Desirees Custom Sewing

My fiancé and I won a spot in the Valentine’s day mass wedding with our local morning radio show, which only gave us less than 2 weeks to get alterations done to a dress I purchased in 2009. It didn’t need much in the alterations because of the excellent advice Desiree gave me in the past. However, I still needed a bustle.

I previously contacted Desiree in 2010 when I had some concerns with how the dress that I ordered fit me (versus how it was supposed to fit & how I wanted it to fit). I even considered selling the dress because I didn’t think that alternations would be so hard or expensive with the embroidered lace overlay on my gown. Without even seeing my dress in person, Desiree asked me if I had tried on my gown with a slip or petticoat. Which I had not, so when she advised me to try on gown with a slip or crinoline and it worked, I knew she was the first person I would contact when we had the money & decided on a wedding date.

When we found out we won this spot in the Valentine’s Day mass wedding, I immediately contacted Desiree. Whit the short time frame we had to get our wedding attire together, I prayed that Desiree would have an appointment available and could do the alterations. She was able to fit me in and did all the alterations in a few days. I was able to see her after work on her later appointment day and everything worked out perfectly. Thank you for everything Desiree! Even when I came a few days before my wedding, you were able to make my dress fit like a dream and I can’t wait to wear again for our wedding reception this month.

Desiree’s experience with wedding gowns is beyond any I have seen in our local formal/bridal gown shops. She knows how to work with all the bridal materials and she fixed all of my original dress concerns. During my fitting, Desiree even pointed out that my dress was dragging on the floor when I walked around. I didn’t notice this the times that I tried my dress on before. Her prices are very reasonable and her schedule/hours are was more flexible than the other alteration/gown shops. Desiree’s website was one of the only websites that showed the different gowns bustled/unbustled and all the different bustle styles. I would definitely recommend Desiree’s Custom Sewing to all my friends and family that need alterations in the future.

Believe every positive thing you read on this and any other site about 'Ms Desiree'. Her work is impeccable! She is a professional in every sense of the word, yet personable in the way you want and need someone working with you to create your perfect gown to be. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the turn-around time, even with the most difficult of tasks (2 weeks to do what a costume designer in another city had said would be impossible!). My dress is BETTER than I had envisioned it, thanks to her input, vision, and talent!

Mrs. Desiree completely gave my dress two different looks. I was more than happy when I saw my dress after she completed the alterations. She is the absolute best.

Desiree's custom sewing was amazing! Mrs. Brown did an excellent job, was quick and she is the nicest person!! I bought a dress online that needed a few alterations, a bustle, and a zipper fix. She did a great job! Then, my friend had her dress altered there also! I would recommend her to anyone!!

Desiree literally saved my wedding!! When my dress was late and had to be altered last minute here in Virginia due to a delay at the manufacturer, she agreed to work with me when I thought no one would! On top of that, she did an amazing job on my dress, she beautifully hemmed the complicated silk organza layers and designed a bustle that make it look perfect even when bustled. I am so lucky and happy to have found Desiree and I would recommend her to anyone here in Virginia who needs wedding dress alterations!! Thanks again!

My daughter and I called Desiree desperate for help in altering a prom gown that we had ordered online. My daughter was extremely nervous and Desiree immediately put us both at ease. Not only is she very professional, but more importantly, she is extremely kind and personable. In a world that has become business oriented, Desiree is a throwback. For the hour or so that you are IN HER HOME you are her sole focus and she is there to make sure that you feel special. We couldn't have asked for a more comfortable experience and we couldn't have been happier with the results. Desiree went above and beyond by adding little details to make sure that my daughter was comfortable. Desiree's heart and talents took my little athlete and made her the bell of the ball. Her gown fit perfectly and the confidence that gave her showed all over her face; she couldn't quit smiling. I would definitely recommend Desiree to anyone and everyone and if next year's gown come in too big in certain places, I will definitely be calling Desiree as soon as possible.

Desiree saved me A LOT of money versus a popular bridal chain and I am very appreciative! She did exactly what I asked for in a short amount of time and even steamed my dress at no charge. You can't go wrong with her!!

I went to Desiree's based on good reviews, and was not disappointed. I'll echo what others have already said: she's professional, does quality work and focuses on one bride at a time. A bonus is that she is a very nice person who's pleasant to work with. And, bottom line, my dress turned out beautifully in all respects.

