Spinoff: How much were/are your alterations?

I have three to share and I want to add the type of dress will also greatly influence the cost. For example a hem on a lace dress embellished with lots of beadings will cost a lot more than let say a plain satin dress. For anyone looking to buy a dress, you should keep this in mind.

1) NYC, lace dress with lots of embellishments got quoted $800 to take in a dress from a size 14 to a size 2. A sales lady lied to the bride telling her it would be cheap and easy to alter it smaller. The store was going out of business so they wanted to rid of all inventory. It was neither cheap or easy to alter. The seamstress told the bride there is no guarentee the dress will look the same. The bride ended up buying a sample dress in the end.

2) DC metro area, lace dress with embellishments got quoted $350 to take in the dress two sizes, hem and a bustle.

3) NYC, lace dress got quoted $380 to just take in the seams of the dress.

$0!

But I paid close to 4k for a custom made dress... 10 fittings!

$330

$300 includes bustle, hemming, cups sewn in, taking the dress in all around bust and waist

$30 was paid to another seamstress to look at the dress. Didn't like her, so went with a nicer more reasonably priced woman

Got my dress from DB in Pittsburgh. Took her back there to get alterations.

Corset, 6 bustle, 2 permanent bustle, add applique, remove old applique, take in at sides, darts at bust. Total cost was 346. I thought that was a great price.

Somehow I found a dress in my first day of looking that fit me perfectly! I have rather large breasts so I didn't expect that. but since it is tea length, we didn't have to do any alterations!! But my friend is adding a sash and doing some hand stitching of a design on it, so I will be compensating her time on that.

@Future Mrs Cromwell: That's a good deal! Where did you take your dress in Vegas?!

$250 in Southern California at a lady who does it from home. Hem, take bust and hips in, 1pt bustle, and I have an illusion neckline coverup that also had to be taken in.

Mine was from DB and was around 300 for shortening straps, adding bra cups, tapering to give it a more mermaid look, adding a bustle and taking in the bust. Just remember you go somewhere other than DB to have it altered and you bought it there, if it gets messed up, they WILL NOT touch it or fix it.

I paid $220 at DB... hem, five point bustle (which stayed perfectly the whole reception) and taking it in a pinch under the arm.

$25. It didn't need a hem or bustle because I went tea length. All I needed was little snaps on the bolero so that it wouldn't be flying off my shoulder during the outside ceremony.

I bought my dress at Davids Bridal and also had the alterations done there as well. The dress I bought was a size 2. It was on sale so no other size were available. I'm tiny, only 5 foot 90 pounds so a lot had to be done even at size 2. Alterations ended up costing me $430. Even more than the dress was itself! Dress was on sale for $350. My goal was to stay under $1,000 so overall I'm still happy with the results. I can't wait to wear it!!

Edited to add:

Alterations included-

Bustle

Shortening the undergarment (was way too long)

breast cups

taking the dress in on both sides

taking the dress in on the back so you could see all the ribbon weave