ATTN: Phoenix Brides - Shopping For That Elusive Perfect Wedding Dress? Get The Perfect Wedding Dress For Less With These Tips From Touch Of Class Alterations In Phoenix AZ

Determine Your Bridal Budget

When determining your wedding dress budget, remember to include the cost of wedding dress alterations and wedding dress bridal accessories.

Bridal alterations can often cost hundreds of dollars unless you carefully shop around for an affordable and reliable seamstress.

Check online reviews for each seamstress and meet for a free consultation with the local seamstress that you have the most comfortable feeling from her reviews and phone call.

In addition look into the cost of getting a custom wedding dress veil made by your local seamstress instead of paying over $300 for a retail price wedding veil at an expensive bridal shop or wedding dress store in Phoenix.

Most brides forget to factor in the cost of their wedding dress accessories such as the veil, tiara, shoes, slip, bustle and sashes. Also remember to inquire about the cost of the bridal alterations for not only yourself as the bride but for your entire bridal party.

By checking into the best options for bridal alterations and alterations, a bride can save her entire wedding party a lot of money and be highly appreciated. Especially in this economy, many bridesmaids, groomsmen and parents of the flower girls are happy to find that a simple visit to a local phoenix seamstress can save them hundreds off of expensive retail wedding dress and bridal stores.

In addition, many local seamstress do not charge a fitting fee, which can run as much as $25 at many bridal shops so brides, bridesmaids and the entire bridal party can save even more.

In a nutshell when it comes to budgeting for your wedding dress and bridal party attire keep in mind that a local seamstress can do the alterations for less and even provide lower cost on wedding dress accessories like, veils, tiaras, and sashes.

The fact is when it comes to budget for your wedding, the wedding dress accessories and alterations are often a hidden last minute cost which can be avoided by researching what retail stores charge and comparing a local independent wedding dress designer or seamstress.

Tips To Lower Costs

Brides that wish to look stunning yet without going into debt or draining their bank account, should consider purchasing their wedding dress at a store, but having custom design elements and the alterations done with a local seamstress that guarantees their work.

Today’s sweetheart necklines, dropped waist, mermaid, ruched and bedazzled wedding gown styles can all be recreated with a talented seamstress for far less than what high overhead bridal shops and wedding dress stores charge.

Make sure to check the BBB, references and online reviews from websites like The Knot, Wedding-Wire, Wedding Channel and Phoenix Wedding.net when selecting a wedding dress seamstress in phoenix.

Consider More Than One Wedding Dress Style

When shopping at a local wedding dress store or bridal shop, remember that each dress that you like, does not have to be perfect if you have already located a talented local seamstress that can alter your wedding dress style and add the final touches that you want in your wedding dress. Most brides struggle to find a wedding dress that has the perfect bustline, corset, lace, backline or silhouette.

By doing research on having the wedding dress alterations done with a lower cost alternative seamstress, many brides are more confident in purchasing a wedding dress bargain, because they know it can be altered to fit what they envision.

For example, a wedding dress with a lower v neckline can have a lace up corset back added, or a sweetheart neckline can be added while making the gown strapless. In addition, modesty panels, invisilace and custom wraps or bolero jackets can cover shoulder during the ceremony by having the alterations done for less with a local seamstress.

Be open to different wedding dresses and never purchase a wedding gown that is too expensive for your budget simply because it has all of the elements you desire…. unless it truly is within your wedding overall budget.

Many brides that splurge and purchase an extremely expensive wedding gown just because it has everything they want, are shocked to discover that the dress doesn’t fit right when it arrives on order months later.

Many wedding gowns & wedding dresses arrive two sizes too big…

Again, since many brides forget to check on the cost of alterations and accessories at the store they purchase their wedding dress, the look of sticker shock is too often a sight in wedding dress stores and retail bridal shops.

Always know up front the cost of alterations to take in the sides of a wedding gown, add a corset, hem a wedding dress and the look into purchasing a wedding dress that can have these adjustments done for less at an outside independent seamstress. This way, you can get the perfect wedding dress without breaking the bank and shattering your budget.

By removing the pressure to purchase a wedding dress with all of the elements a bride wants, and by working outside of expensive retail wedding stores and salons, brides can definitely save on the cost of their wedding dress.

And it all begins with working with more than one wedding dress style when shopping and knowing with confidence that you can customize any dress for far less than at the store a bride purchases her dress.

The knowledge of lower cost bridal accessories and alterations option thru a local seamstress can also help brides avoid buying more than one dress in an attempt to get the perfect wedding dress!

Remember, a wedding dress designer or highly skilled seamstress can give you the look you want for less.

Without starting over and buying a second dress after an impulsive purchase. So when shopping for a wedding dress in phoenix, remember to look into custom wedding alterations and accessories through a local seamstress.

Many brides are surprised by the lower prices and more personalized attention they receive when working with an independent seamstress

Get The Right Bridal Fitting Expert

When you’re ready to have alterations done to your expensive wedding dress, it is always important to hire a seamstress or store that guarantees their work and can complete the alterations work at least 45-60 days before your wedding.

This prevents wedding dress disasters the last week before your wedding, and ensures their is time to make final adjustments to your wedding dress.

Remember, when purchasing and ordering a wedding gown from a store, many wedding gowns arrive late and subsequently too close to the wedding date. Having a bridal expert seamstress ensures that your dress order arrives on time and the alterations are done with plenty of time before the wedding.

Your seamstress will take your measurements in the bust, waist, hem length and hips at the bridal first fitting.

The next step is to add the custom design elements you and alterations necessary to get the perfect look and fit for your own unique style wedding dress

Getting The Fit Right The First Time

Every bride that purchases her perfect wedding dress, needs to be fitted for the picture perfect wedding dress. All wedding dresses require alterations to fit perfectly to each brides shape.

When your gown is altered correctly, you should be able to move comfortably with everything staying in place.

Wedding Gown Alterations can be as simple as taking in the waist and shortening the hem; in more complex alterations, the sleeves may be abbreviated, the bodice taken in, and lace or beads added.