There are not enough wonderful things to say about Desiree! She was so helpful from the very beginning when I was first just talking to her about purchasing a used bridal dress to have altered to when I came to her to have her design & sketch a custom gown for me to have had made elsewhere to when I finally found my gown at a bridal salon and came to her to have my alterations done. First off, her home is CLEAN!!! No smoking, no pets, etc. Second, she KNOWS her stuff. Lets just say I wanted to make mountains out of molehills when it came to my cleavage and she made me look phenomenal :) I also wanted her to take extra material and hand sew two extra pleats to the bottom of my bodice. She talked me out of this (which wasn't easy to do!) because she knew it would mess up the proportions of the dress & wouldn't look right in the end. She added an under bustle to my dress since I never found an outer bustle that I liked. And she also flipped the comb on my mom's veil as well as removed the barrette clasp on my hair flower to add a comb instead. Last, but certainly not least, the customer service & attention you get from Desiree cannot be beat!! She schedules you by appointment only so you are the only bride there during your appointment. It was awesome never being interrupted or feeling like I had to compete for attention. I am so glad I found Desiree!! Her prices are very fair & her work is flawless.

100% worth the drive from Richmond.

Desiree took a very intricate J. Crew wedding gown that was a little too big and too long for me and made it fit PERFECTLY. All the while, setting me (who was quite nervous at first) at ease. At first I was a little uncertain, being that her shop is in her home (my first time with a real seamstress!) But her home soon became part of what I liked about the whole experience of working with her; very clean, comfortable, and her grandkids are adorable!

So my dress was a J. Crew sample sale item valued at just under 3,000 bucks I bought on ebay (a gamble that paid off) for $800. It was a vintage, flapper style, heavy, sweeping, antique white gown, with layers of silk slub tiers, that might have made me look like a wet sheepdog with some unwise moves on the part of a seamstress.

Desiree saw right away what this dress needed. From the moment she first pinned it up, I knew she was the one. She managed to make the dress even fuller and more sweeping in the manner by which she layered and over layered the tiers. She did not remove a bit of fabric, but left it so I could have it let back out to resell if I wanted to (which I will Not).

She gave me tons of good advise about care for the dress, and really instilled confidence in me in helping to make decisions about fit and accessorizing. She knows her stuff. I would trust her with anything. I cannot recommend her highly enough. Her price was very fair. My mom and I were blown away.

Thanks Desiree!!

Dress came out Perfect- Desiree was polite and professional. Great overall experience.

Ms Desiree was wonderful to work with! I was nervous I had ordered my strapless dress too small, but she assured me if I had gotten it a size bigger I would be pulling my gown up all night. She helped me make a simple gown very elegant by adding lace at the bodice, hemming it. adding a bustle, and adjusting the bust. Her prices were very reasonable. She works out of her home which is spotless and she schedules one on one appointments with you for the fittings. I would recommend her to any brides in the Hampton Roads/ Richmond area!

Ms. Desiree is a Wonderful and affordable seamstress. I found her looking on wedding wire after I went to a seamstress business and they wanted to charge me an arm and leg for my dress alterations. I was so impressed with her knowledge of fabric and designers. The person I originally went to pinned my dress in a manner and was going to cut fabric from my dress. Well Ms. Desiree uses a pattern where she tucked the fabric so I can possibly sell the dress later on. Her professionalism and quality of work was impeccable she showed my matron and bridesmaid how to bustle my dress correctly. I also lack breast so she sew in some pads in my dress so my dress would be full. When my girlfriends saw me come out of the room with my dress on their mouths were wild open they were so amazed. The only issue I had was my bustle wouldn’t say in place at the wedding but the dress was so beautiful on me I didn’t mind it dragging behind me, I really wanted the princess/queen look!!!!! She completed all of my alternations weeks before my wedding. She really impressed me. I HIGHLY recommend Ms. Desiree for ALL alteration needs. Thanks for everything Ms. Desiree

Shannon Smith

I went to Desiree with a simple halter gown that only needed a hem and a bustle. The price was well within what I thought the two together should cost but imagine my surprise when I find out that I did not get my money's worth. The hem was wonderful but when I went to bustle my dress at my reception it simply fell off. She had put a marking stitch in it but had never actually sewn the button onto my dress. My train was extremely dirty after the reception and I had to hold my dress up all night. She's gotten so many great reviews but I guess she didn't check behind herself on my dress.

Update: Desiree truly puts her customers first. After finding out about what happened to my dress at the wedding, she immediately called and apologized and offered a full refund of the bustle! I doubt that this has ever happened before and she made me feel so confident, I will be returning for an alteratioin to a bridesmaids gown.

Ms. Desiree did a fabulous job on my wedding dress! Everyone commented on how beautiful it is, little did they know how much alteration went into it. It fit like a my body like a glove and i was very happy. She is so talented at what she does with a wonderful personality! I will definitely recommended her to any bride in the tidewater area that needs alteration. I cannot say enough good things about Ms. Desiree..she is just so awesome!

