I purchased my wedding dress from an off-the-rack store that didn't provide alterations. I knew my…read moredress needed a ton of work, as it had a very long, full, lace train that I wanted shortened. Before finding Sue, I visited a different seamstress recommended by a popular Albany bridal shop. Not only did this other woman give me a really substantial price quote just to hem the dress and take it in, but she told me it may not be possible to do the work on my train, and suggested that I consider finding a new dress if I was committed to having a shorter train. She also made me feel uncomfortable and I didn't feel like I could be open with her. After deciding that seamstress wasn't right for me or my dress, I headed to the Internet and put my trust in the brides that came before me, and gave Sue a call.
Sue was upfront and clear with her explanation of her consultation fee ($40). I called her in January for my July wedding, and was nervous that she was not in a rush to get me in. She suggested that I meet with her for a consultation about a month after I called. I met her at her home in Clifton Park, as she works out of a room in her home.
Sue was immediately friendly and congenial -- nothing like my uncomfortable experience with the previous seamstress. She has a degree from FIT and used to design dresses, i.e., she knows what she is doing. Sue is also easy to chat with, which is nice when you're standing in one place for an hour or more at a time.
She gave me an estimate for shortening my dress and train, taking in my dress at the bust and sides, and adding covered buttons to the back -- which was less than the "minimum" price quoted by the other seamstress, and seemed fair for the amount of work needed. She also offered to make a veil for me out of my dress' extra tulle. (Although I purchased my veil elsewhere, I'm sharing in case there's a bride out there looking for someone to make her a custom veil!)
Sue told me to come back for my first fitting in April, and with a July wedding, that seemed like a very short timeline, especially as she told me I'd need 3-4 fittings. Sue is very busy, so in wedding season she does her dresses not in the order they are received but in the order of the weddings. Despite my nerves, I trusted her timeline. I am glad I did.
My only reasons for choosing a rating of 4 instead of 5 stars is that Sue did not explain that she would be adding flower appliqués to the train of my dress to hide the buttons for the bustle. Although this was necessary (because it would seem the delicate lace and tulle of my train would not alone be able to support the bustle), I do wish she would have told me about this because I did not love the look of the appliqués.
Finally, although the dress was finished on time and done so well, it was ready about two to three weeks before my wedding. I'm not a laid back person, so sticking to Sue's timeline made me so nervous. I asked her to have my fittings done earlier, but she set the fittings far later than I had wanted. If you are like me and want your dress done more than a month or so before your wedding, be sure to speak to Sue about this up front and be sure she can accommodate that timeline.
Ultimately, my experience with Sue was exceedingly positive. Sue removed at least a foot and a half of detailed lace from my train but you would never know the finished dress didn't come that way. She has to remove several inches of length from my dress's hem, too, which had a detailed lace edge. She seamlessly matched up the lace and kept the dress's integrity in tact. Although my alterations were quite expensive, I do believe it was comparable to the price most people pay at bridal salons.
Sue was probably the best "vendor" hire I made for my wedding. I would fully recommend her to any bride who needs a skilled hand at turning their bridal gown into their vision. I would absolutely return to her if I needed substantial alterations in the future.