12 Jun My wedding dress is too tight! What can I do?

So, you have found the wedding gown of your dreams, you have invited all of your friends to the dress fitting, only to find that the dress you have been daydreaming about is too tight around your rib cage and that the bust is too tight. You can’t breathe, and all hope you had of a fairytale wedding is now out the window.

Not so fast!  We have good news – you can make the dress a bit larger to fit your body perfectly.

The experts at Exclusive Alterations are here to guide you and give you some advice.  Whether your dress isn’t fitting due to unexpected weight gain, or simply because you are bloated, we have some recommendations.

How to Let Out a Wedding Dress

Most wedding dresses have a seam allowance of about 1 inch on each side. That is why it is possible to undo and reattach the seams to expand the dress.

Do not try to alter your dress yourself, as this will only cause more stress and embarrassment to you, something that a bride definitely does not need. You have to make sure to measure the dress first, then take it to a tailor or seamstress.

First, you have measure your bust area. If it is too tight in the bust area, then you will need to take two measurements – one around the bust and one around the waist. Note down the difference between the two measurements and subtract the first measurement from the second.

Once the measurements are done, you may start with the alterations.  

If it is the seams on your wedding gown that are too tight, you can consider releasing them. Your seamstress will need to remove the stitching on both lateral seams (that is the seams under the arms) to make your dress wider.  The larger the alteration, the more time it will take to do, and this is something to

Zipper Extender or Corset Back Wedding Dress Alteration 

Furthermore, your seamstress or tailor can opt to add a zipper extension to the back of your dress.

A corset back might be the best idea if you don’t have enough seam allowance to make the dress bigger. A panel of material and a few corset loops can effortlessly be added by your tailor once the zipper has been removed.

For the finishing touch, your seamstress may add an additional piece of material taken from the bottom of your gown to the inner seams below your arms.

A gusset is a rectangular piece of material that is put into a seam to give width or lessen the tension of tight dresses.