How to Resize a Wedding Dress

Resizing a wedding dress is not just about taking it in for a smaller fit or adding on for more room, it is also about making sure the entire dress fits correctly. The last thing any bride wants is to look bad in her dress on the most special day of her life. It is recommended to have a shop alter it while you're wearing it so that there are no mistakes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wedding Dress
• Alteration Shop

1. Measure yourself, or have someone else measure you, for your dress. It is better to have your measurements too big rather than too small.

2. Pick the size you currently wear or go a few sizes larger.

3. Wear the undergarments that you plan to wear on your wedding day during all fittings to make sure the dress fits correctly.

4. Hem the dress to fit the length you want on your wedding day. Since doing this on yourself is going to be difficult, have someone help by holding it to the height you will wear it, shoes included or purchase a dress doll.

5. Go for your second fitting with the necessary changes in your shoes or undergarments if necessary.

6. Pick up your complete wedding dress at your final fitting.

Tips & Warnings

• It takes three fittings to properly get your dress to the correct size. These are hemming, bodice alterations and shortening of sleeves.
• Don't pick a wedding dress in a size you think you will be by your wedding date. Sometimes there is not enough material in the dress to take it out several sizes and finding the exact same material to add on might be impossible.

Resources

• Get alteration help.