Finding A Fantastic Seamstress

A Fantastic Phoenix Seamstress is one that makes you feel great, is friendly and knowledgeable and answers all of your questions comfortably while making sure that the highest skill is brought forth to produce the look, fit and feel of a picture perfect bride

Finding a great seamstress is more than just hiring someone that can do the alterations or custom design elements.

It is finding a seamstress that you trust and are comfortable working with based on their exceptional work history, references and results verified by other brides.

So if you think you’ve found someone to handle the alterations for your expensive wedding dress, remember to check their references, online reviews and record with the BBB.

The picture perfect wedding dress need not seem impossible with a patient and talented seamstress. Look at examples of your seamstress work and ask to see her designs. This way in addition to low prices you can verify the quality of their work.

Only hire a seamstress that does exceptional work at a fair price and you will be on you way to the picture perfect

wedding dress for less.

A wedding is one of those major events in our lives that can change us forever. And the dream of a perfect wedding has always been on every girl’s bucket list.

Weddings can bring us so much joy. Finding the love of your life and getting married to that one true love can make all the past disappointments so worth it. Everyone in the family as well, is excited and filled with much anticipation for the wedding and the marriage to come.

But what would make a wedding, a perfect wedding? As a woman who just recently got my dream wedding, it all depends on the perfect wedding dress and the perfect wedding dress alterations seamstress!

You must be thinking that I’m kidding. Everyone thinks that you should just have the perfect groom or the perfect wedding cake or the perfect entourage or the perfect makeup and you are good to go. But I should say that it is the perfect wedding dress. And behind all perfect wedding dresses, is a skillful wedding dress alterations seamstress.

When I got married last June, I had a particularly difficult dilemma when I took my pre-wedding diet too seriously.

I was a willowy, hour-glass shape but when I had taken my diet and exercise plan seriously, a lot of weight came off and on the day when the wedding gown designer had sent me the dress and I tried it on, I was aghast.

Yes, the dress and the design was just the way I wanted.

My wedding dress was a divine white confection of a delicate mixture of satin, lace and organza with a very intricate beading. It was perfection incarnate.

But the size was all wrong. I tried on the bustier but shamefully, it just slid off my torso. I just lost too much weight and this time, it had really posed a huge problem for me. The wedding was in two weeks and I was panicking big time.

I called my mother and in tears, I was telling her that my dream wedding was going to flop. No way was it possible to repair it in record time. It took a long time for the dress to be altered each time that I had nit-picked on anything when the fittings were done.

This was supposed to be just the size I wanted. I was in great trouble. After bawling on the telephone, my mother consoled me by saying that she knew someone, a wedding dress alterations seamstress in Phoenix, Arizona who would know what to do. She was recommended by her friend who just got married recently and who was raving about the wonderful job that they had done on her wedding dress.

Touch Of Class Alterations was the recommended wedding dress alterations seamstress and designer in our state, located in Phoenix, AZ and that was also what my mom’s friend had recommended to her. In fact, they not only altered wedding dresses , but they also designed wedding dresses.

Touch of Class Alterations is located in North Phoenix and my mother and I wasted no time and drove to the place. It is located just north of the 101 freeway off another major freeway I-17 North, so the drive was quick.

During our drive over, my heart was beating so fast. I had my dress with me, but I wasn’t sure that Mari the seamstress would be able to take on the challenge of making sure that my wedding dress would fit me… let alone in record time.

Two weeks may be sufficient for other wedding dress alterations, but my dress was very delicate organza and lace and complicated with multiple layers…

With this running through my mind, I could imagine a less talented seamstress attempting to do a rush alterations job and ruining my dress with the sheer delicacy of the fabrics and details involved. I now had a full blown wedding dress emergency….

I needed not only a seamstress I needed a miracle worker; I needed an experienced professional, a master wedding dress designer in the bridal design and alterations business.

We arrived at the 3200 sq. foot home studio location for Touch Of Class Alterations and met the owner and lead seamstress, Mari Torres. I wasted no time showing Mari my wedding dress and desperately asked her if she could do it in less than two weeks!

Without batting an eyelash, Mari said yes.

She even said I could pick it up on Monday next week… with no rush fees! Not only would Mari give me a week before the final wedding day to ease my stress, but she didn’t even charge extra for a rush job. Nor did she charge a fitting fee like the bridal shop I went to for numerous alterations months before.

Mari’s confidence put me at ease, but still, I was crossing my fingers and really hoping that she could do the job to the high standards I have… in such a short amount of time.

My mother was cool about it. Her friend was able to assure her months earlier when she came to Mari… and her dress came out fantastic.

I was a bit skeptical. I asked Mari what her experience was in the wedding dress industry and it turns out that she has been in the business for 20+ years… since she was 18!

In fact, Mari has taken on many “wedding dress re-styles” and “dress emergencies” that have been turned down flat, by a lot of ‘other’ local phoenix wedding dress stores and bridal shop seamstresses.

It turns out Mari is not afraid to do the more elaborate and more difficult wedding dress alterations … that many retail bridal stores simply don’t have time for. Or possibly, they simply don’t have a seamstress that is as patient as Mari

Mari has also worked in huge bridal businesses like the Wedding Accessory Superstore and David’s before starting her own bridal design and alterations business 6 years ago in Phoenix, AZ. I left the location with mixed feelings of  anticipation, worry and hope.

At long last, the following week did arrive and the wedding dress alterations specialist, Touch of Class Alterations has proven their excellence to me.

June 2011, I was a happy bride with the most beautiful wedding dress in all of Arizona. Thank you so much, Mari! You saved my wedding!

By the way, Touch of Class Alterations is located at 3119 W Maya Way Phoenix, AZ 85029, and is available by appointment only. Be sure to compare them before paying too much for bridal alterations at a national bridal store like I did!

You can learn a lot from Mari about how to bustle your wedding dress and do the alterations right the first time.

The Touch Of Class Alterations website also offers a convenient online bridal calendar and online scheduling system.

