Watch Out For Bridezillas!
This year, our topic for the annual Bridal Alterations Symposium is “Bridezillas!” I am thrilled to host this event at my academy. We will feature podcasts, training videos, ebook chapters, printable downloads, and of course, our famous live webinar.
All content, except for the live webinar, is pre-recorded. This allows you to watch the training at your convenience—even in your pajamas if you like! We have many videos showcasing tragic Bridezilla stories. I’m sure you will find them enjoyable.
Please share this with your fellow sewing friends; it’s an event you won’t want to miss!
Expert Guest Panelists!
Nadine Bozeman
Podcast Celebrity
Nadine Bozeman is the host of Secrets of a Bridal Seamstress Podcast & Business Membership, where she helps independent seamstresses build profitable alterations businesses that serve the modern bride.
After teaching middle school for 9 years, Nadine left the classroom to pursue her bridal sewing business full time. Sweet Francis Sewing Co was established in the PNW, and soon became a thriving 6-figure bridal alterations boutique. Since having to learn many lessons the hard way in business, Nadine is passionate about helping women skip the stress and step right into strategy and success on their terms.
Secrets of a Bridal Seamstress Business Membership provides strategies for business development, 1:1 coaching opportunities, and peer support among an incredibly kind and generous community of women.
Head to SecretsofaBridalSeamstressPodc
Private Podcast Series: Fitting Packages 101
https://tr.ee/TCMbic6v8Y
Membership waitlist (doors open again March 2025!):
https://
Scottsdale, AZ SBS Retreat waitlist:
Adrienne Gonzales
Master Seamstress
Adrienne is a seamstress located in Arizona. She has experience in standard alterations, production sewing, pattern making & prototyping She’s currently focusing in bridal specializing in beadwork & design changes. She has a BSD Architecture & Environmental Design, ASU hands on apprenticeship in standard alterations and bridal 2 years.
Website: https://www.creatablelady.com/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@
Brenda Breitenmoser
Master Sewing and Design Professional
Brenda is a bridal dress designer and alteration specialist from British Columbia. She has been a professional in her field for over 40 years. She has done everything from working on furs to wedding gowns. She loves to work on garments that are a challenge to alter and having the client leave with a smile. Brenda is a graduate of the Master of Sewing & Design Professional Certification by the Association of Sewing & Design Professionals.
Kirstie Gilbert
Master Seamstress
I began sewing at age 19. I was fortunate to apprentice under a bespoke tailor for a year before he closed his shop. I have done wardrobe for Natalie Cole, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, John Cleese, the Goo Goo Dolls, Blues Traveler, Doobie Brothers, Larry Fitzgerald- just to name a few!
I took my 1st wedding gown alteration eleven years ago and I was absolutely hooked. It was all I wanted to do. I had over 140 dresses last year.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alterationsbykcg?mibextid=JRoKGi
ENJOY!
Training Videos
Why I Do These Symposiums – Dee Dee
True Story: Prom dress too short (how to prevent a bridezilla) – Dee Dee
True Story: Blazer Shoulders – Dee Dee
True Story: Blazer Shoulders – EXPLAINED – Dee Dee
Brenda Labolt exclusive video – Bridal Sewing Techniques
“Brenda fires a bride” – Brenda Brietenmoser
True Story: Bustle takes airplane ride – Dee Dee
Momzilla – Maya From Nova’s Bridal
Dressing room therapy – Maya From Nova’s Bridal
Bridezilla – Maya From Nova’s Bridal
Relationship with alterations people – Maya From Nova’s Bridal
Bridezilla basic personality, or Bridezilla created? – Adrienne Gonzales
Identifying Bridezillas and honoring generations – Adrienne Gonzales
Momzilla who stole alterations
– Kirstie Gilbert
Momzilla pushed me off the platform!
