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In 2012 more and more brides are looking for ways to enhance their wedding dress and make their wedding gown truly unique. A custom wedding dress bust line is one way to truly customize your wedding dress for both style and comfort.
In order to add a sweetheart neckline to a wedding dress, it is necessary to permanently alter the bust line of the wedding gown. The level of difficulty in adding a sweetheart neckline always depends on the type of fabric used in the wedding gown as well as the cut or silhouette of the wedding dress to start with.
To add or not to add a sweetheart neckline…
Here are the Top 3 Reasons to add a sweetheart neckline for your own custom wedding dress.
To Add Or Not To Add A Sweetheart Neckline To The Wedding Dress Reason #1 - Added Wedding Dress Comfort.
Add a sweetheart neckline if you want to add elegance and style to a dress that may not have enough custom elements already. For example, a strapless wedding gown will already have more style in the bodice with a rigid corset filled with boning and layers of fabric….
With this in mind, adding a sweetheart neckline to a strapless wedding dress, can add a more dramatic look to the strapless wedding gown, especially if the bust line is already heavily beaded or adorned.
Many times a strapless wedding dress design will have plenty of detail in the bodice, yet somehow the wedding dress designer forgot to continue the attention to detail in the bust or neckline. It is quite common to see brides that fall in love with a fab wedding dress that has almost everything they want…
One of the benefits of adding a sweetheart neckline to a wedding dress is it almost always can add curves and shape to the bustline. A well designed sweetheart neckline can also offer more breathing room and comfort in a rigid corset style strapless wedding gown or dress.
In order to correctly add a sweetheart neckline to any wedding gown, you will need to enlist the help of a professional and detail oriented bridal seamstress or wedding dress designer that specializes in wedding dress restyling, bridal alterations and designing wedding gowns exclusively.
A professional seamstress understands the importance of both symmetry and comfort when adding a sweetheart neckline to a wedding dress. The degree of difficulty required to alter a wedding gown neckline with perfect symmetry and curves, requires a steady hand and industrial sewing machines.
Adding a sweetheart neckline almost always requires lowering the neckline and permanently removing boning and/or fabric materials from the wedding dress.
It is best to inquire of your potential seamstress, if they guarantee their work and your total satisfaction with adding a sweetheart neckline design element to your wedding gown. It is also best to get references from other brides to verify the quality of the work they received and how comfortable they were with the overall fit of their wedding dress.
To properly add a sweetheart neckline a wedding dress, the wedding dress designer or seamstress will basically build up the existing structure of the wedding dress to reshape the bust line into the shape of a heart. Adding a sweetheart neckline is a fantastic detail that many busty brides love, as it accentuates their curves, while adding a lighter more comfortable style to the wedding dress… A custom sweetheart neckline should almost always require a multi-layered structure underneath to add proper support. Adding cups to the bodice can also help brides that love the romantic and captivating look of a sweetheart neckline, regardless of their bust size.
Many brides feel their dress is lighter and can breathe better once they open up the bust line by adding a sweetheart neckline. By taking your time to select a talented and experienced independent wedding dress designer or seamstress, many brides can add comfort while saving money over having this type of wedding dress alteration done at an expensive wedding dress store or bridal shop. A bride will look better in her wedding photos if she feels great in her wedding dress.
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Adding a sweetheart neckline to a wedding dress certainly can help any bride look even more stunning, while adding creativity and style. Make sure to remember that the more detailed your wedding dress already is, the more care and detail that will be required to add a sweetheart neckline to your wedding dress.
Having a sweetheart neckline to a wedding dress for many brides means visiting the wedding dress store where they purchased their wedding gown. In most cases, an in house bridal alterations department can handle adding a sweetheart neckline, but it is always a good idea to get a few outside quotes to have the alterations done for more budget conscious brides. Many brides have shared their experiences online of feeling they paid too much to add sweetheart neckline or to alter their wedding dress hem. In fact, many brides also have reported in online reviews that even though they relied on an expensive bridal shop or retail wedding store to do their wedding dress alterations…. They honestly felt rushed through many of the bridal fittings, starting with the first fitting.
How can this be? Once a bride has purchased an expensive wedding dress at a retail store, most brides encounter the alterations department and settle for less than stellar service. The truth is many bridal shops are big on sales clerks and sales service….
But once a purchase has been made, their alterations department is often understaffed and overworked. With many brides relying on the same quality of service and attention to detail that they witnessed during their dress purchase, many are shocked that the alterations process can take weeks to even get in for their first fitting. Since many bridal shops are quite busy with brides receiving dress orders that they have waited for months, it is quite common for brides to notice an alterations lady or store seamstress making recommendations that strangely are steering them away from their own ideas and vision.