The bridal calendar shows all of the available time slots that are open each week, Monday thru Saturday.

This way, phoenix area brides to be can book an appointment weeks or even months in advance…

Or even last minute as I did!

Their website is http://www.touchofclassalterations.com .

Also, you can contact Mari and her staff at (480) 776-7964.

If you want to have a dream wedding just like I did, make sure to book your appointment with them.

You can thank me later for the tip!

See the Touch Of Class Alterations Bridal Calendar To Schedule A Free Bridal Fitting.

Congratulations and good luck!

Judy R.

Question:   How much does it cost to add a bustle to a wedding dress or wedding gown?

Answer:  Many local bridal shops and wedding dress stores charge as much as $25 per bustle point to alter a wedding dress.

Adding a French bustle is usually the most utilized option by brides that want to secure their wedding dress train for the wedding reception.

A French bustle is a “under bustle” where the train of the dress is secured and fastened underneath the wedding dress using many different ribbon ties.

The ribbons used should be strong and there should be enough ribbons or “points” across the wedding dress train to properly hold the gown from different directions.

In order to create a strong, French under bustle, an expert seamstress or wedding dress designer should be sought for a professional bridal fitting. Many wedding dresses look much better with at least 5 bustle points to create a professional and elegant pickup pattern on the wedding dress train.

An “over bustle” design requires buttons that lift the wedding dress train and secure it to to the back of the wedding gown with clear buttons or with metal hooks and eyes.

Many brides accept the recommendation of the wedding dress store or tailor that is handling their bridal alterations, only to discover that they do not like the final look of an “over bustle”. This is almost always due to buttons being sewn outside and all over the train of their wedding dress.

Many brides are told to try using hooks and eyes instead of the buttons that are so visible on the outside of their wedding dress train. But again, metal hooks and eyes can actually rip a wedding dress and Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations recommends not using them.

They can also damage a wedding dress if it is being stored as an heirloom dress, over time, since metal can rust and degrade with oxidation leaving marks on the fabric surrounding the hooks.

Modern brides usually opt for adding a French “under bustle” to their wedding wedding dress, once they actually visit a seamstress that gives them ALL their options.

A talented seamstress will always show a bride exactly “how” an under bustle looks compared to an over bustle.

One reason many tailors and bridal shops still recommend using metal hooks, is due to it’s less complex nature…

It certainly is easier to attach hooks than turn a wedding dress inside out… and then sew multiple bustle points inside with ribbons, which requires an industrial sewing machine for tight bustle points.

When it comes to adding a bustle to wedding dress, each wedding dress requires a different type of bustle.

Most phoenix bridal shops and phoenix wedding dress stores charge ‘by the point’ for adding a ‘under’ or ‘over bustle’ to a wedding dress.

In fact, many busy phoenix bridal stores and boutiques / bridal salons charge a fitting fee of $20 just for a bride to come in to assess her wedding dress at a bridal fitting in phoenix.

When adding a bustle to determine which bustle style (under or over bustle) should be incorporated into the wedding gown, and how many points are necessary to properly hold the gown, it is best to consult with an extremely experienced phoenix seamstress.

Many fuller silhouette wedding dresses require anywhere from 6-12 bustle points depending on the amount of pickups, applications and lace on the wedding dress.

Some wedding dress stores in phoenix charge a flat fee (around $100 – $200) for a French bustle, but only if a bride purchases the wedding dress in store, and also has additional bridal alterations done there.

Brides that are looking for a high quality wedding dress bustle and alterations should consider the experience level and communication skills of the seamstress they interview.

A talented seamstress will be patient and take the time to show a bride the different bustle styles and how they will look on her wedding dress.

Ultimately, it is the brides decision to choose whether to have a over bustle where buttons can been seen visible on the back side of the wedding dress train, or to have the stronger more hidden French under bustle style.

When it comes to altering a wedding dress and adding a french bustle to the dress, Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations never recommends using any metal hooks.

Metal hooks are typically used by many tailors and bridal shops but they can easily rip a wedding dress, especially if the material is chiffon, lace or organza.

It is always a good idea to get at least 3 quotes before doing any bridal alterations, regardless of where a bride purchases her wedding gown.

A simple visit to an independent seamstress and wedding dress designer can often offer more perspective and much lower prices compared to a national bridal retail store like david’s bridal, for example.

Touch of Class Bridal & alterations offers custom wedding dress alterations and can add a French bustle from just $10 per point with no fitting fees.

Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations also offers further discounts on altering a wedding dress hem, sweetheart necklines, taking in the bodice (waistline) installing cups, resizing a wedding dress and adding custom beads, lace and applications.

Whether a bride needs to alter the wedding dress hem, change the bust line, shorten a hem, or add a bustle , its always a good idea to make sure you’re totally comfortable with the seamstress you will be working with..

And most importantly, it is important a bride is comfortable with the price of wedding dress alterations including adding a wedding dress French bustle , adding sleeves, adding a wedding dress corset or changing the hem length of a dress.

The price of these wedding dress alterations depend on the wedding dress, and where the alterations are performed. Again, many brides are quoted up to $200 to simply add a French bustle to their expensive wedding gown at a popular wedding dress store, bridal shop or boutique.

The fact is, an independent designer and seamstress can usually create a professionally designed French bustle for as little as $50-$90

It pays to do a little comparison shopping when considering wedding dress alterations before your upcoming phoenix wedding.

We would like to think that most brides already know to comparison shop when it comes to getting the final wedding dress alterations done before their phoenix wedding.

But the reality is most brides are so busy that they overlook the costs of adding a bustle to a wedding dress.

In fact, many brides are caught off guard by the high cost of adding a corset to a wedding dress, adding a sweetheart neckline or even just taking in the size (resizing ) a wedding dress.

Again, the simple answer is to get more than one quote for bridal alterations and always make sure you actually like the seamstress you are working with.

A bride should also like the prices for her bridal alterations.  For more information on how a professional independent wedding dress designer and seamstress can help you with adding a French bustle to a wedding dress, please visit the Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations website.

