Alterations vs new dress entirely

Maybe you should see how much alterations will be before thinking of buying a new dress. Just have a few dresses in mind and compare the price of the new dress and how much it would be for alterations on this dress. Of course, it's not up to me but I think that dress looks beautiful on you! From the picture I don't see a lot of side boob! I think it looks great! But do whatever makes you comfortable!

Where I am in NJ, wedding dress alterations cost me a flat fee of $550. This included everything and anything. So even if I only wanted a hem, I’d have to pay $550. If I wanted to line my bodice and raise the neckline and hem and line the side panels, $550.


I think the dress looks gorgeous on you! I think alterations could def make you feel more comfortable and secure in your dress. That’s the most important part.
It can be stressful tho because you won’t know what it will look like, you’ll have to use your imagination and if it doesn’t come out exactly like you were envisioning you can either ask the seamstress to keep working on it OR be ok with the dress whatever way it comes out

Thank you both!! I think I’m caught up too much in the mindset from “Say Yes To The Dress” that you have to love everything about your dress/not make any changes. Appreciate both of your insight!

It really shouldn't be that much, as it could be one panel to cover the sides and deep v. Get a few quotes. If you even have a family member who's handy, they might be able to do it! I did my own alterations. I would keep the dress though, so gorgeous!!

Is the illusion fabric on your dress nude or ivory/white? If white, it’s probably easy to add lining. If nude, adding a white or ivory lining behind it will make the overall color look cream / off white. We did this with my dress bc I was told the seamstress would be able to swap the nude illusion out for ivory illusion, but when I reminded her about it at my first fitting she said she couldn’t do that. She used a brighter white lining behind the nude illusion in hopes it would look ivory/white like the rest of my dress, but it still looked noticeably different. It was just a small part of the back and sides, but I was pretty unhappy with it and ended up asking my photographer not to take pictures of the back of my dress without my veil on. The good news is I haven’t been able to see it in pictures/video so far, even when my veil isn’t over it, so it may not have been as bad as I thought, but under really clear lighting I could always see it. In the photo below it was lined on just the right side of the photo, for reference.

I think the dress is gorgeous and I don't see any side boob! I would definitely vote for slight alterations vs. buying a whole new dress, especially if your wedding is soon. But it really doesn't need much, you look gorgeous.

Beautiful dress Looks great on you !

I know this doesn’t help but I love your dress. It also looks really good on you!

View Quoted Comment This is a good point- thank you. I believe it’s white (see pic) but unsure!

View Quoted Comment

Looks white to me! I would just ask whoever will be doing your alterations what your options are, but it seems like it would work with a lining behind it without giving that cream/off-white effect. They may also be able to line with something that's sheer or semi sheer (like another layer of illusion fabric) so you get a little more coverage to make you feel less exposed, but still retain the look of "floating" lace that you have here.