For more than 70 years, thousands of brides have traveled to Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City to find their wedding day looks. From the moment you walk through the doors, you’ll feel the magic of Kleinfeld. Not only does Kleinfeld have 30,000 square feet filled with the largest selection of wedding dresses in the world, it also has the greatest professional staff of over 200 employees who are dedicated to finding and perfecting your bridal look.
Photo Credit: Brian Leahy
Getting ready to start the alterations process on your wedding dress? You’ve come to the right place! We spoke to our expert team of alterations managers, fitters, sewers, and beaders to find out everything you need to know before altering your wedding dress at Kleinfeld.
1. Alterations cannot start without your wedding shoes.
In order to get the right hem length and fit, you’ll need to bring along the shoes you plan to wear on your wedding day. Believe it or not, your choice of shoes affects the length of your dress and your posture. If you change your shoes during the fitting process, this will create more work for your seamstress and more fittings for you. Learn more about why your wedding shoes are an alterations essential, here.
2. Make sure to bring along any shape wear you’d like to wear on your wedding day.
If you’re planning on wearing shape wear under your wedding dress, make sure to bring it to your fitting appointments! And don’t forget a supportive bra. If you aren’t sure what type of shape wear works best, our alterations team can suggest a few types for you to purchase. Find out what else you need to bring to your fittings, here.
3. Fittings last an hour.
Be prepared to stand in your dress (in your wedding shoes) for at least one hour while your fitter expertly pins and adjusts your dress to your specifications. You’ll also want to eat and hydrate before your appointment—we don’t want any fainting brides!
4. Your dress will arrive larger than expected.
When you said “yes!” to your wedding dress, a bridal manager took three measurements—your bust, waist, and hip—and ordered your dress to your largest measurement. As you can imagine, this will make your dress large in a few places upon stepping in it for the first time! No need to worry, this is completely normal. Over the course of your fittings (typically 3), our alterations team will work to pin, sew, and fit your dress to your exact specifications. Find out more about what happens during your first fitting, here.
5. Bring along a dedicated bustle helper.
At your second fitting, your fitter will discuss choosing the right bustle for your wedding dress. You’ll want to make sure to bring along a trusted friend or family member (think: your maid of honor, bestie, or your mom) to learn how to bustle your wedding dress for you after your ceremony. Learn more about bustles, here.