Use the online calendar scheduler to set up a free wedding dress consultation and free fitting.

See exactly how adding a bustle to a wedding dress can enhance comfort during the wedding reception.

Bustle A Wedding Dress Phoenix

The upcoming Wedding Dress Trends for 2012 are quite striking with stunning colors that transcend the color palette of 2011. The much anticipated arrival of the latest wedding dress designer trends hit the US with bridal fashion shows that debuted many stunning a line, ball gown and mermaid styles complete with enhanced tulle, organza, and lace.

In addition to more elaborate asymmetrical styles and contrasting lace and tulle embellishments, the latest bridal fashions also promise a hint of glamour that harkens back to softer less dramatic prohibition era elegance.

With sequined empire waist-lines, swarovski crystal bedazzled bodices and gorgeous sweetheart necklines, the latest wedding dress fashion trends for 2012 are truly a welcome breath of fresh air compared to the flashy more dramatic lower cut necklines that show what many brides considered in retrospect to be “too much” cleavage on their wedding day.

With this softer more captivating look, the latest strapless wedding dress styles and gowns  offer a newly envisioned “softer” elegance, that is reminiscent of a by-gone era from the 1920’s.

Strapless wedding dresses with illusion net, silk and lace sleeves abound, while other form fitting wedding dress silhouettes like mermaid, Cinderella and trumpet have evolved into higher concept, more passionate designs which showcase more elaborate trim and more conservative and elegant lines.

In addition, romantic glass beadwork, silk modesty panels on corsets and silver lace and swarovski crystal applications are visually intriguing and will make any bride feel truly special on her special day …

The spring 2012 lineup consists of many inspiring wedding dress fashions, but one of the most innovative and compelling is the illusion net neckline that creates a softer more conservative yet  sultry look for any bride to be. It’s both a trendy and more elegant way for 2011 and 2012 brides to create a sexy yet classy sophisticated look that revisits the subtle elegance of the past…

When it comes to creating inspiring wedding dress styles and custom one of a kind creations, many brides consider either a custom wedding dress designer or simply re-styling the almost perfect wedding gown they’ve found, and adding the aforementioned 2012 enhancements and flair.

With this in mind, it becomes even more important for busy brides to be to consider all of their options while staying within their budget.

What is certainly most true in 2011 and for at least the near future is that most brides are definitely on a budget! Not every bride can afford a Vera Wang gown.

So where does a busy bride to be… that is on a budget look to save money without compromising style?

One great way 2012 and 2013 brides and beyond can truly create their own special one-of-a-kind wedding dress is by visiting an independent designer and seamstress.

This of course is after they have searched trunk shows, bridal boutiques, national bridal chain stores and bridal shows for ideas.

Once a bride has settled on the silhouette of her gown, the neck line, materials and overall look, the next step is finding a talented local wedding dress designer or seamstress that can put many of the elements that a bride envisions into the dream concept wedding dress.

In major cities like New York and Los Angeles putting together a one-of-a-kind custom wedding dress creation complete with custom neckline, satin, lace or chiffon materials, sheer fabrics, sleeves and victorian inspired corsets, can cost over $5,000

Yet, with careful research many brides can find an elegant wedding dress consisting of the right materials, asymmetrical, or curvy silhouette and then add the necessary sought after applications and enhancements that will make the dress truly inspiring and long remembered.

Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations specializes in wedding dress design and wedding dress restyling. Brides can change a zipper back to a corset for under $200 for example. Brides can also add illusion net, lace, and organza to their dress neckline, train, and hem.

Many brides opt for custom lace applications around the hem, and french bustle that has many points to enhance their gown, adding fullness without being too poofy…

Again, and expert designer and seamstress can help a bride that has encountered difficulty in creating the look they want… for much less than an expensive bridal salon or wedding dress store.

For example, many wedding dress stores in phoenix AZ offer bridal alterations but the cost of doing multiple alterations on an already expensive wedding dress can add up to over $600 in many cases.

A great way for budget minded brides to save on the overall cost of their wedding gown is to visit an independent designer and seamstress after getting a quote from an expensive bridal boutique.

What many brides are shocked to discover is that they can find more patient and attentive service with faster turnaround times by visiting an independent designer and seamstress in phoenix.

Mari, the owner at Touch Of Class has over 100 reviews online from phoenix area brides that love her work and more importantly, her prices.

When considering the latest 2012 bridal fashion trends brides should always consider getting a second opinion on their alterations needs.

What many brides also discover is that while many busy bridal shops in phoenix and all over the country can perform reasonably well on more elaborate alterations and dress restyling to help a bride get the look she wants, many simply do not have the time or are running too close to deadlines.
This of course can lead to the inevitable trend we have seen over and over again in the bridal industry…

Many brides encounter bridal alterations departments that over-promise and often under-deliver… In fact, there are plenty of reviews online from brides that have endured a wedding dress emergency or bridal horror story due to their wedding dress not being properly altered or even worse, not completed in time for the wedding.

One of the benefits of working with an independent designer and seamstress is more personalized attention, attention to detail and higher quality craftsmanship. After all, an independent seamstress sets her own schedule whereas a busy bridal shop or wedding store often overbooks their seamstress department.

Unfortunately, when a seamstress working in a store is overbooked, brides end up feeling the effects and lack of service.

Many brides report waiting over an hour despite arriving on time for their bridal fitting. Other brides report a seamstress that always seems to steer them away from doing more complex alterations or simply charging way too much to again manipulate a brides decisions.

And of course, many stores do in fact make a higher profit margin on both alterations and accessories, so it is quite common for a seamstress to recommend alterations and accessories that a bride many not feel comfortable with based on price.

Yet, since many busy bridal stores out of necessity schedule bridal fittings too close to the wedding day, many brides feel pressure to purchase and get their alterations done, regardless of the cost…

At Touch Of Class Alterations we feel there is a better way. Brides can come in for alterations 90-120 days before their wedding to get the alterations done for 50-70% less than most bridal stores and wedding boutiques, with the guarantee that they can come back just weeks before their wedding day for a final fitting and adjustment at no additional cost.

