A bespoke wedding dress usually needs three to five fittings, starting with the toile and finishing a few weeks before the wedding. A made to order gown is made to your measurements, and an off the rack dress needs as many as its alterations take. Each fitting has a job, so knowing what happens at each one helps you bring the right things.
On this page
How many fittings does a wedding dress need?
| Route | Typical fittings | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bespoke | Three to five | The gown is built on you, from toile to finish |
| Made to order | Explained at your consultation | The design is set and made to your measurements |
| Off the rack | Depends on the alterations | A standard size is altered to fit |
The number depends on the design. A structured corset bodice with all-over lace needs more refining than a soft, simple shape.
What happens at each fitting?
The toile fitting
A toile is a test version of your gown cut from plain fabric to your measurements. It is the first time you see your design in three dimensions. Typically the shape, neckline, waist and proportions are checked, and changes are marked onto the fabric. This is the cheapest and best moment to change your mind about shape, before the silk is cut. If drawings are hard for you to picture, this is where it all makes sense.
The first fitting
Your gown is now in its real fabric, usually held together loosely so it can be adjusted. Fit and balance are checked, along with how the fabric falls, and whether the bodice supports you the way it should.
The middle fittings
Detail work: lace placement, beading, sleeves, the back and the train. Hems are set with your shoes on. If you have a bustle or a detachable skirt, like Taharna’s, this is typically when how it attaches is worked out.
The final fitting
Your gown is finished or close to it. You sit, walk, raise your arms and try a few dance steps. Whoever will dress you on the morning learns the lacing, buttons and bustle. We aim to have every bespoke gown finished two weeks before the wedding.
What should you bring to a wedding dress fitting?
- Your wedding shoes, or the same heel height, from the toile fitting onwards. The hem depends on them.
- The underwear you will wear on the day, in a nude tone. A strapless bra or shapewear changes the line of a bodice.
- Jewellery and hair pieces, once chosen, so we can balance the neckline and back.
- Your veil, or ideas for it, if you are not having one made with us. We also make custom veils.
- Photos of your hair plans, since an updo or loose hair changes how the back reads.
Who should come to your fittings?
Bring one or two people whose opinion you trust, and keep the same people where you can. Large groups make it harder to hear your own view. For the final fitting, bring whoever will help you dress on the morning. Some brides make fittings an occasion, as Katie and her girlfriends did.
What if your body changes before the wedding?
Tell us early. Bodies change with stress, training, illness and pregnancy, and a couture gown can be adapted as it is made. We have dressed many brides through weight changes and pregnancy. For Belinda, we placed the lace across her shoulders and bust while the rest fell softly over her baby bump. There is more in our guide to wedding dresses for pregnant brides.
Planning your fittings starts with a consultation, or read more about custom made wedding dresses.
