Made-to-Measure Bridal: Take Your Wedding Dress Beyond the Sample Size
Written by Curator Grace + Ivory
Whether you’ve just starting to shop for your wedding dress or have been shopping for a while, you’re probably discovering that there’s no one way to find your dress. Especially when the proportions of the sample sizing can leave much to be imagined in the bridal shop.
I’m sure you’ve been hearing phrases such as, “Made-To-Order,” “Off-The-Rack,” “Bespoke,” and now…Made-to-Measure; but what do these buzz words even mean? And which path is right for you based on your timeline, budget, and overall expectations of what your dream dress will look like and fit like on the day you pick it up!
Grace + Ivory, Sloane Dress. By Jess Fogel
What is Bridal Sample Sizing?
In the traditional bridal world, you go to a shop, try on a few wedding dresses (or a few dozen), say yes to a dress; then you’re done, right? If only it were so easy!
The shop then orders the dress to your largest proportion, often the hips or the bust. Which is where you get a numerical size (4,10,16,24…just to name a few) and your dress begins production.In 6-12 months (typically) , your dress comes in and you take it to a seamstress to alter the rest of it down to fit. Since most of us do not fit into one standard size perfectly, this process can get complicated. For some fabrics and lace appliques/beading…re-building a dress on the alterations table can start to run a pretty penny.
Grace + Ivory, Ava Dress
If you’re pressed for time, some bridal shops allow you to purchase a sample size directly off the rack and begin your alterations right away. Dresses purchased off the rack often have some wear and tear since you’re buying a sample that has been tried on by brides, gone to photoshoots, or even been put through the wash…but they also typically come with a discount.
Wedding dresses are typically designed and modeled for someone who is 5’9 inches and the average height for an American woman is just under 5’4 inches. So, while sample sizing works great for some and is the most accessible option (think David’s Bridal, BHLDN, most local bridal shops), it’s definitely not the best route for every bride. You have options!
What is Bespoke Bridal?
Bespoke Bridal is the at the opposite end of the bridal spectrum as it’s a completely custom experience. Your dress is designed with you, for you, from the ground up. Typically, you work one on one with a designer to create your vision. It’s really great for brides who know exactly what they want and want it to be one of a kind. Which is why it’s often the go-to for celebrities and influencers.
Grace + Ivory; Amara Dress
With a Bespoke bridal experience, you’ll go through multiple fittings for the dress to essentially be sewn onto your body with no need for additional fittings once the process is over. Since it’s a more involved process, prices for bespoke bridal typically start at $4,000. For a bride who needs a little help to see the overall vision, it’s often too costly of a risk to commit to a dress they may not love in the end.
What is Made-To-Measure?
At Grace + Ivory, we offer another option for Brides looking for a more personalized experience. In addition to being able to customize colors, fabrics, necklines, and more…we’re taking your wedding dress beyond the sample size to a dress that is made to your unique one set of measurements.
Grace + Ivory showroom; Bucktown, Chicago
After you chose a wedding dress, either from our Flagship Try-At-Home program or in-person in Chicago, we’ll take your measurements or guide you through how to take your measurements at home. This made-to-measure process is all-inclusive to the price of the dress you see online (under $2,500!)
A made-to-measure wedding dress is all about improving upon the proportional fit of our samples for a better fit the day you pick up (or receive) your wedding dress!
After Made-To-Measure
Although your made-to-measure wedding dress overall will be a better proportional fit, you should still expect a final fitting. Given your body can change in a 4-6 month timespan, a final nip and tuck are often needed to get to a final perfect fit.
Grace + Ivory; Malia Dress
All Grace + Ivory dresses are made with 2 centimeters (about 0.75 inches) of extra fabric on each side in case a dress needs to be taken out. And don’t forget to add in your bustle!
Made-To-Measure may seem intimidating but since many made-to-measure bridal companies (like Grace + Ivory) work directly with their production teams…often the production timelines can be shorter than other made-to-order brands. 3-5 months!
Grace + Ivory; Custom Dress
What Measurements Do We Take?
We take anywhere between 10-20 measurements! Although all of them are important, the silhouette you choose will play a role in which measurements are most crucial. Especially if you opt for dress that’s fitted through the hips, has a sleeve, or needs additional customizations.
So let’s break down a few key measurements…
Shoulder to Waist; A correct shoulder to waist measurement will provide a lot of value in how you look and feel in your dress. Think: where the waistline sits! Often with an ill-fitting sample size, the waistline will be below your natural waist and need to be adjusted in alterations.
Shoulder to Shoulder; You don’t want your straps to dig in or slip off, which can be hard to adjust with a sample dress that’s made to a standard shoulder to shoulder measurement. We’re all different shapes and sizes, shoulders included, so this measurement will be crucial for most of our designs!
Shoulder to Nipple; While most of us love a built-in-cup moment… if the cups are sitting too low or too high (or the wrong size) everything is going to feel off! Through a custom shoulder-to-nipple measurement we can achieve a better placement of your cups and bodice so you won’t need to worry about finding a bra that’s going to work with your dress.
Shoulder to Floor; Tall brides and petite brides rejoice, you won’t need to pay extra for your dress to have the length you like! Your shoulder to floor (plus a heel height) will help us ensure all the little details of your dress like the lace appliques are placed to the proportions of your body!
Wedding Dress Shopping Is Not One Size Fits All
Now that you’ve got some new bridal vocab, it’s important to weigh your options when it comes to how you want to shop for your wedding dress! Consider your timeline, your budget, and overall vision.
Sometimes when shopping for your wedding dress there can be a lot of outside pressure put on having a certain kind of experience. Listen to your gut on what kind of experience you’d like to have and be vocal about your expectations to ensure they can be met!