– Kirstie Gilbert
masterclass on prevention or overcoming the trauma/drama – Nadine Bozeman
Podcast – Nadine Bozeman &
Dee Dee
Mother of the bride and Other Invasive Species – Dee Dee
De-escalating as a self-employed seamstress- Dee Dee & Adrienne
De-escalating As a Bridal Shop Employee – Dee Dee & Adrienne
Don’t Create A Bridezilla – How to keep your Bride Happy
Live Webinar
Ebook Chapters
Chapter 12: Psychology of Brides
Chapter 13: Psychology of Brides Family
The Academy Ebook For Sale
Sew Glorious Bustle Ebook For Sale!
FREE Printable Downloads
We’d love to hear your funny or memorable stories about a Bridezilla! If you have any experiences to share, please submit them. We’ll be featuring them during our live webinar and putting together a gallery at the end of this page for everyone to enjoy. Thank you for sharing!
Bridezilla Stories
Mother Pucker
I met with a bride and her mother for an alterations consultation. The bride needed her dress taken out through the side seams, shoulders adjusted, wanted to change from a high round neckline to a low sweetheart neckline, and a hem. The mother was very certain that this was not possible, especially without the seams puckering. Each adjustment discussed she’d ask me how I could do that without it puckering, one eyebrow raised and full of disbelief. I explained that different tension settings on the machine are used for different fabrics to help avoid any puckering and assured her that if any puckering did happen, or any other issues, I would correct it before I turned it back over to the bride. After much reassurance that I am capable of unpuckered seams, they agreed to our plan and signed a service contract. Thank everything for that service contract. The alterations went smoothly and the dress turned out great! The bride picked it up, absolutely thrilled with how she looked, even cried a bit. But, a few hours after our fitting, mother called the bridal shop furious. She was certain that I had tricked them. She claimed that I was lazy and I had not done any alterations, but instead switched her dress out for a completely different one and tried to pass it as her daughter’s. She called me many fancy descriptive words and demanded a refund. The shop owner was a very good sport and handled it very
professionally, and was also very glad for that signed contract. The moral of the story is, always get a signed service contract. Some people are delightful, most are at least tolerable, but every so often, you come across a real Mother Pucker.
-Heather Shaffer
Vampire Bolero Jacket Sucks All My Time
I had a bride who wanted a custom made bolero jacket to match her wedding dress. I designed it exactly how she specified. It fit perfectly, but she decided that she didn’t like the neckline after all. (Queen Anne).
So she asked if I could make the neck higher and flare out a bit. She gave me a picture of what she wanted. (Looked a bit like a dracula cape.) Well, when I changed out the neck on her bolero this time, she definitely didn’t like that either. She finally decided to just have a normal non queen anne neckline.
During this process, her mother was not in attendance to the fittings and was not aware of her flakey daughter’s behavior. I understand, some people have to see it on them before they know whether or not they like it. (This is why I no longer do custom bridal gowns.)
Mother comes to the last fitting to pay for the bolero. Mother has sticker shock at the price. She says she forgot her checkbook and will mail me a check. When the check comes in the mail, it’s for $60. That’s not anywhere close to what the bill was. Mother wrote a note explaining that they could buy a bolero in the store for $60 so she didn’t see any reason why she should be paying such an outrageous amount for a silly bolero.
Grrrr. I’m sure the daughter said nothing about all the neckline change outs.
Lesson learned: My brides pay up front for all alterations and custom orders.
I’m also really glad that checks are not a big part of money any more.
-Dee Dee Anderson
Being Honest is So Important!
I just finished watching your story about cutting the prom dress too short and it reminded me of the time I cut off a train by mistake! I so agree with the lesson of “own your mistakes”. In that situation, I owned it, offered solutions, didn’t charge her for any alterations, and in the end, she sent me photos of her wedding and a nice note. You are so right – being honest is so important!
–Krysti Emerson
Oh the stories we can share
Oh the stories we can share. I learned never do any sewing during chemo and radiation or shortly after. The brain is just not working.
–Karen Bengston
My customer is the bride. Always.
