One of the more common questions I’m asked is what a bride can expect at their fittings. I can’t speak for other bridal companies, but here’s what happens at your fittings when you design a custom wedding gown with Hannah Caroline Couture!
For most wedding day looks, if you are designing your dress with us in-person, the process will involve only two fittings. Depending on the complexity, detail, and desired fit of your garment(s), there may be additional fittings involved in your design process. Either way, you can rest assured that your garment will fit your exact body, no matter how many fittings it requires, and the fittings won’t come at any additional cost to you. (It’s also important to note that fittings occur for brides using our local in-person design process; this doesn’t apply to the brides working with us from a distance, whose gowns are shipped. For long-distance brides, here's a great way to get that "bridal shop moment" when ordering your gown online!)
Also note: all Hannah Caroline Couture brides will receive confirmation emails when they book their fittings, which will include more specific details and additional information about what you should expect and bring to your fitting(s). The information in those emails will be the most updated, comprehensive information to give you the best experience possible.
Your First Fitting
At your first fitting, this will be your first opportunity to see, feel, and try on your dress in person. While it won’t come as a surprise to you because we send progress photos throughout the creation of your gown, this is an exciting and emotional experience for our brides - you’re seeing your wedding vision in real life for the first time, right in front of your eyes!
What to Expect
During your first fitting, you will try on what’s best thought of as a “draft” of your gown. At this stage, your garment will typically be about 90% finished. If there are lace appliques, rhinestones, bra cups, or other hand-sewn details, they most likely won’t be on this version in case fit adjustments need to be made first.
If applicable, bra cups will likely be pinned in as opposed to sewn in so we are able to find the perfect cup positioning. Any lace appliques that may be part of your design will be pinned in place, so that we can add, remove, or adjust the placement of those before they're permanently sewn. The hem will generally be unfinished in order to check the length; it’s crucial to bring the appropriate shoes so we can perfect the length of your garment. If you’d like, I’m also happy to take photos of you in your garment for your own personal reference or to be able to share with your loved ones.
What to Bring to Your First Fitting
- The undergarments you plan to wear with your dress. Plan to bring or arrive wearing the undergarments you plan to wear with your garment on your wedding day. This generally means the bra you intend to wear with your garment (unless you're having bra cups installed), and any shapewear or other foundational garments you may wear with it.
- Boob tape or fashion tape, if needed. During the design process, we'll discuss whether you'll benefit from using boob tape to get the chest support you may need, and/or fashion tape to help any tricky necklines stay in place. In almost all cases, we strongly recommend skin-colored KT Tape (kinesiology tape generally used for athletes) in place of products marketed as boob tape. Also plan to bring a couple of band-aids to place over sensitive areas before taping. You may choose to experiment with the application of these products before you come to your fitting, or we can help you apply them properly once you arrive.
- Your wedding shoes. Plan to bring the shoes you intend to wear with your wedding dress. However, if you don’t have them yet, bring a pair of shoes with a similar heel height. These are very important so that I’m able to accurately measure the perfect length for your dress.
- Accessories, if you want to do a trial run of your full look. Though not required, many of our brides bring their veil, jewelry, hair accessories, etc. in order to fully envision your complete wedding day look. This would be a great time to test everything together and make sure your accessories are the styles you want to stick with or change before your final fitting and/or your wedding day.
Your Final Fitting
Your final fitting is when we confirm the fit and overall details of your outfit. We will check everything from the placement of appliques, bra cups, length and other details to confirm that everything matches your vision.
What to Expect
While other brides shopping at standard bridal shops typically have their “I Said Yes” moment while finding the right style at the shop, the final fitting is when HCC Brides really have that “I Said Yes” moment. When you see your wedding dress vision come to life and it’s perfectly fitted to you, the emotions come out! Many of our brides say that this is when it starts to set in that they’re getting married soon and that they truly feel like a bride.
After checking the fit and having that “bridal moment”, I present a thoughtful gift to my brides and take plenty of photos, including one with my “I Said Yes to a Custom Dress by Hannah Caroline Couture” sign. During this final fitting (if no additional adjustments are needed), the final balance is due for your garment, and you get to take your garment home in a breathable protective custom garment bag to keep it safe.
What to Bring to Your Final Fitting
- The undergarments you plan to wear with your dress. As with your first fitting, plan to bring or arrive wearing the undergarments you intend to wear with your garment on your wedding day. This generally means the bra you intend to wear with your garment (unless you had bra cups installed), and any shapewear or other foundational garments you may wear with it.
- Boob tape or fashion tape, if needed. If we determined at your first fitting that boob tape and/or fashion tape is necessary, bring those items again to your final fitting. You may choose to apply these products before you come to your fitting, or we can help you apply them properly once you arrive.
- Your wedding shoes. Plan to bring the shoes you intend to wear with your wedding dress, or shoes with a similar heel height. These are very important so that we can confirm that the hem length is correct.
- Accessories, if you want to do a trial run of your full look. Though not required, many of our brides bring their veil, jewelry, hair accessories, etc. in order to fully envision your complete wedding day look. This would be a great time to test everything together and make sure your accessories are the styles you want to stick with or change before your wedding day.
- Hair and makeup (optional). This is a great time to try out your hair and makeup for your wedding day so you’re able to see if there are any changes you’d like to make before your wedding day. As the timeline of your final fitting often aligns with hair and makeup trials for your big day, some brides choose to have their hair and/or makeup trials on the same day as their fitting, so they can test out their complete look before their wedding day.
- Important guests (optional). This is the ideal appointment for loved ones to attend so they can see the finished garment and the full look with your hair, makeup, and accessories. This also helps them get the “bridal shop experience” with you. My in-home bridal studio can accommodate up to 3-4 guests in addition to the bride.
Fittings are an exciting time where your wedding dress vision truly begins coming to life. Many HCC brides say their fittings are when it starts to really sink in that they are getting married, and I love being a part of that feeling! I hope this has given you a helpful look into how fittings work when ordering a custom wedding gown.
Looking for inspiration for your custom wedding dress? Check out Hannah Caroline Couture’s Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to see which wedding gowns we’ve made recently!
If you’re considering a custom gown, check out these 12 tips for ordering a custom wedding gown online. Then, learn how to find the right custom dressmaker for your wedding here.
This blog post was all about what to expect at your wedding dress fittings.
What to Read Next
I hope this post has helped you understand what to expect at your wedding dress fittings when you work with Hannah Caroline Couture! Here are a few other helpful posts to check out:
- 5 Ways to Highlight Your Tattoos on Your Wedding Day
- How to Break with Wedding Traditions: Tips & Encouragement for Non-traditional Brides
- How to Find the Right Custom Dressmaker: 18 Questions to Ask to Find the Right Fit
About Hannah Caroline Couture
I am proud to specialize in creating custom wedding gowns for brides of all sizes, with a passion for providing an amazing customer experience whether I get the chance to work with you in person or at a distance. While I love making garments in any size and for any personal style, I get a little extra excited about working with plus-size brides and brides that want to get married in something really unique and non-traditional.
