Wedding dress lace alterations can involve much more than simply shortening the hem, especially when the dress is finished with delicate lace appliqué. For this gown, the original lace needed to be carefully removed before I could shorten the skirt. The aim was to keep the beautiful detailing while making sure the new hem looked just as it did before.
Shortening a wedding dress isn’t always as simple as taking up the hem, especially when it’s finished with delicate lace appliqué. For this dress, the original lace needed to be carefully removed before I could shorten the skirt. The aim was to keep the beautiful detailing while making sure the new hem looked just as it did before.
One of the things I always pay attention to when altering a wedding dress is keeping the original design.
With this gown, I wanted the lace to sit naturally along the new hem, rather than looking as though it had been added afterwards.
Once I was happy with the placement, I secured the appliqué with loose hand stitches before finishing it with free-motion embroidery.
It takes a little more time, but it makes such a difference to the finished dress.
After the lace was stitched back into place, I gave the hem a final press and checked how the layers fell together. The dress now had the right length, with the original lace detailing still part of the design.
For me, a good alteration isn’t about changing a dress into something different. It’s about making it fit while keeping the details that made it special in the first place. Bridal and occasionwear alterations are available by appointment at my studio in Kingston upon Thames.
A Bridal Hem, Reworked Preserving the Original Lace Appliqué Wedding
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