We conform to the standards of the Traditional Catholic Church, which means all dresses have sleeves and moderately high necklines. Note: Hours given are flexible - if you need an evening appointment or can't call 'til after 7 pm, that's fine with me! Just please keep in mind that I'm in EST and don't appreciate 3 am calls. I am a self-taught fashion designer with over ten years of sewing experie
nce, a bachelor's degree in marketing, and a minor in graphic design. Every bride, every client has a unique personality, shape, and style and cookie-cutter, mass-produced dresses do not work for everyone. A dress designed specifically for you takes advantage of your good points, minimizes your "trouble areas," and makes you look and feel fantastic! If you are a first-time customer, I will make a muslin "mock-up" bodice for you that I will tweak until it fits you perfectly. Once I have this "template" of your figure, I can make all sorts of styles from it for future orders. For bridal gowns (or anything elaborate), I generally do at least 3 fittings throughout the process. First, I get your measurements via phone or email, and make the mockup. Then we meet in person for the mockup fitting. Depending on the distance, we can meet at my place or yours, or somewhere in between. Second, I take the tweaked mockup apart and use it as the pattern for your "real" dress. Once I have the main body and skirt of the dress put together, but before putting in the sleeves, we have the second fitting. This is where I will make any small adjustments as necessary, and mark the correct hem length. Third, I will finish the dress. When you come to pick it up, I recommend trying it on one last time to make sure everything is perfect. As far as a necessary time frame, I prefer to start the design process about a year before your wedding - right after you get engaged. However, I have done bridal gowns in three to four months, and in a pinch could do a simple gown in under a month. If you are constrained for time, please realize that when I call and say we need a fitting, that means that I cannot continue on your dress until we do that! Any delay is then your responsibility. When outfitting bridal parties, I prefer to finish the bulk of the bride's gown before starting the bridesmaids' gowns, since they are usually much simpler. As for alterations, please save yourself the trouble of purchasing a strapless or low-cut/short-sleeved gown and then having me try to alter it. I've done it, and they look great, but the cost is astronomical. If you are on a tight budget you are better off telling me your cost limit, and then letting me help design a dress that fits both your needs and your budget, the first time around. If you spend $250 on a cheap dress but then have to spend $500 in alterations, did you really save money?
