Bridal alterations · Rolleston studio & private home visits
Found in a boutique, ordered from afar or handed down through your family, a wedding gown asks for an exact fit. Corina refines every line, from bodice to hem, so it moves with you from the aisle to the last dance.
Corina’s bridal craft began beside her aunty, a well-respected Waikato bridal seamstress. It was refined as Bridal Alterations Specialist at a leading Christchurch bridal boutique, and in developing and leading the bridal alteration services of two of New Zealand’s alteration chains. Today her work is reserved for local boutiques and for brides of her own.
What Corina does
Every detail
From the fall of a hem to a bodice rebuilt from within, Corina’s bridal work reaches every part of a gown.
- Hems set for your shoes and your venue
- Taking in and letting out, for a close and comfortable fit
- Bustles that lift the train for the reception
- Straps, sleeves and necklines, reshaped or added
- Lace, beading and appliqué, restored by hand
- Heirloom gowns, thoughtfully restyled
- Bodices rebuilt and reshaped
- Veils, made to order
- Earlier alterations, quietly set right
Unsure what your gown needs? Your first fitting will tell you, and your price is confirmed there.
Your fittings
The fitting journey
Each fitting is private, one-to-one and unhurried, and you will always know what is being done to your gown, and why.
01
First fitting
Around eight to ten weeks before your wedding. Corina pins the gown on you, considers the silhouette with you and confirms your price.
02
Second fitting
With the main work complete, Corina refines the fit and shows you how your bustle is fastened.
03
Final fitting and collection
A final try-on close to the day. Your gown is then pressed, finished and ready to go home with you.
Most gowns are complete in two or three fittings; a restyle may ask for more. Payment is due before your gown goes home.
What to bring
- Your wedding shoes, or a pair of the same height
- The underwear or shapewear you will wear on the day
- Your veil, belt and any accessories worn with the gown
- Images of looks you love, if you have them
Shoes and underwear change how a gown sits and where its hem falls, so please bring the pieces you will wear on the day to every fitting.
Home visits
Fittings take place in Corina’s Rolleston studio or, by appointment, privately in your own home. A home visit is easier for a full calendar, a bridal party or anyone who prefers a familiar room.
Good to know
Before your fitting
How much will it cost?
There is no price list, for no two gowns are built alike. Your price reflects the fabric, the layers of the skirt and the work your gown asks for, and Corina confirms it at your first fitting.
Hemming
A bridal hem is rarely a single layer. Lining, tulle and lace are each shortened in turn so the skirt keeps its fall, and a lace border can often be lifted and reset. It is careful, unhurried work.
Taking in and letting out
Most gowns can be taken in generously. Letting out depends on the fabric held within the seams, so if your gown is snug, bring it in early.
Bustles
A bustle gathers your train after the ceremony, so you can move, mingle and dance freely. Read the guide to bustle styles.
Straps, sleeves and necklines
Straps can be added, removed or reshaped, and sleeves and necklines reworked, so the gown feels secure and looks as you imagined.
Lace and beading
Loose beads, torn lace and lifting appliqués are restored by hand, matched closely to the original work.
Heirloom and restyled gowns
A mother’s or grandmother’s gown can be given a new neckline, different sleeves or a closer fit, while keeping everything that makes it precious.
Bought online, or booking late?
Online gowns are cut to a size chart rather than to you, so they often ask for more work. Read what to check when your gown arrives, and when to book your fittings.
In their words
Words from her clients
Blown away by the service from Corina! My wedding dress looked even better than I could have ever imagined when she was finished with it. She did such an incredible job, and I couldn’t have been happier with the result. Highly recommend Corina!
Brittney H., Google review
Corina had to make a complete new bodice – so I took the opportunity to have something I really wanted – a dress which was slightly off the shoulders … Thank you Corina for your patience, your kindness and your talent. … You’re a gem who I will never forget!
Pam M., Google review
Corina’s depth and experience in bridal alterations and tailoring is evident in the knowledge she brings when fitting you and explaining what looks best and why. The quality of her work is absolutely outstanding too!!
Jacinta, Google review
Only add reviews with the client’s permission, word for word. Never write or edit a review yourself.