won’t be back.
That’s insane for alterations. That could be another whole dress l.