Abby Malloy LLC Fitting Prep.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to prepare for our fittings and alterations process by reading through my studio standards.

(**These studio standards are non-negotiable. They are very intentionally set and I do not make exceptions.)

What To Bring:

-Your wedding dress

-Your ceremony shoes

-Any specific undergarments you are wanting to wear with your gown

-Do not bring additional gowns that need alterations that we have not already discussed and scheduled into our alterations process.

When to arrive:

-Please don’t arrive early, just be on time.

*If you do arrive early (even if it’s 5 minutes early), please communicate with me and ask if I am ready for you to head in before our set fitting time.

How to arrive:

-Make sure to be fresh and clean for all your gown fittings.

(Don’t plan a sweaty work out or other similar things right before your bridal fitting. You want to have clean skin & clean hair for your fittings. The why: Excess skin and hair oils can discolor white fabrics within just 3-4 weeks. Your wedding gown is not like everyday white laundry that can be washed on demand. We want to keep your wedding gown clean and pristine.)

Who can come:

You are welcome to bring one lady with you (I do not allow men in my studio) - this can be your mom, grandma, bestie, sister, ect. (they need to be 15 or older - for business liability reasons, I do not allow little ones in my studio). If you’d prefer to come solo that is just fine, too. (Unfortunately my studio is not handicap accessible. If you have in mind to bring a grandmother, please let her know that there are stairs to walk up.)

Fitting Appointment Timeframes:

-Plan for 2-3 total fittings, scheduled about 3 weeks apart at a time.

-The first fitting will be about 1hr long and all alterations will be decided and pinned at this fitting. The second/third fittings will be about 20-30minutes long. The second fitting will be for checking the overall fit of the gown and identifying any small touch-ups that may be needed. These 2-3 fitting appointments (totaling 2hrs all together) are included in the cost of alterations.

-For brides that request more than 3 fittings, or for more complex alterations resulting in more than 3 fittings needed: additional fitting appointment costs will be added to your alterations total at $60 per 30 minute fitting timeframe.

-The alterations process will be finished at a minimum of 3 weeks before your wedding date. I do not carry out alterations closer than 3 weeks from the wedding date for both yours and my peace of mind.

-An additional fitting appointment charge will apply under certain circumstances. For example: If the wedding day shoes are not brought to the first fitting and an additional fitting needs to be scheduled just for the hem, an additional fitting charge would apply.

-An additional fitting charge may also apply under the circumstance of late fitting cancelations or changes with 24hr or less notification time.

Right Before Your Fittings:

I have a strict no-smoking policy - please do not smoke anything within at least 5 hours before our set fitting time. This policy is set in place to respect other bride’s gowns, veils, and heirloom items that are in my fitting room as well as any allergies of the bride who’s fitting is right after yours. If there is any smell of cigarettes (or any other smoke smell) left behind in the studio after your fitting(s), a cleaning fee of $150 will automatically be applied for each fitting session this happens at. Please communicate this to the lady who may be coming with you to your fittings as well - it’s better for her to know before hand than for you to have to tell her that she cannot come in with you.

Alterations on Sample Gowns:

If your sample gown (an off the rack gown) is visibly dirty (dark hem edges, make-up spots, etc.) or dirty in the sense of smell (armpit areas), you will need to have your gown cleaned before our first fitting. A $175 cleaning fee will automatically be applied to your alterations total if your dress is dirty by Abby Malloy LLC standards. You are welcome to send me pictures of your gown or of any spots on your gown if you’re in question of it needing cleaning before our first fitting. (I do offer professional in-house dry cleaning based on my availability. Let me know in advance if that is something you are interested in.)

Vintage and Heirloom Items:

I do offer professional in-house dry cleaning for vintage and heirloom redesigns and projects if needed. I use a vintage-safe cleaning solution that also conditions the materials.

Steaming and Pressing:

I do offer week-of-wedding steaming and pressing services. Most bride’s prefer a fresh steam and press for a day-before or morning-of-wedding pick up. If that is something you are interested in, we can talk about these options at our final alterations fitting.

Email and communication Hours:

M-F (not including holidays): A 24-48 hour response time is industry normal. If there is an area of concern with your dress, please send several photo angles with your email so that I can be ready to review your written description of the concerned area and photos together.

The Final Fitting:

This will be your time to move around, sit, and walk in your wedding dress after all the alterations have been completed. It is your responsibility to approve the final fit and feel, so don’t be shy. Move around and feel everything out as needed, make sure you like your undergarments with the dress on, etc. If you need sweat-proof sticky bra suggestions, I have a few to recommend. We will video the bustling process on your phone (I have an in-studio tripod we will use if you come solo). I will also give you instructions on steaming your gown if you choose to steam it yourself (again, I do offer day-before or morning-of steaming options if you’d like for me to steam your gown).

Rush Fees:

A $150-250 rush fee may apply for turnaround times of less than 7 weeks.

The alterations process is so special and exciting because your dress is being transformed to fit and complement you perfectly! If you have any questions, just send them my way ~ my door is always open.

I’m excited to meet you and start our process together!