Okay Okay, it's a bit of a hostile title, but blogging experts say you've got to get 'em interested with controversy from the get-go.
This post is to outline those instances when you may want to cross "custom dress design" off your list as an option for your bridal gown.
1. Your timeline is too short. Custom gowns take time, honey, and sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day to get to all the dresses we want to. If you're looking in the peak of the "season" (May thru September), you'll be hard pressed to find someone with enough time on their hands to get the project done and up to snuff. My general rule is minimum 12 weeks, but even then it's a tough call. Set up a consult, be honest and up front about your timeline from the start, and we'll see what we can make happen!
2. Your dream is too big for your budget. So you want to look like a cross between Celine Dion and Princess Di, but you've only got a few hundred bucks for the gown? Start on Ebay, or Etsy, but please understand that just because it's local and it's handmade doesn't mean it's going to fit into the tiniest of budgets. Sometimes it's actually more affordable to go with the dream dress off the rack, even if it is hard to swallow.
3. You want beading galore. Beading is very time consuming! There's a reason why it's done overseas, you don't want to pay me to take all that time to put every little tiny bead on there! Trust me, it's tedious work. Although, I can refer you to a beading enthusiast, if need be!
4. You just can't splurge on that (insert designer here) gown you tried on at the high end boutique down the street, but you really really want it! The truth is, that Vera Wang gown is actually priced fairly for the amount of work and quality of materials that went into making that gown. Many times, if I can nail the style for you, it won't feel quite right...and there are a million reasons why! Those reasons are all on the inside of the gown, the things you don't see but that you can just feel when you have it on. It's really hard to reproduce that feeling for you, and chances are if I can do it, it won't end up costing you much less.
5. You have to have that material. I have a lot of resources at my fingertips, but sometimes that duchess satin you want is just plain out of your budget, and out of mine. National brands have the buying power to order hundreds of yards of material at a time, so manufacturers will not only give them the best bang for their buck, but they'll make it to their specifications.
6. You can't spend more than $300 total, for the entire ensemble. For some reason, people think that custom is going to be cheap! (Actually, it's either real cheap or real expensive...) Now, it doesn't have to be crazy expensive, but I really do find it insulting when someone brings me a picture of a dress from a national chain that retails for $195, and wants me to make it for half that price. I am not a factory worker, and this is not China.
7. You don't know what you want. You've seen a ton of dresses, and they all look the same...just, not quite right. If you don't know where your ideas are going, it's going to be really hard to define what you'd like for me to make you. If you have the time, take a few more weeks to really narrow down what you're looking for, then if you're still thinking custom, give a girl a call.
8. You don't have room in your schedule for fittings. This is a big one. We won't just take your measurements, and see you in 6 months for an alterations fitting. I'll want to see you every few weeks to make sure the process goes smoothly, step by step. If your life is jam packed with work, school, community dodgeball, volunteering at the mental hospital, and planning your wedding, I have a feeling it's going to take a lot to get down to the studio for a couple hours every few weeks. Scheduling problems tend to be the most frustrating, on both ends.
9. You can't imagine the final product without seeing it first. I understand! Everyone's brain works in different ways, and you're in good company. Most girls walk out of the dressing room their first muslin fitting with a look of utter regret, because what we start with is nothing like what we end up with. If you just can't possibly imagine what all those pieces together are going to look like, and the sketch I've worked up for you doesn't help, we're both going to have a heck of a time trying to get through the process stress-free. Usually I can help ease that stress a little bit, but we all have our limits.
10. You're not comfortable in your own skin. This is by far the most important one. The fittings you'll have to endure are by no means unethical or degrading, but they can feel that way to someone who is not comfortable with their body! The most difficult part of the fitting process is getting the pattern shapes right on the bodice, meaning I spend a lot of time up close and personal with your puppies. No feelsies, but I need to get in there to get the shape right, same with through the hip. If you're not comfortable with a professional all up in your grill to make your dress fit you right, it's best just to cut out that tension and get something off the rack.
Hope this helps!
Love
Sara
