The Gilded Thimble Bridal Alterations — Local services in Bedford

In the past, I had alterations for a bridesmaid dress done through Celebrations Bridal which did not go very well, causing me to have last-minute alterations the day of the wedding-NOT good when you are the M.O.H.!

The Gilded Thimble came highly recommended by friends in the Bedford area. When I called to inquire about making an appointment to have my wedding gown altered, I was rather surprised to hear that the earliest appointment would be nearly a month out! I soon found out why-Carissa is a bit of a miracle worker! She offers a flexible schedule, and was even able to meet me after normal business hours-a huge bonus as I live and work in Lynchburg. When I came in, she did inform me that we had a bit of a problem dress on our hands, purely due to the style and way the dress had been constructed. Though I loved the elegant lines of the dress and modern look, it didn't fit well anywhere. She said that I would need to book her for a full day as it would take some experimentation to get the results we wanted. I came back today, and I am beyond impressed! I walked in at 830 this morning, and took my dress home at 1130AM! She worked efficiently, even handling other clients' needs while I was there. After three fittings as she worked, the dress is perfectly done-my fit-and-flare mermaid style gown now hugs in all of the right places and fits like a glove! Carissa even worked up an itemized list as well, and offered the option for me to pay whichever was cheapest. In the end, I paid for her 1/2 day rate. The price was very reasonable, and even included my bustle AND crinoline! YAY!

Many, Many Thanks!!!

P.S. I've been to weddings where bustles fell out or ripped, and I was a bit concerned as my wedding is to be held outdoors....Carissa uses a special technique and thread so your...

I wish I could give Carissa a 6th star! I am a bride from Pittsburgh, PA and after purchasing my dress from Church Street Bridal, I had a very difficult time finding someone back home who would even attempt to work on repairing my dress. It was a beautiful beaded and lace dress that came with a lot of holes in the netting due to the beads catching on the dress when people would fold it in half or drop it to the floor. I went to multiple seamstresses locally in PA and received very negative replies: 'there is no way these can be fixed without anyone noticing', 'even if we did try to fix these, the time and amount of money would be astronomical', 'I can't believe you bought this dress in this condition'. Needless to say, I was left feeling very defeated and upset. My cousin (who is from Virginia and had recommended I go to Church Street in the first place) suggested that I try to take my dress to the seamstress that the ladies at Church Street had mentioned before I go out trying to find a completely new dress. From the moment I entered The Gilded Thimble I felt completely at ease. Carissa was so positive and ensured me that my dress could indeed be mended. Since I was from out of town, I utilized her "sew while wait" option. This was fantastic for me. I was able to schedule a day to travel to the store and be present while Carissa and her incredibly friendly assistant, Yael, worked away at the dress. Carissa and Yael did an absolutely fabulous job with the repairs and at a very affordable price. Thanks to the talented and blessed hands of these two, I will be wearing the dress of my dreams next month! I would 100% recommend The Gilded Thimble to any bride needing a seamstress to work on their...

When I was torn between a dress that needed a lot of love, I was referred to the Gilded Thimble. Before even purchasing the dress, I asked a million questions and Carissa was open and honest about the extent of alterations that would be needed. Once I found another dress, I ran right back to Carissa to book an appointment. During the consultation, Carissa took the time to map out what needed to be done to make the dress fit as well as the add-ons I wanted. She was very attentive and informative. My dress was quite dirty on the bottom when I purchased it from Church Street Bridal and after being dry cleaned, it did not change much. Carissa sent me photos and asked me if I wanted the bottom lace replaced and also sent pictures of examples of replacement lace. I asked her if I could come by and take a look myself. She didn't hesitate on giving me dates and times of when I could stop by and peak. When I went to my "sew while you wait" session the other day, Carissa did the most amazing job on bringing the vision to life even more beautifully than I had imagined! I love the space and how it's decorated so classy and makes you feel like a princess - then adding Carissa's charm, humor, and expertise, it was magical! It's always nice when someone is great at their craft, but it makes a huge difference when that person has a great heart and truly enjoys what they do on a daily basis. Carissa even yelled out at one point "I AM SO EXCITED! - You know it's great when the seamstress gets excited!" I will gladly refer all my fellow brides to The Gilded Thimble! Thank you again for...