Skip to main content
ARE YOU A VENDOR?

Post content has been hidden

To unblock this content, please click here

K
Super September 2023

My Custom Dress Experience has Begun!

Kimberly, on November 9, 2022 at 11:40 AM Posted in Wedding Attire 0 20
Saved
Reply
Hi ladies! I officially ordered my dress this morning from an Etsy store that has rave reviews, so fingers crossed! I never even imagined that’s the route I would go, but once I actually started wedding planning and looking at my options, I realized that I didn’t want to blow the bank on my dress but still wanted my dream gown. I’m a little (ok, a lot) nervous that I won’t be able to see it (other than update photos) and try it on until it’s here and of course it could be a giant unflattering mess, but I left myself plenty of time in case I need to scramble and find an alternative. I reached out to the Etsy store owner a few weeks ago with an absolutely bonkers request (hi, I like these 6 gowns blended together, can you do it) and a kindergarten level sketch, but from what I can tell so far, she understands what I’m going for. Anyway, just sharing since I’m so excited to have finally placed the order, and I’ll definitely update as things go for future brides who are curious about taking the online custom plunge! Will also post if I’m in complete meltdown mode after it arrives in a couple months haha!

20 Comments

Latest activity by Kimberly, on March 14, 2023 at 4:08 PM
  • Bird
    Super June 2021
    Bird ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    This is so exciting! Can you share the 6 pictures and your sketch? I would love to see.
    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Sure! So I asked for a mermaid with the top and back like pics 1 and 2, add sparkles if possible similar to pic 3, with the vertical cloud-like ruffles and train like pics 4, 5, and 6. And then my super elementary sketch is last haha.



    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 1
    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 2
    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 3
    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 4
    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 5
    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 6My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 7


    • Reply
  • Caryn
    Rockstar November 2023
    Caryn ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    Looks like it will be amazing! Can you share the name of the Etsy store? I was going to have Anomalie make my dress but they stopped accepting orders once David's Bridal bought them.

    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    View Quoted Comment
    I’m using Vicky Mermaid Bridal! In addition to her Etsy reviews, I looked her up on here and Reddit, and she gets rave reviews on both her speed and quality of the work. I was looking into a few stores, but that’s who I landed on based on her reviews and what I could see of her work on Etsy. I had also heard about Anomalie and was sad to see they’re not operating anymore.
    • Reply
  • M
    Expert July 2023
    Michele ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Congratulations!! I hope your dress is all you envision it to be.

    • Reply
  • Laura
    Dedicated September 2022
    Laura ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Good luck and can't wait to see photos!!
    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    So I finally have updates! Sorry, I have to do this over a couple posts because my app starts glitching when I write a longer reply. I’ll start with the bad/ugly first. It’s taken a looooong while to get to this point. My understanding based on reviews/detailed Reddit threads/info from the shop itself has been that with full custom orders, she sends pics after they finish each major piece to get the buyer’s approval, that way they can correct any mistakes. From what I can tell, this has been a very effective part of the process, and a lot of the brides have been able to catch things that were super easy fixes with an unfinished dress that might have been a nightmare later.






    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    So soon after I ordered in November, she sent me lace patterns to pick from, and I sat back to wait for the lace work pics. And waited and waited and waited. About six weeks in, I messaged her with a light check in, just saying I was curious about how things were going. She said great and she’d send me the lace pics by the end of the month (December). We get to the start of January, still no pics. It was the holidays, Chinese New Year’s is coming up, China’s going through a big covid surge right now, so I totally understand if there’s a delay. I just want to know.

    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Plus my local seamstress for alterations books months in advance, so I wanted to know if I need to reschedule my first appointment with her now (which I made based on the general timeline Linna provides, plus a month in the event of delays) before she gets booked up for the spring. So I checked with Linna again, not asking for pics or anything, just saying can I get an estimated timeline and explained why I need it. She responded pretty quickly and said I’ll let you know tomorrow. Tomorrow came and went.
    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Basically every single time she has said “I’ll do X by Y” so far, it hasn’t happened. So finally this morning (four days later), I messaged her more firmly this time and said all I’m asking for is a timeline and a quick report, no pics needed, and if you haven’t started my dress yet, that’s fine but I would like to know what’s going on. Less than five minutes later, she responded that the lace work is done and needs my approval to continue, and they’ve already started the skirt. Still no ETA, but I at least feel better having an update.
    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    So now the (very) good: here’s my first batch of update pictures and I absolutely LOVE it!!! The back is actually close to complete (assuming the other half is done lol) since I’m doing illusion mesh there so no lining. I’m really not trying to rush things at all, I just want to make sure I get that appointment covered with my local seamstress, and it feels better knowing that at least my dress is being worked on. She did also promise skirt ruffle pics later today, but I’m not holding my breath lol.