First fitting. Mother and grown daughter. Daughter has wedding dress on and wants the sleeves altered. Mother says no, “that’s how my wedding dress was. No sleeve alteration.” I laughed and said, “I do what the bride wants.” The mother looked at me and said “I’m paying for the alterations.” Daughter looked sad but folded. Oookay, not happening. Daughter felt she couldn’t say no so I said no to the alterations. I am in it to make a living but also to make a living doing something joyful. Stress is one thing. This? At the very start? No, this wasn’t going to end well. Bailed out early. My customer is the bride. Always.
–Ana Tristan Tristan Tulle & Sequins
The wedding did go on, but without the mom!
I own The Dress Whisperer, an independent alteration and custom special occasion sewing business, in Lubbock, Tx. Several years ago, I had a lovely bride that had purchased her gown from a local bridal store that I am their preferred seamstress. The bride was so sweet, and her mom came to all appointments with her. The mom was easy to talk to and just gushed at how beautiful her daughter was in the dress. Everything at my sewing studio went wonderful! Then the bride and her mom took her dress back to the store for a final pressing before the wedding.
About a month after her wedding, I was in the bridal store, visiting with my friend, Cindy, the owner, and she asked me how everything went with this particular bride and her mom. I told her that we had a wonderful experience. Cindy said that it was the same when the bride came to try on dresses and that her mom just loved the one that she picked and paid for the gown and accessories. On the Monday, before the wedding, the mom came to the bridal store, all cheery, and asked to pick up the dress. Since Cindy had waited on them, she recognized the mom, so she pulled everything and had mom sign the paperwork that she was picking up the dress and accessories.
On Thursday, before the wedding, the bride comes into the store to pick up her dress. Cindy explained that mom had already taken everything on Monday, and the bride was surprised, but glad that mom had done that for her. On Friday, the bride came back to the store and asked Cindy if she could find another dress off the rack for her wedding the next day. When Cindy asked her why she needed another dress, the bride told her that mom had burned the original dress!!!!! She was against the wedding from the start, but never said anything! The wedding did go on, but without the mom!!!!!!!
–Paula Whitley
"Everybody Out!"
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Its more of a MIL to be zilla. The Bride, mother of the bride, mother in law to be AND father in law to be were all there for the fitting. The MIL was adamant that the FIL was to attend as well. As we were going through the fitting the MIL was just awful she was critical of everything! The bride was fighting back tears so I said ” everybody out” . I told the bride to take a breathe and that I worked for her and her only. We completed the fitting with only her and I. The bride was appreciated how I took over and cared for her. The mother of the bride thanked me for handling the “in laws” as I did. The mother was not hurt at all because she was seeing what it was doing to her daughter. Dress was completed and the in-laws were not told of the fitting. Bride actually cancelled the wedding and there was counseling done before she would follow thru with the wedding. They did get married 4 months later. |
-Maria Gale
A Miscommunication
The following morning she called, and burst into tears, as she was had tried the gown on again as was not happy with the fit through the skirt. I didn’t understand Our pickup appointment had been set at the only time I had available before she was leaving – my schedule was completely full the rest of the week. I sadly told her that I thought the gown was beautiful on her, she’d seemed happy and told me she was pleased at the pickup, and that there wasn’t anything I’d be able to do before her departure the following morning.
The following week I got a call from a man who told me her was her new husband. She had been hysterical, he said, and had to take the gown to another seamstress the day before they left – which was the day she’d called me in tears – and the other seamstress had been able to fix the problem and have it back to her later the same day. He didn’t understand how I wasn’t able to help, how I let her leave for her wedding with a gown that she wasn’t happy with. I told him that she had been happy when she left me and never said there there was a problem at the pickup, but if she had I would have done everything I could to fix it before she took it home, but that by the next day it was too late and I apologized for not having been available to help. I offered to reimburse them for the additional alterations they paid for, but that wasn’t enough for him. After enduring a rant about my business practices that made me furious and humiliated me, and guilt inducing accusations about having ruined her “one and only wedding day'” when it was in fact her second marriage, I asked what he was looking for. He asked for half the payment and tip she had made at pick up – at least that’s what I heard him say, so I agreed to send a refund. By the way, he asked it to come to him rather than to his bride, he claimed she’d be upset that he was handling it.
