I arrive at every wedding with a jam packed oversized bag, filled to the brim with tricks from the trade that I lean heavily on. I could easily write a book on all the fashion emergencies I have seen and resolved over the last twenty years working in the fashion industry. Let me share a few that I hope will never happen to you on your wedding day! But if they do, I hope I am there to help make everything better. 

A bride forgot she had long hair extensions in and just after cocktail hour, as she sat down to dinner and reached over the table for something when her long braid went into a bowl of green pesto dip. She got scared when she saw her hair deep in the emerald green condiment, jerked her head up and that braid instantly became a Jackson Pollock paint brush, sending green slime down the entire front of her beautiful white wedding dress. I saw it all happen in slow motion. I grabbed my emergency kit and motioned for her and her close group of friends, who also saw it all happen and screamed my name, to meet me in the bathroom. I said a few prayers, dipped my favorite stain remover in sparkling water (one of my favorite little tricks!) and started dabbing away as her friends knew to keep the bride calm and positive. It was a moment of fear for everyone in that bathroom. Gratefully within a few minutes of dabbing and praying, the stain was up and out! What a feeling of relief for everyone! I only wish we had a before and after image to share. 

Another fashion emergency that has seemed to be the most common is guests stepping on the bride’s train.

I have seen a bride’s dress stepped on so often that I actually now let the brides know not to panic. If this does happen, I will be there to help.

A few moments I have solved a fashion emergency on a wedding day: 

• After being stepped on by the groom accidentally during photos, the bride’s wedding dress bustle was completely ripped. I sewed her bustle back in with nylon thread to keep the train up high and allow her to be able to dance and move a little easier.  
• The bride lost weight before her wedding day and her chest size was noticeably smaller. Unfortunately, this was not caught by her tailor in the final dress fitting and as she went to get dressed moments before walking down the aisle, the dress would not stay up. I grabbed three padded bras and corsets, and sewed them together, layered them on the bride and then sewed her tightly into the dress.  
• Every bridesmaid dress was way too long and forgotten to be tailored. I quickly sewed up the hemlines before the ceremony and sent the beautiful friends on their way to celebrate.  
• The bride never received a bustle in her dress train. When I arrived at the wedding, there were still pins where there should have been a bustle. After this wedding, I now require attending the final fitting. The dress was luckily made of tulle so the bride made the decision to cut the long train off after the ceremony and before cocktail hour. 
• The morning of the bride’s wedding, her zipper became stuck and was not moving up nor down. I was luckily available to meet her at the church, moments before the ceremony and sew the dress and zipper closed. 
• Moments before the ceremony, a bridesmaid’s dress ripped up the entire back. I quickly sewed her in with minutes to spare. 
• The groom somehow ripped his suit jacket before the ceremony. A quick needle and thread, lint roll and off to the ceremony he went! 
• As guests were entering the ceremony space, the mother of the bride’s dress was stepped on and a huge hole was made in the back of her dress. Not to worry! Nothing I couldn’t quickly sew up. 
• After first looks in the gardens outside the church, my bride’s train sadly had a little mud and dirt at the hemline. We finished pictures and then we went back to the bridal suite to freshen up. I had her take off the dress, sit in the makeup chair for a touch up while I quickly re-steamed the dress and got out all the stains with my stain remover and sparkling water trick. I love when my brides are able to have this moment and then enter the ceremony feeling very fresh and polished.

I could share story after story from each of my weddings. I promise having a bridal stylist by your side will be so helpful in countless ways!

XO, Lizzy

Be in touch to have Agency Eight help you on your wedding day.