Most importantly brides that are looking to create an original, elegant and sophisticated wedding dress for their 2012 or 2013 wedding will absolutely be surprised by how much easier it is to get the look they want for less, by coming in for a free wedding dress consultation and free bridal fitting at Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations.

Many of the same fashion-forward trends for 2012 can be attained by purchasing a more reasonably priced wedding gown or dress and then adding the sought after elements like a corset back, lace sleeves, illusion net neckline, modesty panel, hem from waist, bead work, sequins and even stunning swarovski crystals for hundreds less than a wedding dress store.

One thing is for certain… 2012 and 2013 brides are looking for romantic lace a-line dresses, silk and organza print and dot patterned gowns, sheer form fitting gowns, halter-top weddig gowns, and bedazzled wedding dresses which feature brilliant, sequined and crystal emblazoned bodices and sweetheart necklines.

What better way is there to create a stunning 2012 bridal fashion style and look for less? Check out the Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations website for more information on custom wedding dress designs and bridal alterations for less.

Many brides are looking to add color as in pink sashes to match their wedding theme. Another highly anticipated trend for 2012 and 2013 is the addition of elegant lace sleeves, higher necklines and mermaid dress styles that truly flatter curvy brides.

Any and many more of these 2012 wedding dress styles and trends can be customized with a dress restyling from Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations. Brides that wish to create the look for less will happy to find that Touch Of Class never charges a fitting fee or dress consultation fee.

For reviews and helpful information see Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations on Wedding Wire and the Knot ( Wedding Channel ) websites under bridal shops and alterations.

To A Fantastic Fall 2011 wedding season and the upcoming 2012 bridal fashion debuts!

Congratulations on your upcoming special day 

Mari

480-776-7964

Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations

Finding the picture perfect wedding gown or wedding dress is often more challenging than a bride-to-be expects or is prepared for.

Choosing a wedding dress is an important part of each brides special day, as the dress reflects each brides personality and style.

The wedding dress also compliments the wedding theme, wedding venue and the season for each brides special day.

With this in mind, finding the perfect wedding dress is both exciting and nerve wracking, for many brides…

Especially with so many considerations to be made…

One of the most important considerations in attaining the picture perfect wedding dress, is finding the right seamstress…

Getting the bridal alterations  done right the first time around, can ultimately take an ordinary dress and make it extraordinary…

With this in mind, proper alterations to the wedding dress, ensures that the wedding gown truly inspires a bride and her guests.

While shopping for the perfect wedding dress can be exciting, conversely, many brides encounter difficulty in finding the perfect seamstress…

Once they’ve narrowed their selection down to a few wedding gown styles or purchased a wedding dress, the next step is to verify WHO will be working on the dress and how much the wedding dress alterations will cost.

Whether a bride selects an A Line, Mermaid, Trumpet, Fit and Flare or a more traditional gown, the challenge boils down to making sure the wedding gown alterations are done professionally and on time.

Each bride must also make sure her dress fits properly and is comfortable for her body type and shape…

Each wedding dress silhouette poses a different set of alterations requirements for each brides body type. Brides do have intuition and know how their dress feels once it is on. Many times after principal alterations have been completed, a bride may still “feel” that her dress is too loose, or the hem is too long.

This is not uncommon, and while many busy bridal shops will remedy a brides concerns, others simply do not have the time or inclination to revisit a dress. In fact, many stores will offer a bride “supportive observations”, basically directing a bride away from doing more alterations and adjustments…

If a bride presses on, with valid concerns with the fit of her wedding gown after the alterations have been done, some bridal stores indicate that “additional alterations fees” would be necessary to continue to change the dress.

Many stores also schedule alterations and bridal fittings too close to the wedding date. This quite often leaves too little time left to do multiple fittings and adjustments for what many stores call “picky brides” that want “the perfect fit” The end result is a percentage of brides that feel they received lesser service.

This is where having a patient & highly skilled seamstress can make all the difference.

First, an independent seamstress can often offer both better prices (up to 50% less than bridal stores in phoenix)… Second, an independent wedding dress designer & Seamstress almost always offers more personalized service… This is because a seamstress may only have 20-30 brides to assist each week, whereas a store may have over 100 brides to keep up with.

The fact is, many brides report in online reviews receiving slower store service, bad alterations and high bridal alterations prices… It is also a fact that most stores make a higher profit margin on wedding dress alterations and wedding accessories. Many brides are caught off guard by the high cost of alterations, as this usually occurs after they purchase an expensive gown. To be fair, for the many negative online review, there are others that are positive… but the thought of any store with multiple negative reviews raises valid concerns. A bride being treated poorly and crying in the store is not a good scenario.

For this reason, brides should be patient and careful when selecting a wedding gown store. Most importantly brides should know the cost of wedding dress alterations before they purchase their gown and how many fittings they are guaranteed to make their dress right…

Yet strangely, many brides end up purchasing their gown at an expensive bridal boutique without knowing how they will be treated during the alterations process…

As a result, despite succumbing to pressure to purchase a higher price wedding dress, many brides end up with sticker shock at the extremely high price of bridal alterations at some local bridal shops and wedding dress stores in phoenix… (we’re not mentioning any names) .

Add to this scenario the fact that many brides report wearing a dress on their wedding day that they were not completely happy with… and you have a recipe for disaster… that needs to be addressed in the industry…

Regardless of whether it doesn’t happen to every bride…, it shouldn’t happen to any bride…ever. Period.

Here then, are some tips to avoid the common mistakes brides make when shopping for the perfect wedding dress.

Actual online reviews from brides can help brides avoid common pitfalls by asking the right questions…

In addition, knowing what to look out for… when purchasing a wedding dress…. and before agreeing to do the wedding dress alterations at an expensive wedding store, bridal shop or boutique is extremely important…

1.       Keep The Cost Of Bridal Alterations In Mind.

Selecting A Wedding Dress With Patience … Means finding the right seamstress for the job.