After he got the check, he called again. I decided not to pick up the call, forcing him to decide to leave a message – he did not. He emailed, and asked when he would receive the balance of the refund. I replied that I had done all the work that was asked of me, listed it out, and that I had agreed to the a refund that was more than 25% of what I had charged. I told him the only balance I would send was the $50 he said was paid to the other seamstress. I sent that check, and never heard from him again – and both my checks were cashed.
If I had it to do over, I would have paid closer attention to the bride during her fittings, asked questions about how the gown looked in the shop and whether it had be clamped, and what her vision was for the fit in all areas. I still don’t think I could have done anything the day after the pickup, but had I realized she had issues while she smiled into the mirror I could have addressed it rather than let her take the gown home.
-Janee Connor
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONORS!!
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now till the end of Feb
Coupon code “Bridezilla”
Thank you for attending my annual symposium!
Be sure to use this special symposium coupon to get $500 off my academy bundle. The annual symposium is the only time I give a discount on my academy. The coupon expires Feb. 1, 2025. Then this offer is gone for another year.
Academy Bundle Normally $2997
With Coupon only $2497
~ Classes: Level One, Two and Three
~ Additional Resources Library
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~ Bridal Shop Training Video
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USE CODE: BRIDEZILLA25 at Checkout
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Testimonials
Our graduates love us, and we love them back! Listen to what they have to say.
The Anderson Bridal Alterations Academy is a fantastic online bridal alterations program. I went through the academy after starting my sewing/alterations business and learned as I worked with clients. The knowledge and skills I’ve gained after completing the courses have truly been a valuable investment. Dee Dee is a great teacher, with lots of patience and really takes the time to answer questions to assure that I understand what I’m doing as well as doing it correctly. I am so glad I made the investment! Post completion of the academy, I still have ongoing access to the materials, like having a digital library or textbooks when needed. I highly recommend the program or courses!
Although I have been sewing since 1990 and graduated with a sewing degree, I have learnt so much from Dee Dee. Some major things and some smaller detail that just made the alterations process quicker (more money) and easier. She was always ready to help if I had a problem. Her videos are very clear and easy to follow and her support during the process is phenomenal. Thanks Dee Dee, you changed my life.
Working with Dee Dee from The Anderson Alteration Academy was genuinely life changing for me and was the start of a very rewarding career in Bridal Alterations. I live in Maine so breaking into this sort of business can be tough – especially being in my 20’s, during the COVID lock down. The Academy gave me the know-how I needed to be able to walk into any fitting with confidence and pride in my own skills, but also to know when to say no and stand up for myself. I love that I can go back and refresh on any of the materials as needed and that Dee Dee is only a text away if I have a tricky situation pop up. I will be eternally grateful, thank you!!
The Anderson’s Alterations Academy was so beneficial for me! I learned countless new skills, time saving techniques, and ways to make my work more professional and sustainable. Dee Dee’s videos and instruction gave me confidence as I took on new alterations and navigated the start of my business. If ever I have a question about an alteration, Dee Dee’s course is always right there with any help I need.
As a professional seamstress specializing in bridal and formalwear, I can’t recommend DeeDee Anderson and The Anderson Academy enough. I completed her course in 2020, and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I made for my business. DeeDee has this incredible ability to teach not just the skills you need but also how to approach this career with confidence. Her approach is practical, thorough, and focused on preparing you for real-world situations. Her passion for bridal alterations shines through every lesson, and she has a genuine heart for her students’ success. One of the biggest assets of this course is the video library. I find myself going back to it often when I need a refresher, and DeeDee regularly adds new content to keep it fresh and relevant. The ongoing support makes a huge difference, especially in a constantly evolving field like bridal alterations. This course is absolutely worth the investment, and it will set you up with everything you need to start your career in this in-demand field. If you’re serious about building a career in this industry, this is the course you need.