How much should alterations cost!?!?

Did you take your dress to the same place that you bought your dress? Is it a custom dress shop? My alterations cost $450 (and I felt the same way you did after she gave me the price) and all I had done was the hem and bustle and the shoulder straps. The dress itself was on sale for about $900, so the alterations were HALF the cost of the dress. Like what Carly said, I don't think you were necessarily rippied off, but I do believe that all brides get ripped off just b/c people can get away w/ it.......Regardless, i've accepted the cost of the alterations and moved on. :-) But it was hard to do!

My alterations were amost as much as the dress, see this link for more info:

http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t16994

also check out these links. seems like we're not the only ones screaming about the outrageous cost of alterations

http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t16703

http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t4018

I just had my alterations done.. Mind you My dress is from DB so nothing fancy. I got cups put in, the bust taken in, a little taken in in the chest so it lays flat and my bussell down and it cost 173... I think it is crazy waht they are quoteing you!

I'm paying $450 for mine (hemming, bustle, cups added).

It is expensive, but you also have to consider the time and labor that goes into altering a gown. I thought my alterations wouldn't be very expensive, but I wasn't aware of the amount of work that went into the hemming (a complicated seam with very thick fabric).

If you think about it, would you really trust your local dry cleaner for your alterations? Sure, they'd probably be a LOT less, but who knows what you'd end up with.

I'm ok with paying for my alterations because I know what I'll be getting in the end. I'm 100% confident in my seamstress (she's an old Italian lady that worked with Neimans and Chanel for over 20 years).

Is it more than I expected to pay? Yes.

Is it worth the peace of mind? Definitely!

I bought both dresses from the store and have since referred to of my girlfriends that bought dresses there (in the past 4 months). I don't think the material is difficult- the watters is taffeta - here's the link -can't copy/save pix

Watters Brides | Bridal Gown Collection | Style 1039B | Silk taffeta v-neck gown with fully draped bodice and dramatic trumpet skirt and embellished belt. Sweep train.

and the Hjelms is very basic

I had a freakout -bc I had everything budgeted really carefully- and though my dress budget got completely blown away- I "borrowed" from another budget. -- I cetainly didn't budget $600 for alterations... Reading that some of the other girls had $300-400 a dress helped -I guess misery loves company! Thanks girls for the input... I was tempted to pull the dresses and go somewhere else-but being 7 weeks out; would be a tad stressful...I'll def be working some overtime this summer!

I have having a lot done and mine are around $300. Mine is bustle and taking it in in a few areas plus adding some satin to the back. I would take your dress to an independent person and get a quote. Good luck.

Mine is costing at most $300 (I just went to my first fitting). I think it may be cheaper b/c with shoes I'm tall enough not to have it hemmed. I feel like it's worth it b/c my dress is a mermaid type and need to fit my hips/butt like a glove or else it looks silly. I don't think brides should pay more than 20% of the dress cost but that's just my opinion!

Mine is $500. which kills me. my dress was already enough...but oh well i don't want to risk anything happening so here is another $500 dollars i'm handing over like its nothing. this whole wedding process is nuts.

The shop here I bought the dress referred me to a seamstress that does all their alterations, she wanted an unbelievable amount to just shorten and bustle my dress, over $300.00. I went to my regular tailor, and she shortened, and bustled my dress. she also took the crinolin out and made it into a slip for me and moved the clasp on the ribbon. She also shortened my daughters bm dress, and took it in in the chest and shortened her straps, she then shortened my husbands pant's and charged me the small amount of $145.00. Now one reason I am sure she charged me so little was because I regularly have things altered by her, I am a good customer. If anyone has a regular seamstress I would ask what they would charge you, and if you don't I really think you will be charged higher if you stick with the bridal salons seamstress's. Another things you girls should think about is try to negotiate your alteration costs with the bridal salon before ordering your dress, I managed to get a pretty good discount on my dress from my salon because I asked, and I made it clear I had other dresses in other bridal shops that I liked just as well (not true) but it worked.

I think you have more than enough time to get a quote from someone else and getting them to do the work. It can't hurt to ask someone else for a quote, I really think you should at least try 1 more place before you just pay that much money.