I live in FL, where are you located?

You really have a problem here - but why not use the 14 and take the other one apart and recut for the size 10. Only one to work on and that might be your best best.

I live in Panama City. I have never taken a dress apart to make it smaller. By the way, this dress was store bought and cannot be returned. Help me !!!!!

A lot would depend on the style of the gown and how detailed it is. I agree with Nancy to work on just one, but you may need to completely cut it apart and start from scratch. It would be difficult to have the bustline points be in the correct place otherwise, I think, unless there is a center front seam to take in. If I was doing it, I'd find a similar pattern and lay it on the cut-apart fabric making sure the grainlines are correct. It sounds like a real job for an alterations expert, tho (and I'm not one). Does the shop have one? They should have taken measurements when the gowns were ordered, b/c bridal wear is notorious for not having standard sizing (or anywhere near standard, sometimes). Sorry I can't be of more help!

I work in a bridal salon, and have worked in department stores, too. Can't tell you over the internet "how to alter a dress;" it would be like telling you "How to play the piano," every situation is different. Any shop will or should provide alterations, though, that's part of the service they provide: the expertise in working on specialized merchandise. Their reputation is on the line here. Yeah, it may be pricey, but probably less than if you took it to another seamstress. At this point, there may be an upcharge for a rush job.

Have the girls actually tried on the dresses, or were they dismayed by the size tag in the back? Sizes for bridal have nothing to do with RTW sizing. "10 bridal" is not like "10 RTW", and the difference between "10" and "12" bridal is an inch, and the difference in RTW is 1 1/2" So as you go up in sizes, the difference between bridal and rtw is greater and greater.

Before you tackle this, decide whether you want to be penny-wise and pound foolish

There is an alteration shop here that I believe can fix these dressess. I am going there tommorrow. I will keep you all posted.

I was able to alter one of the dresses. It was a size 14 and the lady is a size 10-12. It was not as hard as I thought. Now for part two. The hem has a train. It has to be hemmed 6 inches. I was wondering if the curve of the tail would be messed up because of how much I have to hem??? Once again I have never done this kind of thing before. I was planning on measuring all around 6 inches and cutting it there and rehemming it, but I do not want to lose the train if the dress.

Only the front is shortened (so she can walk), tapering to nothing at the sides. the train is left as is.

Thanks ladies for all of your help. The wedding was yesterday and the dresses came out nice. The size 14 that I alter was good; however, after paying 56.00 for the size 22 to be alter it still did not fit correctly so I had to take it in some more. No problem. The professional seamstress re did the zipper and the hem and took in the size a little but there was not enough time for a second fitting so I had to finish her work. I do not know if I should ask for some of the money back because the dress was still too big or if I should leave it alone. She did not get the dress until Wednesday afternoon and was don with it on Friday at 8 pm. I understand that it was a rush job, but it still did not fit. What should I do????

I don't know what your contract was with the seamstress. $56 for taking it in, re-setting the zipper and hemming is a really low charge.
At the store where I work, the contract has an "estimated charge," filled in with the understanding it could end up being more. The customer actually signs the contract agreeing to this. The dress isn't worked on at all until the estimated charges are paid in full.

I think you got a bargain, considering how much work she did in the time frame she had. My guess is, and it's only a guess, is that she only did as much as she had time to *complete* before your pick-up appointment.

Sounds like you got a real bargain to me. I'd have charged you for a rush job as well as for the alterations. Plus, without a second fitting, it seems like it would be nearly impossible for her to make the dress fit "perfectly" when changing that much in size. JMHO Glad the wedding went well.

Once again I am thankful that I found this site. I agree, $56.00 was a good price for what she did within the time frame that it was done. Thank you ladies for all of your help.