Mina Design and Tailoring

As brides, most of us have not had much experience nor have much knowledge about wedding dresses and wedding alterations. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misleading and unrealistic information available online which not only isn’t helpful, but adds to the confusion.

Knowledge is power— it also saves a lot time and hassle. Misconceptions make walls between you and receiving the best service you wish for and could get. Getting the best at a reasonable, realistic price should be the goal, not finding the cheapest service. You get what you pay for!

Empower yourself by reading our “50 Frequently Asked Questions”!

1- Is it possible to see Mina in my first fitting?
Mina sees every bride herself, in every appointment, in privacy of our large studio. She does not allow any interruptions and you'll get her full and undivided attention.

2- Why can't I just stop by your shop and show my dress?
We are a bridal studio specialized in couture bridal tailoring. We are by appointment only because Mina sees every bride herself, and we believe every bride deserves privacy and undivided attention. Once a bride is here we cannot allow another one in.

3-My previously worn wedding dress is torn, can I bring it to you?
Unfortunately, we do not do repairs on a dress after it has been worn. However, as a courtesy to our clients, we do the work if the dress was originally worked on here and no one else is skilled enough to fix it.

4- Do you allow people to make appointments by phone, like other tailor shops?
We are not a tailor shop. We are bridal studio specialized in couture tailoring. We prefer clear, detailed, and concise communication, which is not possible by phone. We also prefer to keep the studio quiet and peaceful for the brides in fitting and consultation.

5- I see that many brides who leave you reviews say Mina is an “artist” who changes the fit magnificently and gives the bride an amazing body, small waist, etc. What do they mean?
Our goal is not only for the dress to fit on the bride, but, more importantly, that the dress complements her body. Mina's professional and artistic eyes determine how and where to emphasize on the most beautiful sections of the bride's body. Mina also considers where to add or take in to give her the best shape possible. We do not take in only from the zipper or one seam; we work proportionally all around and not by inches, but even milliliters. That's how we've raised the fit of the dress and its alterations to higher standards and level of art!

6- I have mixed feelings, I see all of your amazing reviews, but the address and your celebrity clients make me wonder if I can afford you at all?
There is no doubt that no one can top us in terms of skill, design ideas, and work quality... We are not the most expensive, and we are not the cheapest. The price are the same everywhere, but it might be even more reasonable to use us because even if you are recommended by a bridal store, we do not pay them commissions, so you really get what you pay for.

7- Why do you need my budget, pictures, and an explanation of the work I need done?
Because of our limited openings and because we charge a consultation fee (which goes toward the final cost), it is only fair to everyone to make sure the budget and work are on the same page before making any appointments.

8- I hear horrible stories about how some tailors quote a job and, at the end, ask for a lot more! How reliable are your quotes?
We are very frank and up front— Most of the estimates we give actually stay on the lower end, and sometimes even lower than that! We never end over our estimate, unless there are additions to the original job or we provide supplies that we weren't supposed to provide.

9- Why don't you charge a flat rate like others do?
Shops that charge a flat rate only do limited work with average results, and avoid any alterations that go beyond their rate. We are highly skilled with no limitations. We work solely in bridal tailoring and gowns with the highest standard and no limits. Each bride needs different work done to their dress which takes different amounts of time. One may take ten hours in total and the other, one hundred. We believe is neither fair nor reasonable to charge the same amount for every dress.

10- How do I know how much my budget is, I don't know how much these things cost?
Budget is what you plan to spend. Bridal tailoring and alterations are a very detailed and time consuming job. For that reason, the price of alterations at bridal shops in Los Angeles starts from $400-500 and $30-$40 per bustle. Some have a flat rate of $500-$800+ for routine alterations (bustles, modifications, restyling, embellishments, and additions not included), and those with higher skill charge based on the job.

11 - I don't understand why should I pay a consultation fee just for someone to look at my dress?
We don't just look at your dress! We believe everyone should get paid for their skill, time, ideas, and work; and they should be able to make a living. It only makes sense that those using the service pay for it, not the next customer!

Mina sees every bride herself, in privacy of our large studio, with undivided attention. She is highly skilled, talented and full of ideas and designs. She spends time with every bride. Consultations include a fitting. Whether or not the bride leaves her dress for alterations, she will take some valuable ideas with her.

12- I've read in reviews that although the dress was fine, right away, Mina was able to point to things that no one could see, would you explain?
We are highly skilled. We have professional eyes, so we can point to problems that no one may see; and suggest the potentials that no one could think of. Each makes a huge difference. Some things are most noticeable in the wedding pictures and videos, when it's too late!

13- When is a good time to start the alterations?
Generally, we suggest as soon as you have your dress and have found the right bridal tailor. Let them fit you in their schedule and don't forget you may need many fittings! Make sure to pick up your dress 2-3 weeks before the wedding and try it on before picking it up. Once the dress looks and feels perfect, you MUST maintain your weight.