If you think about it, a seamstress is more qualified to help a bride with trying on a wedding dress and making suggestions as to fit, appearance etc. in the first place. This is because a seamstress knows bridal fabrics and works with altering or creating different wedding dress styles and lines everyday.

A patient seamstress is a good listener, and will always put the total comfort and satisfaction of a bride first. A professional seamstress will listen attentively to ascertain how a bride feels in her wedding dress, first before any alterations are done at the bridal fitting.

By keeping each brides wedding dress fit, style and theme at the top of the priority list, an independent seamstress can guarantee that each bride receives the result they want, in plenty of time before the wedding, and at a price that is affordable and agreeable.

The last thing any busy bride-to-be needs… is hidden “surprise costs” and “unexpected problems ” with how the wedding dress alterations turn out… especially right before the wedding…

Therefore, brides should make sure to ask important questions to determine how patient the seamstress or bridal store is with their bridal alterations customers. Brides should find out how much time for fittings is guaranteed to be provided for adjustments and who will be doing the alterations on their wedding dress. Brides should also inquire about the general pricing for doing a hem, multiple point bustle, bodice sizing (taking in sides) bead work and making a custom veil.

A seamstress that is truly experienced and knowledgeable can often provide brides with the kind of patient demeanor and attentiveness that helps them to sort out their thoughts when looking in the mirror at the wedding dress fitting.

A seamstress should have a patient and positive attitude, offering helpful suggestions and showing each bride different ideas and solutions to each concern or question raised. A bride should never feel rushed during a bridal fitting. If a bride does encounter feeling rushed during a fitting, being “steered” in one direction or being told “not to do” one alteration or another because there “isn’t time” or the alteration is “too costly”… It’s time to get a second opinion!

A seamstress should offer service with a smile, helping each bride through the fitting process and making sure they are completely comfortable.

This requires professionalism and proper time management and scheduling. Basically, a seamstress should schedule each bride to receive sufficient time for questions and total satisfaction at each fitting. Fittings should never be overbooked, as in many busy national bridal shops and wedding dress stores. Brides should never feel like a number, and more importantly a bride to be should never, ever purchase a dress for thousands of dollars, only to not wear it and purchase another dress before the wedding. This scenario is also quite common and is often the result of a bride being talked into a wedding dress they were never sure about.

Again, patience, starting early and asking about the cost of alterations can help each bride avoid paying too much for the wedding dress…. and paying too much for alterations.

No bride should ever end up receiving less than stellar service after making an expensive wedding dress purchase… Every bridal fitting for alterations to the wedding dress should be fun filled, shared with mom of bride and friends…. and trouble-free…. Unfortunately, not every bridal store can guarantee that… only some brids are lucky and get the perfect fit and perfect service…

So ask questions about the cost of bridal alterations before purchasing any wedding gown or wedding dress. Ask to meet the seamstress that you will be working with… Are they pleasant and patient?

It’s worth mentioning that WHO a bride selects as their SEAMSTRESS is just as important as WHAT wedding dress or gown they choose. So searching for the perfect wedding dress in reality means searching for the perfect seamstress.

The fact is, 95% of all brides require alterations to ensure their wedding gown or wedding dress truly fits and flatters to their satisfaction. Finding the picture perfect wedding dress and a great seamstress is a major challenge because one store may have what looks like the perfect dress… yet have tons of negative reviews online when it comes to their alterations department…

This is the main area where patience on a brides part is required. Do your due diligence and at least visit one independent seamstress before having alterations done to your wedding dress at an expensive bridal boutique. Also, read online reviews of independent seamstresses and bridal shops alike, to determine WHO truly offers patient service, better personalized attention and LOWER PRICES…

With careful research both via the internet and in stores by asking the right questions about alterations costs, a bride can find an experienced seamstress or alterations dept. that truly shines and ensures EVERY bride is happy.

Remember the bride (customer) is always right and deserves to look and feel spectacular in her wedding dress on her special day… With patience, a bride can find the right seamstress for the job…

2. Keep Your Options Open

You’ve tried on what seems like an endless array of wedding dresses, in half a dozen local phoenix bridal stores and wedding stores. Your feet are tired and you’ve likely lost weight in the process!

Your head is aching from the glare of your LCD computer screen after surfing through countless online bridal stores and retailers… Now that you have decided on a wedding dress style or silhouette (shape) it’s time to start comparing prices. But what about making sure that you include the cost of alterations in your price comparisons both online and offline? What about a reasonable evaluation of the level of service you can reasonably trust to receive at each bridal store, department store, boutique or independent seamstress? Have you decided to compare ALL of your options including visiting an independent seamstress, and not just expensive boutiques and bridal shops?

Most brides are surprised once they encounter the high cost of wedding dress alterations at many bridal shops, wedding dress stores and tailors. Even department stores often have high prices on altering a wedding dress or gown. What to do? Well, for starters how about comparing each of the above stores with an independent seamstress prices? A savvy bride will also read online reviews for multiple stores in regard to their alterations department and level of service excellence, AFTER a wedding dress purchase is made…

Based on each option, which stores can a bride expect to receive the highest caliber of service at? Which store or seamstress offer competitive prices both on the wedding dress and the alterations…? Alterations will undoubtedly be required…

What additional cost may a bride encounter once the wedding dress is purchased and alterations are started? Will the seamstress meet the bride before the sale is made to show the bride options for her dress as well as general pricing? Will the bridal fitting be patient, fun and with ample time to ensure even a picky or conscientious bride will be totally satisfied with the result of the alterations done to her dress?

Only a seamstress with many years of experience in providing bridal fittings and performing highly skilled wedding dress alterations and restyling can help each bride to identify their preferences and discover the perfect bustle or fit for their dress in the bust, hips, waist and hem length.

Again, each bride is different and will have unique ideas and preferences, and these choices should be heard and respected, while offering real solutions. This requires a seamstress of exceptional skill, and patience, that has earmarked sufficient time for a higher level of service for each and every bride….

There are a myriad of possibilities when customizing a wedding gown and finding the perfect balance of options, fit and style requires a seamstress with both experience and patience. Simply put, a seamstress must have the time and patience to perform even major dress restyles and alterations.

