Why Commission Your Wedding Gown?
Off-the-rack wedding gowns are made to specific size templates and require significant alterations to fit most brides. For brides with non-standard proportions — a larger bust relative to waist, a longer or shorter torso, height outside the standard range — the alterations required can approach the cost of a custom commission, and they still don't produce a garment designed for your body. A commissioned wedding gown begins from your measurements and is drafted specifically for you: every seam line, every structural element, every hem height calibrated to your exact proportions.
The Process
A wedding gown commission at Chimera Costumes is a collaborative project that typically spans 8–12 months. This is not excessive — the timeline reflects the number of fitting sessions required to get a complex formal garment exactly right, the sourcing time for specific materials, and the construction timeline for a garment with this level of detail. Rushing a wedding gown is the one thing Heidi will not do.
The commission process includes: an initial consultation (bring reference images, your undergarments, and your footwear); toile fitting in a working pattern; at least two further fittings in the fashion fabric as construction progresses; a final fitting for finishing adjustments; and a delivery session to confirm everything is perfect. Heidi provides complete care and preservation instructions at delivery.
Wedding Gown Pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
Wedding gown commissions require a longer project timeline, more fitting sessions, more intensive communication, and the stakes are higher — this is the most important garment you'll ever wear. The 25% premium reflects the additional care and attention the work demands.
8 months minimum; 10–12 months is strongly preferred. Rush bridal commissions are not accepted.
A typical wedding gown commission involves 5–6 fitting sessions over the commission period: initial consultation, toile fitting, first fashion fabric fitting, second fitting with all structural elements in place, final fitting for finishing adjustments, and a pick-up fitting to confirm everything is perfect.
Reference images of silhouettes you love and styles you want to avoid; your undergarments and any specific footwear so hem length is calibrated to your actual heel height from the start; any fabric swatches or specific materials you have in mind; your venue and event details so the practical requirements of the day can be incorporated.
Yes — Heidi can work in any colour. Non-white and non-traditional wedding gowns are a particular speciality.
Yes — bridesmaid commissions can be taken alongside the wedding gown, or as separate commissions. Contact for pricing on multiple gowns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wedding gown commissions require a longer project timeline, more fitting sessions, more intensive communication, and the stakes are higher — this is the most important garment you'll ever wear. The 25% premium reflects the additional care and attention the work demands.
8 months minimum; 10–12 months is strongly preferred. Rush bridal commissions are not accepted.
A typical wedding gown commission involves 5–6 fitting sessions over the commission period: initial consultation, toile fitting, first fashion fabric fitting, second fitting with all structural elements in place, final fitting for finishing adjustments, and a pick-up fitting to confirm everything is perfect.
Reference images of silhouettes you love and styles you want to avoid; your undergarments and any specific footwear so hem length is calibrated to your actual heel height from the start; any fabric swatches or specific materials you have in mind; your venue and event details so the practical requirements of the day can be incorporated.
Yes — Heidi can work in any colour. Non-white and non-traditional wedding gowns are a particular speciality.
Yes — bridesmaid commissions can be taken alongside the wedding gown, or as separate commissions. Contact for pricing on multiple gowns.