14- I have months to the wedding and I am trying to lose weight, can I wait until I get to where I want and then start the alterations?
We do not suggest that. You may not be able to find someone trustworthy to do the job if you wait to the last minute. Take the dress now to someone you trust and let them know about your plan. Have the last fitting 3-4 weeks to the wedding, and maintain the weight for the last three weeks to the wedding.

15- You suggest taking the dress for alterations as soon as possible, but I see many happy brides commenting that you have accepted their dresses much closer to their weddings. Would you explain that?
Yes! We are very well organized and we never leave anything for the last minute, very often the dresses are ready much sooner than the due date. That, plus our wonderful clients who cooperate with us when possible to move around appointments, allows us to take care of brides who are trapped in an unexpected situations! We try to help as many as we can, but many times we just have to accept the fact that we cannot help everyone. There are also many who, as soon as they know they are expecting late arrival of their gowns, are wise enough to make all the arrangements with us by placing their order and installing payments ahead of time, so that we are ready to start working on their dresses the minute we get our hands on it.

We work based on a "First ordered, first served" policy and we are only committed and responsible towards those who have already placed their orders and paid the non-refundable deposit.

16- Is one month to the wedding a good time to start the alterations?
No it's not if you intend to have it done perfectly! We ask our brides to pick up their dresses 2-3 weeks before the wedding and have their dress ready, pressed, and hanging in your closet!

Although, sometimes, we are able to take care of rushes by moving around appointments and getting the consent and cooperation of our other wonderful brides, there is no guarantee that we can do so. Regrettably, there might be brides we are unable to help.

We work based on a "First ordered, first served" policy, so having an appointment with us does not guarantee that we'll be able to accept your dress, unless you place your order in advance and pay a non-refundable deposit.

17- I have low budget and cannot find a wedding dress within my budget, do you think it's better to have something made?
The reason to custom-make something should not be to pay less, that's not always the case. Your best options might be sample sales or off the rack.

18- I cannot find anything that I like in the stores. I am confused and am not sure about what I like. Do you think custom-made is the way to go?
Actually, custom-made is for those who know exactly what they want and what looks good on them, but cannot find it in stores. Buy what you like the best, then modify and embellish it to what you love.

19- What percentage of the purchase price should I budget for the wedding alterations?
The price you paid for your dress has nothing to do with the cost of the alterations. The work and skill needed as well as some other factors should be considered instead.

20- How much do you charge for wedding dress alterations, just a ballpark?
We charge each bride based on the time, skill, and effort spent with them and on their dresses. Bridal dresses are very detailed, with a lot of layers, and each is different from others and needs different works on different bodies. For that reason, we are unable to estimate any alteration costs without seeing the dress on the bride and examining it closely.

21- I have a simple wedding dress, how much will the alterations cost?
Unless you are wearing a regular white dress as your wedding dress, there is nothing simple about wedding dresses and no one can truthfully estimate the cost without seeing the dress on you and examining the dress closely. There is no such thing as standard wedding alterations, as each dress on each body needs different works. Because of this, there cannot be a flat rate, unless they only do certain, minimal work.

22- How can I add your "Gift Certificate" to my bridal registry? How does it work?
Just let us know you are interested. There is no specific amount or minimum, so your friends and family can set the amount themselves.

23- My beaded wedding dress is two sizes too big for me; no one is willing to work on it. Would you help? Can you keep the integrity of the dress? How noticeable will the alterations be?
We specialize in beaded bridal gowns. We never had a case that we weren't able to help. We were always able to find ways to keep the integrity of the dress. Most of the time, even the bride, who witnesses the step-by-step alterations, can’t tell how we did it!

24- My dress does not arrive until a month before my wedding; can I make an appointment now?
Although sometimes we are able to take care of rushes by moving around appointments and with the consent and cooperation of our other wonderful brides, not having your dress until a month before your wedding is too risky even if everything goes as planned. You must make all the arrangements before, so your dress goes straight for alterations from the bridal salon. Also, see if you can expedite the shipping, or at the very least make sure there won't be any more delay.

We work base on a "First order, first served" policy, so having appointment with us does not guarantee that we'll be able to accept your dress, unless you place your order in advanced and pay the non-refundable deposit.

25- I live in New York, but my wedding is in Los Angeles. Can you help me with the alterations if I arrive in LA three weeks before the wedding?
Yes, if you send all of the necessary information, place your order, and pay the non-refundable deposit to reserve and schedule you for your arrival date.

26- My dress arrived 3 inches short. Is there anything you can do?
We get these cases a lot and can always come up with something that goes with the original design and makes up for the shortage.

27- What if a bride loses some weight in the process, do you charge her extra?
We allow one free-of-charge adjustment before the final fitting/pick-up.

