What Your Mother Doesn't Know...

Saturday, I had a mother of the bride pick up some alterations a week after her daughter's wedding.  I had worked with the family through the pre-wedding period, altering several suits, bridesmaid dresses, mother of the bride dress, and the wedding gown.  

She excitedly showed me pictures of the big weekend, including pictures from the mani/pedi party the night before the wedding.  One picture she showed me me was of her daughter, the bride, pulling out a bottle of sparkling cider with a label on in proclaiming "Baby V due in August!" 

The mother of the bride said she almost dropped her phone.  Her daughter's pregnancy was a complete (and happy!) suprise for her. 

Not for me.  The now Mrs. V had shared that with me in her first fitting about 7 weeks ago, just 2 days after she had found out she was expecting.  Ironically, this is not the first time someone has confided this secret to me.  It is one of the best perks of the job, and a perk that comes my way often.  I have quite a well known knack for maternity alterations.

There is something really special about knowing a happy secret about a stranger, and it is doubly wonderful hearing the happiness from both sides. 

Shotgun Solutions

I have quite the reputation in this town.

Today, I was contacted by the 3rd bride or bridesmaid this month with the same problem:  Help!  I'm knocked up and don't want to look like a house at this wedding!!

My eyes get dreamy with happiness when this challenge arises.  Making clothing fit a unique body type is my favorite part of this job--but pair that with making a $1200 Pronovias custom designer gown fit a 6-month baby bump "while making it not too noticeable--I haven't told my grandma yet!" and it's pure alterations heaven. 

Right now I'm having some serious regerts about not photographing any of my work---carefully peeling the beading back, adding a long, skinny ellipse-shaped gusset into the side seam, and then re-applying and weaving the beading into and over the gusset to make it seamlessly accomodate the baby.

I've always wanted to start a business by the name of  "Shotgun Solutions" (patent pending!!!) that specialized in maternity wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses.  At this time, I'll settle for being the go-to guru.

So what should you do if you find out that you're going to be X number of months knocked up at a wedding that requires an advanced purchase of a bridesmaids dress?  My tip of the day (or, shotgun solution, if you will):

•  2 - 5 months--order one size up. 6 - 9 months--two sizes. If in doubt, err on the bigger side.  You can always take a dress in without having to worry about purchasing extra fabric, but not neccessarily out. 
•  Find out what the price is for an extra yard of fabric--or better yet, find out if the dress comes with a shawl as a backup plan. 
• If you get the option of a style, look for something with an existing waist seam or better yet, an empire style..   Princess seams are harder to alter to make the top and middle look proportionate.

Are these groundbreaking solutions?  Nah.  Do you have an innovative solution?  Include it in a comment below!