3. Keep The Wedding Dress Shape In Mind

Knowing your figure will help make the most of finding that perfect dress with your seamstress. And while guidelines exist for you to follow, no one should choose what you want except you. The following are suggestions and are not to be taken as rigid rules; every bride is different.

Hourglass shape: a slim waist with a balanced bust and hips. If you are fortunate to have this shape, you have many options, but Mermaid style dresses (sheath gown to the knees, with a flare out), pure sheath, or gowns with horizontal seams and styles, (Ball Gown for example), all take advantage of your flowing curves.

Pear shape: an attractive upper body with a more pronounced bottom. The key here is to emphasize your face, neck, shoulders and bust. Gowns for this shape let your top do the talking and let your most attractive features shine.  A-line and empire styles are good choices, while off-shoulder or strapless necklines help lend prominence to the upper half of your body. Fishtail designs and Mermaid style dresses can also work incredibly well.

Apple shape: a truncal upper body with narrow lower parts, almost the opposite of the pear shape. So if you’re bigger in the middle, an A-line or an empire can easily disguise or hide your stomach.  Also possible are sheer waistlines, or princess-cut can give you a sexier look but can conceal as well.

Busty shape: Just as it sounds, dresses here help craft a more flowing silhouette and can use halter necklines, which narrows your shoulders while making you bust look smaller. V-neck and wrap neck are choices to consider as well. And unless you want to push your bust out even more (which you can certainly choose to do!), you’ll want to skip sweetheart or strapless necklines. A talented and experienced seamstress can accentuate and customize any style to take advantage of the dress that will be perfect for what you want for your day.

4. Keep Wedding Accessories Options In Mind

Veils, tiaras, jewelry, flowers and gloves; they all exist to complement the gown. The most beautiful gown in the world will be missing something without the right accessories.

Too much can look gaudy. Too little, and it can appear plain or as if you look like you are not whole. If it doesn’t complement the style and silhouette, even the venue or time of year, you’ll lose out on that perfect gown.

An experienced independent seamstress can often offer custom wedding dress accessories for hundreds less than busy bridal shops and wedding accessory stores. For example, custom wedding veils at Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations start at just $80-$120 and are often more decorative and stylized than veils costing over $200 in expensive bridal boutiques. Swarovski crystals, bugle beads, sequins and more can be added to veils and tiaras for an elegant look.

Again, details are everything. Tiaras, for example, have grown more popular, but there are hundreds of styles. Even wearing them at the wrong angle can affect your look. And choosing the right jewelry is an art all its own, while gloves and flowers require a deft, subtle touch. Complementing the perfect dress is a rewarding challenge, and a professional seamstresses can help a bride choose wedding dress accessories that are both affordable and easier on the budget… An experienced independent seamstress and designer can also help a bride with custom bolero jackets, sashes, gloves, crinoline slips, and veils that provide timeless elegance so every bride feels beautiful and  every inch the princess on her special day.

5. Knowledge Is Power.

A bride that keeps all of her options open by visiting and comparing an independent seamstress for a custom wedding dress or even just saving on the bridal alterations is armed with more knowledge and better choices.

By receiving more perspective from an independent seamstress outside of a busy bridal shop or wedding dress store, many brides ALSO discover they can receive better service and lower prices… way lower in fact… Just look at the online reviews below of some expensive bridal stores where service was second to sales…

Before having your alterations done at ANY busy bridal boutique or bridal shop / wedding store why not get a free bridal fitting with an independent designer and seamstress?

This allows a bride to take more time and to ask all the questions that should be asked when altering a wedding dress… It also affords a bride the often rare opportunity to slow down and make better decisions when deciding on which alterations should be done and at what price?

An independent designer and seamstress can also show a bride many different options for adding customization to their wedding dress, like sweetheart necklines, french bustle points, adding a corset and adding applications or adjusting the hem or train length…

A seamstress with at least 25 years experience is often required to perform more intricate and more elaborate wedding dress alterations and complete dress restyling. Only with knowledge, experience and patience can a seamstress truly help a bride get the look and fit they deserve. Let Touch Of Class Alterations create and design the gown you’ve always dreamed of, or provide professional bridal alterations to make your wedding dress picture perfect…

Is there anything more important than choosing the right seamstress?

Actual Wedding Wire Reviews From Busy Bridal Stores Below:

Here are some actual reviews from brides that didn’t get the service they deserved. I know it’s not always accurate to judge any store by just one bad review… but a great store should have very few or NO bad reviews at all… These wedding wire reviews are from actual brides that spent MORE on the dress to get better service…. Yet even though they had their alterations done at an expensive bridal shop or wedding store… they didn’t get the results they wanted. Therefore this information IS relevant to help brides avoid these EXACT same scenarios from happening to them…

“I’d recommend having your alterations done elsewhere, no matter which dress you go with.  I had a terrible experience with the bridal shop that did mine, and I’ve known so many other people who did, if you can find a seamstress on your own, go that route!…” (review from actual bride)

“I have huge horror stories when it comes to  _____… I don’t know where to begin. I would not recommend this place by any means. Lets just say..I didn’t even wear the $2,700 gown that I purchased… So, if you’re interested in a beautiful gown, I have one you can buy! …never worn. (they have a no return/exchange policy…under no circumstances..even death…” (actual bride review of boutique)

“…Please don’t go to _____…. They lied about random discounts to get you to put a deposit that day… “Oh, what a surprise, that dress is on sale today;” and they’re never consistent… they changed their “taking-picture” policies like ten times…  I honestly was mortified with their customer service. The dresses are beautiful… but I want the dress shopping experience to be happy and fun… not another horrible sales tactic …

” My dress was not made correctly and I had to pay to have it fixed (extra loops on the corset back because they did not got down far enough) I spent $400 in alterations to get a sewing machine hem (that was not straight) and bustle that did not hold up at my wedding reception for more than 15 minutes… “We had to use safety pins:( big disappointment to be worried about my wedding dress the whole day after i spent that much money…”

When they ordered my dress, they said I should get a size 8… I said ok… When the dress came I tried it on, it was so huge that it kept falling off of me… It wasn’t even close to fitting right. I accepted this because brides always hear that it’s better to have the dress be too big than too small… Let me rephrase that, I accepted this… until I found that I would be paying $570 in alterations after already spending over 2k on the dress...”