28- I need some more coverage for the church and a veil; can you help me with them?
Yes, we can.

29- My wedding dress was ruined by a tailor, but she seems unable to fix it. Can you rescue me?
Unfortunately, our policy does not allow us to work on dresses that been already altered elsewhere. This includes any dresses that are ruined or partially worked on.

30- What if you are not told that the dress was previously altered and you notice the previous alterations during or after the consultation?
We count on the honesty of our clients; there may not be any choice but refusing to work on the dress.

31- I want to add some beads to my dress, how much will you charge me?
Beading is a very time consuming job and we cannot estimate before knowing all the details. It would be helpful to know your budget and work around it.

32- Can I have someone else work on easy parts of the dress, and have you do the more complicated parts?
No, unfortunately our policy does not allow that.

33- I’d love to change the neck-line of my dress to a sweet heart, but the bridal shop where I bought my dress refuses, because their policy does not allow them to cut the dress… Can you do it?
We convert neck-lines to sweet hearts on regular basis; however our policy does not allow working on dresses that have previously been altered.

34- Would you make a few of your popular bustles for my dress, the tailor I am using does not to know how to do it.
Unfortunately, our policy does not allow working on dresses that have previously been worked on or altered.

35- I don't have my shoes yet, can you start working on other areas until my shoes arrive?
Absolutely!

36- I don't have my shoes yet, but I know what height I want, can you start the hem?
No. Unfortunately, we cannot touch the hem until you have your actual wedding shoes with you. You never know what will be available to you and what you'll fall in love with. However, we might start to work on the layers underneath.

37- What if I want to wear to different shoes with different heights in my wedding, can you do the hem in a way that works for both?
As long as the style allows it, we can. Otherwise the perfect hem can be done only for one pair if the height difference is great. Sometimes, a little compromise is needed.

38- I ordered my dress seven months ago; I'll be five months pregnant on my wedding day, 10 weeks from now. What can be done for my dress and when I should start the alterations?
You should start right now! There are many options, but no one can tell until seeing the dress on you and examining it closely. Please take the dress to someone you trust to figure the possibilities and decide what you'd like to be done.

39- Can you add embellishments, trims and sash? If so, do you provide the materials?
We can add all kinds of things. We can provide the materials from stock, the stores, or you can purchase them yourself.

40- I was on a budget and took my dress to someone else in an attempt to save money. My dress is completely ruined and the tailor says that the only thing they can do is put the dress back were the original seams were. Can you work on it if I bring the dress to you after she is done?
Unfortunately, our policy does not allow working on dresses that have been previously altered.

41- My dress was torn by my shoes. I want to make an appointment for alterations, but I don't know if you can help me with the tear too.
Yes, we can take care of it when we do the alterations.

42-What kind dresses can you work on?
We specialize in couture bridal tailoring. We work on any and all types of wedding gowns and evening gowns that haven't been worked on by others and also meet standards.

43- I have been shopping for wedding dress for more than a year now, but I cannot find anything in the stores that I like or looks good on me. Can you make me something from scratch?
Sure! As long as the budget and the project are on the same page and there is enough time, we can do anything.

44- Why is the cost of bridal alterations in Los Angeles so high? Are they taking advantage of the situation?
Bridal alterations are a very complicated and time consuming process. There are many layers, many details and fittings involved. Because of that, and the high cost of living and doing business in LA, one who works hard should make a living.

45- How many fittings do I need before I pick up my wedding dress?
That depends on the work the dress needs. At a minimum, one fitting.

46- Will you allow me to take my dress for jewelry shopping before you are done with it if I bring it back to you?
Unfortunately, we do not allow the dress leave our studio unless the dress is completely done.

47- I am on a budget, can you help me?
Everybody is on a budget, but it's important to know the dollar amount of the budget along with the details of the work needed. The budget needs to match the project. Otherwise, you need to bring them together by compromising somewhere or adjusting the budget.

We never know what a bride means by "on a budget" or "tight budget". Sometimes, they say the same thing, but they come up with an amount way above the final cost. Other times, they say that money is not an issue at all and it turns out they can only spend around $50.

You can take advantage of our popular gift certificate program and get what you really want. Adding this option to your bridal registry gives your friends and family an easy option since they can choose the amount.

48- My best friend and I want to share the same wedding dress. Her wedding comes nearly three months after mine. She is one size smaller than I am and 1 1/2" shorter. Do you think you can alter the dress for both of us on time for our weddings?
Yes, we can!

49- I am going to wear my grandmother’s vintage wedding dress. Would you make it fit for me, make some changes, and add embellishments?
Unfortunately, we do not work on vintage clothing.

50- Do you dry clean and press?
We do not clean or press wedding gowns. However, we softly steam every dress that we work on and mention to our brides that they may take their dresses to a dry cleaner for professional steam and press.

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