How should I hem my dress??

The bustle should hike up your dress like two inches off the ground so you should be good=]

Awesome! i dont have a clue about any of alterations stuff!

The bustle only pulls up the back of your dress. I don't think there's a way for the dress to be adequate length in 5" heels and in flats. I would go for something in the middle, that you can wear both for the ceremony and the reception. I am 5'10" and both my mom and my sister are about 5"3'. The pics were fine, nobody looked stumpy :-)

If you are going from 5inch heels to flip flops, be prepared to trash the bottom of your dress... a bustle is not going to make that big a difference in the overall length and not evenly anyway... meaning it is not going to be the same as having it hemmed a shorter length. it only pulls up the train. you will be tripping over and ripping the bottom of the dress...

Mrs. S--- i think i might try and see what in the middle looks like.

Ashlee-- i am not going to be whole heartedly diappointed if i trash the bottom of my dress. I just dont want to fall down lol

If you are going from 5inch heels to flip flops, be prepared to trash the bottom of your dress... a bustle is not going to make that big a difference in the overall length and not evenly anyway... meaning it is not going to be the same as having it hemmed a shorter length.

Carly - be prepared for it to be a pain even if you hem it somewhere in the middle of 5 inches and flip flops. If the shoes were 2 inches or even 3 you might be able to get away with it, but 5 inches is a lot (and I think this is what Mrs. S is saying too).

Think about when you tried the dress on before it was hemmed at all -- it will be kind of like that - difficult to walk, move around, etc. It's not just that you will trash the bottom, but I believe Carole M said she did this and people were stepping on her/her dress all night.

I never even thought of other people stepping on it all night! thats why i wanted opinions!

i need like a panel velcro-d inside the dress to make it longer during the ceremony and then un-velcro it at the reception! lol how redneck would that be!

Did you talk to the seamstress yet? Maybe she can add some kind of front bustle? so that you can shorten the front after you take off your heels.

The bustle is for the back, to hide the train so no one steps on it/rips your dress.

The front WILL need to be raised after you take off your heels or you will be stepping on it while you walk. You might even trip yourself while walking.

If you don't want to see your shoes, you will need to have the dress hemmed to the high heels. If you don't mind seeing the shoes, have it hemmed to the flats. But SOMETHING will need to be done so you don't trip.

I say the more you can use velcro on a wedding dress the better Hayley as always makes good suggestions!

I think this is the reason that the reception dress is becoming somewhat popular. Bustles can run from $20 to $150 (and I'm sure more) depending on the dress and what you want (although whatever you decide you want a secure bustle -- the ones that fall are just as problematic as a hem that's too long). So an option is to take that money and buy a little white dress.

I'm not sure what your dress looks like, but I suppose another option is putting a bigger petticoat under the dress -- it still won't cover 5 inches though unless it's HUGE. Or a pair of 5 inch wedges?? They shouldn't sink like heels. Good luck

Hey Carly! What if you hem it in the middle? So what if you show a little shoe at the beginning? If they're 5 inches, they're probably hot and you probably want to show them off! Also, be prepared to be holding up your dress during the reception.

Good thread im in the same boat but i think im only doing 3" heels.

Hayley -- no i havent talked to a seamstress yet. I am going to pick up my dress from DB on Saturday, so ill ask then. I just thought I would ask here since there are so many people, I thought maybe someone had a clever solution!

Christine-- they are pretty hot! They are leopard print. But they dont really match my wedding, I just thought they were so amazing and that it would be cute for pictures.

Thanks for the input ladies!

Heather-- I will see what the seamstress says on Saturday, if she has anything good to say, I send it your way!

My train wasn't CRAZY long... and since I don't like the way lace looks bustled I had a loop under my train that I wore around a finger. That pulled the whole thing up a little bit... but I did change into a short dress for dinner. But I agree... 5" to flats will require something, you will definitely be tripping on that. Would you consider a smaller heel instead of flats?

I was just going to say....add a slip when you change shoes! Amber beat me to it. Maybe not a hoop slip because they flip up weird when you sit, but maybe just another layer or two of tulling under your dress.

This is my dress....do any of you think it would look good with extra pouf underneath it?

What about 5 inch heels for the ceremony then 3 inch platform wedge flip flops or heels for the reception? Maybe 5 inch wedge shoes for the reception? I haven't been able to find 5 inch flip flops anywhere but there are 3 inch ones around.

I have the same problem but don't want a hoop/volume for my dress