    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 8My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 9My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 10



    • Reply
  • Caryn
    Rockstar November 2023
    Caryn ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content

    Thanks for the updates. Looks beautiful so far. Please keep us posted. I'm going shopping next month, but I'm pretty skeptical that I will find exactly what I'm looking at all, much less in my price range. I'm not getting married until November, so timing isn't really a problem. This may be a perfect option for me!!

    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    View Quoted Comment
    Ahh good luck dress shopping! You never know! Honestly, I don’t have dress regret at all (yet), but since ordering I’ve seen multiple pictures of dresses that I would have been super interested in and that are a completely different style from what I ordered. So something might surprise you once you’ve tried it on!
    • Reply
  • Bird
    Super June 2021
    Bird ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    These new pictures look absolutely gorgeous! I’m confident the rest of the dress will come together perfectly. The timeline seems a little nerve wracking though. Can you schedule your first and second fittings with local seamstress? That way, if you don’t have the dress by the first fitting, you at least have an appointment for the second fitting (which would be your first fitting.). But I could see why the local seamstress might not want to book you twice. Ahh! Very exciting still. Good luck!
    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    View Quoted Comment
    That’s a good suggestion, thanks! I’ve been keeping an eye on her appointments, so I’ll reach out to her if they get too far out. I’m sure the dressmaker feels like she has my custom measurements so alterations should be limited, but I at least want to add a bustle locally because I wanted to make sure I get the one that’s most appropriate and that I like, and make sure that my MOH knows how to do it lol.
    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    I finally have another update! It looks like the skirt is done, and then the beading, which is kind of hard to see, is just a small portion so I could approve before they continue. I can only imagine how long that’ll take because in my inexperienced head that is super time intensive, but progress!


    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 11
    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 12
    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 13

    • Reply
  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    View Quoted Comment
    Oh wow, this looks like it's coming along beautifully! I hope you post the finished product once it's available, I'd love to see how it turns out!
    • Reply
  • M
    Expert July 2023
    Michele ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    View Quoted Comment
    Wow!! So beautiful!! Congratulations!
    • Reply
  • Tanisha
    Just Said Yes October 2024
    Tanisha ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Thank you as I am thinking about ordering online.☺️
    • Reply
  • K
    Super September 2023
    Kimberly ·
    • Flag
    • Hide content
    Ok I think this stressful saga is almost over (at least in terms of the dress getting made and delivered…fingers crossed it fits!!). Here are the final pics she sent me, and I just got a notification from DHL that the estimated delivery is next Monday. There’s been a lot of drama, but at least in pictures, I am SO SO SO SO SO thrilled at how this turned out!


    My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 14My Custom Dress Experience has Begun! 15


    • Reply

You voted for . Add a comment 👇

×

Related articles

40 Fall Dresses to Wear to Weddings This September, October, and November
Wedding Guests 40 Fall Dresses to Wear to Weddings This September, October,... Need a wedding guest outfit that lives up to the autumnal aesthetic? Look no...
The 40 Best Dresses to Wear to a Winter Wedding as a Guest
Wedding Guests The 40 Best Dresses to Wear to a Winter Wedding as a Guest Not sure what to wear to a winter wedding? These outfit ideas beautifully salute...
32 Spring Wedding Guest Dresses That Are as Fresh as the Season Itself
Wedding Guests 32 Spring Wedding Guest Dresses That Are as Fresh as the... In search of a seasonal wedding guest outfit? Any of these gorgeous dresses or...
Read more articles
WeddingWire celebrates love ...and so does everyone on our site! Learn more

Groups

Show more

WeddingWire article topics