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How Long Is A Wedding Dress Fitting?

You’ve decided upon your wedding dress and out in your order. Next is the fitting, the appointment to get it just right before your wedding day. But how long do these appointments typically take? What can you expect from it in terms of timelines? Well, here is everything you are going to want to know and consider. 

So, how long does a wedding dress fitting take? A first wedding dress fitting appointment typically takes an hour, on average. Subsequent fittings usually last around 30 minutes. However, some things can alter how long your appointments take. Such as the style of the dress and how much it will need altering. 

Let’s get prepared for your first wedding fitting and any that may come after and give you all the information you need to have a successful appointment. 

How Long Does A Wedding Dress Fitting Appointment Take?

A wedding dress fitting takes around one hour on average

So, be prepared to have to stand on your feet for a decent length of time while your seamstress works her magic, pinning the parts of your dress that might need altering. 

In fact, you may be standing for most of your fitting. 

So, although you will need your wedding shoes, bring some comfortable shoes to change into when you can.

Your wedding dress will be freshly ordered, but many boutiques will order the top end of sizes for the initial measurements they took during your first wedding dress appointment. 

This is to give them enough wiggle room and fabric for any alterations you might need. 

Knowing this allows you to expect that your wedding dress probably won’t fit and feel perfect during your first alterations appointment. 

This way, you can avoid disappointment because you know this is not what your dress will look like on your wedding day – unless you are lucky enough not to need a single alteration. 

An hour might seem like a long time, but your seamstress will want to make sure she knows exactly what your dress will need. 

By doing this, she can reduce the number of fittings you might need to get the dress of your dreams to fit perfectly.

When Wedding Dress Fittings May Take Longer

There are some situations where your dress fitting may take longer than an hour. I’ve outlined a few below.

Dress Size Fluctuations

If you have had a considerable fluctuation in your body shape and size, it could take longer for your seamstress to work out how to alter your dress to make it perfect. 

If you have lost a significant amount of weight, your initial dress may be too large to alter while keeping all the beautiful details. 

You may even have to reorder a smaller size if your dress has a lot of delicate embellishments.

If you have gained a large amount of weight, your seamstress may have to source matching fabric to expand your newly purchased dress.

Your Timekeeping 

If you turn up to your appointment late, you may find your appointment become much longer. This can be common if there is another appointment booked after yours. 

You may even find you have to wait an hour or two before the seamstress can see you. 

Alterations Required

If you have any embellishments or alterations that you hadn’t discussed with your seamstress beforehand, this could cause your appointment to run over the hour. 

Issues

Now, this is unlikely to happen, and hopefully, this won’t be you, but if there is an accident with your dress or something goes wrong with your dress order, this could make your fitting appointment last longer than an hour.

Your seamstress will need to try to figure out a way of fixing your dress or reordering your dress in time for your big day.

This is why it is so essential you don’t leave this appointment too late or too near your big day!

When Wedding Dress Fittings May Not Take As Long

Your first wedding dress fitting will usually last an hour or so, but any fittings after that will reduce in time. 

Most follow-up fittings usually take no longer than 30 minutes. Most of the alteration leg work will have been done, and there won’t be as much need to faff with your dress after the first fitting appointment.

You may be incredibly lucky, and the dress you ordered fits like a glove the first time you put it on. 

This will dramatically shorten your fitting appointment because your seamstress won’t have any pinning or hemming that needs to be done. 

Suggestions For A More Successful Wedding Dress Fitting

Your wedding dress fitting appointment should be fun and exciting.

Here are some tips that can help your dress fitting run smoother, leaving you less stressed about the appointment and more confident in the final look of your wedding dress.

Arrive On Time

When it comes to your wedding dress fitting appointment, there is no such thing as arriving fashionably late.

Arrive at least 10 minutes before your appointment to make sure that you don’t lose your appointment and that you have plenty of time for your seamstress to work out what alterations your dress will need.

Bridal boutiques are busy places and under a lot of pressure to keep appointments to their allotted time.

So be respectful of their time and turn up just before your appointment begins. 

Plus, turning up late can leave you feeling frazzled, stressed, and maybe even a little embarrassed.

Start your wedding dress fitting appointment on a good note and turn up at the time you agreed with the bridal boutique.

Contact Ahead Of Time

Calling your bridal boutique before your appointment will help you relax a little more before your appointment.

By calling ahead of time, you can confirm the time and date of your appointment, ask if there is anything you need to bring to make the appointment go smoother, and it’s an opportunity to ask any questions you might have before your first dress fitting.

Bring Your Wedding Day Undergarments

Purchasing your wedding day undergarments as early as possible is super important.

By taking them to your wedding dress fitting appointments, you can see how well they support you underneath your dress, if any straps or visible lines are viewable through your dress, and whether you actually feel comfortable with them underneath your dress.

Your seamstress will also be able to work her alterations around your chosen undergarments. 

The last thing you want is to wear these for the first time on your wedding day, and the straps are visible through your dress, your boobs just aren’t sitting where they should be in your dress, and you end up with some serious visible panty lines. 

Don’t Be Shy – Speak Up

Your wedding dress fitting is not the time to be quiet.

If you have any questions, your seamstress will be more than happy to answer them and quell any fears you have.

If you don’t feel physically comfortable with the suggested alterations, let your seamstress know.

She may be a miracle maker, but she can’t give you what you want if you don’t tell her.

Be polite but don’t worry about offending your seamstress if you are not happy with where the pins are going or the hemline she has suggested.

This is your dress and your big day.

Be confident about what you want and let the professionals know your opinion on how the alterations are going. 

Bring Your Accessories

Just like your undergarments, you will want to bring any accessories you will be wearing on your wedding day.

This includes jewelry, tiaras, veils, shoes, and even cover-ups.

What you envisioned may not work as well once you have the entire outfit all put together.

Bring these accessories as soon as possible, and trying them on with your dress gives you plenty of time to find alternatives if you need to. 

Another great tip is to bring a camera with you and get someone to take photos of you all dressed up from lots of angles.

This can give you a better idea of how everything looks together, and you’ll be able to revisit those photos if any doubts start to creep in.

Enjoy Your Wedding Dress Fittings

Your wedding dress fitting shouldn’t take much longer than an hour, and there are things you can do to shorten this time.

Make sure you have everything you need, you turn up on time, and you vocalize any issues or concerns you have.

Once that’s done, take the time to really enjoy your wedding dress fitting.

Most people will only have one or two dress fittings, and if you’ve picked the right partner, you won’t get to do this again. 

Take lots of photos and bring people you trust with you.

That way, you’ll have some really special memories to look back on. 

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