The reason is an exquisite, finely detailed wedding gown, will almost always require up to 4 hours of work just to add a sweetheart neckline. This is due to the fact that the beading and design work on the bodice on the wedding gown will need to be removed and re-applied once the sweetheart neckline has been added. To make matters more challenging for a bridal shop seamstress, many of the seamstresses are underpaid and are expected to get volume work done, so working for 3-4 hours on one single wedding dress alteration, can slow down the service output to other brides. Subsequently, the level of service is not always the same as what a bride encountered when first selecting a wedding dress. Especially if a bride wants to make more dramatic changes to a wedding dress.
For example, a bride decides she would love to have a sweetheart neckline but her dress is a halter style. This requires a highly skilled seamstress and the exact materials to restructure a wedding dress. Or a bride that wants to add a sweetheart neckline to a dress that is not strapless and without a corset. Almost always changing a dress to a strapless or backless design requires a high level of skill and removing applications, design elements and beading and then reapplying the elements after totally re-designing the dress into a strapless wedding dress design with a sweetheart neckline.
The bottom line is many brides are given only 3 weeks before their wedding to come in for the bridal alterations on the advice of the wedding gown store or bridal shop in the first place. This is dangerous timing as a more conscientious bride will almost always demand that the seamstress follow her direction. The last thing a bride to be needs is to be told that there is not sufficient time to add a custom design element like adding a sweetheart neckline, a corset or a strap less re-design.
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It is estimated that up to 50% of brides “settle” on less than what they envisioned for their wedding dress for the above reason of being steered away from doing more difficult and detailed wedding dress alterations.
The second reason brides settle is the cost quoted during their first bridal fitting. Since many stores cannot do the more detailed and skilled alterations on short notice, they must either subcontract the work or ask their best seamstress to pull longer shifts to get the job done. It is not uncommon for a bride to be quoted up to $350 or more to add a sweetheart neckline to their wedding dress. This exorbitant pricing is not counting hemming a wedding dress, changing the hem length of a wedding dress or taking in the bodice of a wedding dress.
Nor does the quote cover the cost of adding straps to a wedding dress or changing the backline or converting a wedding dress to a strapless design. In addition, many stores charge a bridal fitting fee of up to $25 for each fitting and any additional fittings necessitated by an uncompromising bride.
In this scenario, many brides break down right in the store and give up on their ideas. This is mostly stress and disbelief that they are “suddenly” under time pressure in regard to their wedding dress itself… this is always on top of all of the other arrangements that must be handled the final weeks before the wedding day. This is the exact area where hiring a talented local seamstress can change a brides wedding dress alteration experience, removing the stress, lowering the cost and reducing sticker shock from the often undisclosed pricing of more detailed bridal alterations at a retail wedding dress boutique or bridal shop.
The author and seamstress has interviewed brides that were quoted over $800 to do the wedding dress alterations listed above, with no guarantee that the fit would be perfect since the fitting were always rushed just weeks before the wedding.
A good seamstress always recommends doing the major bridal dress alterations at least 60-90 days before the wedding with a free final fitting for minor adjustments a week or two before the wedding day. This leaves plenty of time to get the alterations done and removes one more worry for a busy bride the final weeks before her wedding.
To Add Or Not To Add & Sweetheart Neckline To A Wedding Dress Reason #3 - A Unique Wedding Dress Is Always Remembered.
It is far better to find a dress that a bride absolutely loves that is within her budget, and then add a sweetheart neckline than to purchase a dress that is too expensive just because it has all of the elements a bride wants.
Part of feeling comfortable in your wedding dress is being comfortable with the cost of the wedding dress and the cost of bridal alterations. Many brides fall in love with a dress not only for how it flatters their figure but also for finding a bargain that with just a little alteration, adding a sweetheart neckline for example, will look even more flattering!
Many brides love the how a sweetheart neckline for lack of a better expression “made their boobs look better” Brides also report that adding a sweetheart neckline to a wedding dress definitely adds more curves and shape to any wedding gown.
To Add or Not To Add A Sweetheart Neckline To The Wedding Dress – Creating a Unique Custom Wedding Dress
Adding a sweetheart neckline to a wedding gown can help a bride feel more beautiful and special as all eyes are on her dress as she walks down the aisle. An exotic, custom wedding gown is almost always remembered…. Not to mention the stunning photos a bride will cherish for a lifetime. The more unique a wedding dress is, the higher the likelihood that the wedding dress will be preserved as an heirloom dress for the brides own daughters one day!
Of course, a talented seamstress can add dramatic lines to any wedding gown adding style and personality to the dress. Brides that want a more romantic wedding or even a more chic wedding that is sassy and opulent will almost always love fine detail work on a well-crafted sweetheart neckline… A stunning bride certainly is one that is creative, fun and intriguing. Bridesmaids and guests will often comment on how fantastic a wedding dress truly is, expressing their approval with questions of “who designed your dress…?”
