How to choose an atelier to make your wedding dress: 7 signs

A wedding dress is made once, and the cost of a mistake is high. Here is what to look for when choosing an atelier, from our experience of hundreds of dresses made.

1. A contract with a fixed price

A good atelier works under a contract that sets out the price, the timings and the completion date. That protects you from extra charges along the way and from missing the date.

2. A transparent estimate

You should understand what you are paying for: the work separately, the fabrics and trims separately. A warning sign is an atelier that cannot explain what the price will be made of.

3. Real fittings

Made-to-measure work means two or three fittings, with the dress worked to your figure between them. If someone promises to make it in one go with no fittings, the fit will be a lottery.

4. Their own portfolio

Ask to see the atelier's real work, not pictures from the internet. Their own photographs of finished dresses on brides say more than any words.

5. Honest timings

A professional will not promise a complex hand-embroidered dress in a week. Real timings run from one and a half to three months. A brisk "we will have it by tomorrow" should give you pause.

6. A clear deposit

The normal practice is a deposit before the work starts (ours is 50 per cent) and the balance when you collect the finished dress. A demand for 100 per cent up front is worth thinking twice about.

7. A workshop you can visit

A good atelier works from its own workshop: you can come in to see the fabrics and finished dresses, and the measurements and every fitting happen there too. That is a sign of a process that runs properly.

This is exactly how we work: a contract, a transparent estimate, two or three fittings and honest timings. It is easy to see for yourself - read more about tailoring in St Petersburg on the "Wedding dress made to order in St Petersburg" page, or book a consultation straight away and we will answer everything before the work begins.