It was supposed to be ready for pickup at 10am the day before the wedding. When I arrived at noon, my dress was not only not THERE to be picked up… but it had not even been FINISHED…”

“It hadn’t even been touched since the last time I had been there, and my wedding was THE NEXT DAY… The store mgr said it “wasn’t a big deal” (at that point I started crying) and that they would have it done for me later that day…

What I didn’t understand is WHY didn’t I receive a phone call? Why do they allow this to happen to brides ever?  I already was SLAMMED with appointments (nails, hair, etc..) There was no way I could get back later to pick it up…”Luckily, one of my bridesmaids was due to pick up her dress later that day, and she was able to get my dress at that time….

Unfortunately, I did not try my dress on a final time until the day of my wedding… “

“Since the final touches were so slight, and I knew my dress fit well.. I didnt think anything could be wrong with it… I was just happy to have it. When I put it on… the cups were sewn up too high. So high up, that I couldn’t even pull my breast INTO THE CUPS!

Because of this, my dress fit very uncomfortable and looked very weird.…

By the end of the day…. the claps behind the bodice kept coming undone and people had to keep hooking (fixing) my dress for me throughout the evening…” …

“Oh yeah…. lets talk about my bustle. After an hour of having my bustle up, it broke… Not during dancing, mind you.. but during our photo session after the ceremony. My sister had safety pins and had to keep pinning it up in random places because it actually had 4 different bustles to hold it up.

At my actual reception it had fallen so many times that I kept stepping on it and other people stepped on it and PIECES of my dress RIPPED off… It was actually comical because people were wrapping the pieces around their necks like scarves or around their waists like sashes… “And finally.. the beads… I noticed loose threads when I got my dress before the wedding. It bothered me but I am kinda low key… so I figured it was such a small thing no one would notice. The closer I looked, however.. I noticed that beads and crystals were missing everywhere. ”

“My bridesmaids complained about the service there. My friends I referred to  _____  also complained about the service. I am sorry to have referred them. You would think that for the money you pay you would have a better experience and more of a quality dress. Save your money and go elsewhere…”

“…________ had some bad online reviews when it came to alterations. But I went there anyway…. My thinking was – you only really hear about the bad reviews as opposed to the good reviews right???

And, if there was any issue with alterations, the salon could resolve the issue and get me a new dress if need be, right? Wrong.  I didn’t want to take the chance and go some where else and not have the salon liable.  Since I was having some more complex alterations, I stuck with them and paid too much for terrible service. Price – I had heard alterations were pricey at  ______.  And, yes.  They were. 

Alterations were almost half the cost of my dress! I almost died! But at that point… when it’s so close to the wedding, you don’t care. I just decided to drink a Bloody Mary afterwards and not worry about it…”

And finally, “….My one complaint about my dress alterations was that the seamstress didn’t want to take in my dress as much as I wanted…  And for me that was unnerving.  I know me.  I am a realistic individual and had NO intention of looking like I had been stuffed in my dress and had it sewed on the day of….” I just knew the longer I wore my dress, the looser it became, so I wanted the seamstress to take it in to account for that.  Understandably, she was worried that I would pop a seam.  But as I suspected, on my wedding day, I found my dress to be looser and less form fitting, than I wanted. ”

Ultimately, I wasn’t entirely happy with the overall alterations.  I wanted my dress to fit and feel better than it did. The bustle didn’t look right and came loose before the reception…. ” ” … A lace up corset back would have made the dress fit perfect… but they couldn’t add a corset in time for my wedding…” Plus they wanted $280 to add a corset…”

Again, the above online reviews, are real experiences that may not happen to every bride… but these scenarios DO occur. We hear many of the same alterations horror stories from brides that come to Touch Of Class Bridal & Mari for help… this is always after experiencing an alterations nightmare that no bride should endure before her special day…

Alterations disasters, wedding gowns arriving late, incorrect hems, sides of the wedding dress being “taken in” way too far… and then the extra fabric being CUT away by an inexperienced seamstress from inside the wedding dress…. in this case the dress cannot be “let out” after a mistake is made… Or the opposite scenario is where many brides find seamstresses that are unwilling or unable to make their dress “fit right” because they are told to leave the dress looser to prevent mistakes.

Many brides are left wearing a dress that is either too tight or too loose on their wedding day. The end result is a wedding gown that does not fit and flatter in the wedding photos that document the disaster for a lifetime! Ouch…

Other brides end up buying more than one wedding dress out of frustration… There’s plenty of brides that will attest to buying more than one dress…

It simply is not fair to busy brides-to-be to go through such ordeals when they can be completely avoided altogether in the first place with a talented seamstress… By interviewing the independent, bridal shop and wedding store seamstress before agreeing to purchase a wedding dress, a bride can find out just how patient and experienced they are. Getting the real truth on the cost of alterations first, is another prerequisite for brides on a budget 

Don’t simply trust your wedding gown alterations to any store or anyone without doing careful research into their commitment to service and protocol to prevent alterations errors and scheduling mistakes….

OK… we’ve seen what can happen when a bride does not do enough research into the service of any bridal shop or store…We’ve  identified how each bride should be completely comfortable with the seamstress that will be working on her wedding dress…

We’ve also covered getting up front pricing on the cost of alterations for each bride and her wedding dress or gown…

Now Let’s Look At Some Positive Reviews:

Touch Of Class Phoenix Bridal & Alterations on Wedding Wire

Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations On Google

Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations On Merchant Circle

Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations

P.S. Visit many stores and entertain all options, but don’t forget to consider a custom wedding dress or gown and or wedding alterations & bridal alterations from an independent designer and seamstress!

Mari