This example from real clients is almost always a great feeling for an independent designer and seamstress. It is an equally rewarding experience for the intelligent bride that does the research necessary to explore other options outside of just “settling” for whatever service level a retail wedding store provides.
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While it is true that there are many exceptional wedding dress stores with great alterations departments, this is often the exception and not the rule. More often than realized, brides encounter high, unexpected prices for altering their wedding dress the way they truly want it at an expensive bridal shop or wedding store in phoenix. If a bride truly wants to make a statement on her wedding day, this almost always will require hiring a wedding dress designer or seamstress with a great level of experience and a highly developed skillset.
When hiring a seamstress ask for references and photos of their work. Remember that part of altering a gown and adding a sweetheart neckline is knowing how to deconstruct the reconstruct the support and structure of a wedding dress… this way the dress is even more comfortable and supports the new design elements.
An example of this is an experienced seamstress should be able to make a corset lace up style with boning and a high quality bodice from scratch. A talented seamstress will also be able to do the fine detail application work, removing beading, stones and applications and then reapplying them in the original pattern on the wedding dress. Many brides have come to the author with alterations done to their dress that were done incorrectly or with substandard materials.
Touch Of Class Bridal Alterations recommends in order to add a sweetheart neckline, to redesign underlying structure in the bodice and remove/reapply applications and beading… A talented seamstress will need to pay close attention to fine details.
To Add or Not To Add A Sweetheart Neckline to The Wedding Dress – The Finish
The finish of the look should be as flattering as the fit and comfort of the design. If a bride feels the urge to “tug” her strapless gown, or if the neckline is itchy or uneven, this is an example of shoddy work on the bridal stores part. Again, for a wedding dress to truly be memorable, it should make a bride feel luxurious and comfortable. There should be no “bridal tug” because the wedding dress should be custom fitted in the bodice and neckline. The structure of the wedding dress bodice should exceed the original manufacturer’s skill level resulting in a more comfortable design.
Another example of why adding a sweetheart neckline can create a truly unique and memorable wedding dress, is the combination of adding a well fitted, and strong lace up corset. A well designed and fitted corset should be comfortable allowing a bride to “take in” her waistline while accentuating her bustline and curvy features.
Almost any bride, regardless of cups size, can accentuate their figure, smooth their torso (so no bulges are evident in the wedding day photos of the bodice) and add detail and emphasis on areas that a bride wants to be seen, like a sweetheart neckline area that is perhaps further adorned with some bridal jewelry, a tiara or a veil A great seamstress is comfortable with the slow painstaking process of converting a simple less dramatic neckline, into a fiery, ravishing sweetheart neckline shape, bedazzled with swarosvki, beading, rhinestones or simple elegant lace work and applications.
Many wedding dress designers and seamstress wear special magnifying glasses with lenses when doing detailed beadwork. This is in order to keep symmetry and style of the applications at acceptable standards of quality. This is one area where many alterations shops and bridal stores fall short as they are pressed for time by their own dress orders and time tables they have given brides.
If you have decided to do your bridal alterations to your wedding dress at the bridal store alterations department, make sure to request references and ask to see a dress that has been made into a sweetheart neckline. That way you can see what the finished quality and attention to detail looks like. You will also need to look inside the wedding dress to see if the bodice was structured, cups were added or how they supported the new bust line of the gown.
Adding a sweetheart neckline to a dress properly requires adding boning in many cases to the bodice, especially for bustier brides that want to show cleavage… This is extremely important in order for a bride to feel comfortable and supported with a strapless wedding dress. A bride should also inquire about adding cups or options for a supportive bra to work well with a sweetheart neckline. A bride should also be open to using some two sided tape to add support and prevent any low cut sweetheart designs from becoming a dress failure. Runways models, actresses and brides use bridal tape in order to keep a sweetheart neckline perfect during the wedding ceremony, photos and reception. A great design is still protected and enhanced with the proper bra, cups and invisible tape to ensure a picture perfect special day every time.
To Add or Not To Add A Sweetheart Neckline to The Wedding Dress – Tips
One bride that was extremely busty commented online that she was surprised that no wedding gown can be guaranteed to lie perfect on the bust line, when a low cut sweetheart or “deep v” is incorporated in 2012 wedding dress styles. This bride didn’t like the idea of her seamstress recommending using “tape” in addition to the careful design of her corset, sweetheart neckline and bra choice (no bra in this case just cups) What can be learned from this is that alterations for more dramatic styles on busty brides are almost always complimented by taking the advice of a knowledgeable seamstress or wedding planner, all of which that recommend using bridal tape in addition to adding a sweetheart neckline for a memorable, unique wedding dress!
In addition as mentioned earlier, some wedding dresses will have fabric and a cut or silhouette that requires adding boning, a corset and even cups to fully support a sweetheart neckline for each bride’s body type and shape…. 
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This multi-faceted approach to the structuring of a wedding gown can be costly when adding a sweetheart neckline, especially at regular busy bridal shops and wedding dress retail chain stores. It is a good idea to get a quote from an independent seamstress and wedding dress designer in order to save the most on multiple alterations when adding a sweetheart neckline for a more dramatic look.
Many brides report having better attention to detail, lower pricing and better more personalized service by working with an independent phoenix seamstress. So when it comes to creating a look they’ll never forget on your wedding day, consider all of the options including more personalized service at an independent designer or seamstress
This way a bride can actually get her alterations done up to 90 days in advance of her wedding at prices that are up to 50% less than more expensive high overhead wedding stores and bridal shops. A bride should never feel rushed or that her questions were forgotten or not answered fully during a bridal fitting. It’s actually very common for a bridal shop or wedding store to fail to adequately take the proper amount time to address all of a brides concerns or questions.
This is always due to the fact that many stores have more sales persons than they have seamstresses. A great bridal shop will always explain all of the best alterations options that a bride should consider when deciding on making changes that require extensive alterations to a wedding dress. A bride should always be given the option of restyling her wedding dress so she can truly feel unique and special on her wedding day! After all, your wedding is an event, if not the event you will remember for the rest of your life!
Don’t settle for less than working with a patient, kind and knowledgeable seamstress that offers quality and pricing that doesn’t break your bank or your budget. And never settle for a wedding dress that is uncomfortable after the alterations have been done somewhere. I cannot stress enough the importance of a bride feeling comfortable in her wedding dress. If you don’t feel comfortable in your wedding dress after the alterations have been done, then how can you feel comfortable during your wedding ceremony, photo shoot and reception?
To Add or Not To Add A Sweetheart Neckline to The Wedding Dress – Sewing & Alterations
Altering or sewing a wedding dress is more than just sewing a hem or adding straps… It often requires restructuring a wedding dress to add a sweetheart neckline properly, for example….
In fact most of the most common wedding dress alterations (adding a corset, adding a sweetheart neck line, resizing a bodice, changing hem length etc.,) do require the skill of an experienced and exceptional seamstress…. to do it right
To Add or Not To Add A Sweetheart Neckline to the Wedding Dress – Conclusion
In order to ensure a picture perfect wedding day without any wedding dress disasters or mishaps… it is best to meet with and interview a seamstress first to determine their experience level and comfort with doing more elaborate wedding dress alterations.
A bride should be totally comfortable when standing, sitting, dancing or walking in her wedding gown. Finding the perfect fit that flatters while fitting your budget is an art form all it itself. And it all starts with finding a seamstress or designer that you are completely comfortable with.
Make sure to inquire about the cost of adding a sweetheart neckline to a wedding gown before you decide to purchase it at a retail wedding dress store. If the prices are too high for your budget to add a sweetheart neckline, alter a hem, add straps etc, then make sure to interview a local seamstress and compare prices and level of service. Another great way to verify if a store or seamstress is a good value it to head over to Wedding Wire and look up their online reviews. Wedding Wire is a bridal website that verifies all of their reviews to make sure they are written by actual brides.
For Local Phoenix Brides:
Read online reviews to compare a local phoenix seamstress to an in-house alterations dept. of a bridal shop or wedding gown store. This way you can see if you will get better service going with an independent seamstress in the phoenix area. Use your intuition at the store too. Look around and see how brides are being handled after the wedding dress purchase. Many brides do get great service at a wedding store or bridal boutique, but sadly some brides are left waiting for their fittings. Make sure you are completely comfortable with the alterations service, price and quality of work before making your final decision on where you will have your bridal party alterations and wedding dress alterations done.
And remember…. altering your wedding dress and getting fitted should be fun!
A bride should never feel rushed during her bridal fittings and alterations experience… Bring Mom of bride, bridesmaids and friends for support to your fittings And work with a seamstress you are comfortable with! Good luck in your search for the perfect wedding dress. Like many brides, you may just decide to add a sweetheart neckline to that almost perfect dress. And when that time comes, if you do your due diligence and decide to come in for a free bridal fitting… I’ll be here to help
Mari Is A Local Phoenix Wedding Dress Designer & Seamstress -Call Touch Of Class Bridal & Alterations For All Of Your Bridal Alterations Needs -For A Free Bridal Fitting Today
Mari@TouchofClassAlterations.Com
About the Author
Touch of Class Bridal Alterations is owned by Mari Torres.in Phoenix AZ Mari has 26 years of experience in bridal fashion and custom wedding dress design.
Book a free bridal fitting or custom dress / restyle consultation today on the Touch of Class Bridal & Alterations website convenient online scheduling calendar today….