I purchased a sample gown which needed minimal alterations. Since the dress was heavily beaded, I needed someone with experience. I chose Desiree because of great reviews and I called her to ask whether she could do it. She said people brought her dresses all the way from Kleinfeld's to alter, so I was reassured. I was originally very happy with said alterations, but when I put the dress on 2 days before my wedding, the bust was huge! I had not lost any weight, so I didn't understand what had happened. I rushed to Desiree's and she fixed it. However, the same thing happened at the wedding. I think my dress may have been too complicated for her.

Wow! What can I say about Desiree! She saved me and my wedding dress!!!
My husband and I were married in a civil ceremony last year (2009) in Canada, as he is in the Navy and was off for deployment, but we began planning our bigger, family & friends wedding immediately. I found my wedding dress right away and it was perfect. But, what we didn't know, was that a little surprise would be on the way as of January this year. We were expecting! But how was I going to fit in my dress at 5 months pregnant??!! Thankfully, I found Desiree's Custom Sewing! She removed the entire zipper in the back of my dress and created a lace up back with a modesty panel. She saved my dress and kept the integrity of the design - you would have thought the dress was made like that! I would highly recommend Desiree for all your sewing needs!

Desiree was wonderful. She is one of the nicest people I have ever encountered. I was l30 minutes late for my first fitting, because I had written the wrong time down. She attempted to call to make sure I was coming, but I did not have my phone on. I'm sure her first impression of me was terrible! Desiree never said a word about it and was so helpful and wonderful the whole time. When I realized my mistake, I called and apologized for the misunderstanding. No problem. I was on time when I went to pick up the dress. We were all so excited. The veil and dress were perfect!

Desiree took my wedding dress in over 2 sizes and created a master piece. I danced the night away and it stayed in place comfortably. She worked with me and my schedule!

I have used Desiree's seamstress services in the past over the years and will continue to use her in the future!

My dress needed altering and I chose Desiree because of her wealth of experience in wedding dresses. Boy am I glad I did! During the fitting she noticed that the buttons on the back of my dress would pull to one side as a I walked or moved around. Upon further investigation she determined that the fabric panel had been cut the wrong width on one side of the dress. There was no time to buy a new dress and I started to panic. She calmed me down and assured me that everything would be fine and she would fix it. The dress was amazing when she was done with it. She even added a bustle! I received compliments all night due to her handiwork. Her prices are terrific and just knowing that she is a true professional helped to calm me more than anything could. I would recommend her time and again. Thank you Desiree!

Ms. Desiree is an EXCELLENT and affordable seamstress. Having bought my dress in a sample sale, my gown needed a couple of repairs and alterations. After receiving a quote of $450 from a local bridal salon, I began to seek alternatives. Thanks to wedding wire I found Ms. Desiree. She was able to make all of the alterations, repairs, and even added a bustle to my dress for a fraction of the cost quoted by the salon. Not to mention the quality of her work was impeccable and her work was complimentary to my designer dress. I HIGHLY recommend Ms. Desiree for all your alteration needs.

Desiree is an AMAZING woman. I brought her a dress that was 2-3 sizes too big, was a very fragile fabric and needed a lot of rebuilding. She worked with me every bit of the way. I always felt comfortable in her home and am so pleased with the transformation of my dress. I truly feel that you would not get the same service at a dress shop or sewing shop. She is very personable and informative about what could and could not be done. I even called her one day after a fitting wanting to change something and she took my that same day! I HIGHLY recommend her to anyone who is looking for someone to alter a dress.

Desiree is wonderful to work with! I found her on this website and was so glad I did. I wore my sisters dress that she used 12 years ago when she got married and amazing enough we are very close in size and I just needed to have the hip area taken in because my sister is taller. Desiree does this out of her home and she makes you feel so comfortable. I actually forgot to pick my dress up on the day we had arranged and she went out of her way to reschedule with me. Thank you so much for everything!

Desiree is amazing at what she does, I am 5'10 ish and my dress was almost 2 inches to short she hand sew lace all around the bottom of my dress it made it more original unique and even more beautiful, she is deff the best for anything. Deff go see her!!!

Desiree did the alterations for my wedding dress and my sister's Maid of Honor dress. From the first phone call through the final fittings, Desiree was professional and knowledgeable. She listened to what we wanted done with our dresses and then made recommendations on how to best achieve the results we were looking for. The fabric and design of my sister's dress was a little tricky to work with, but the results were amazing, you can't even tell the difference between the original dress and where Desiree worked on it. Desiree promised both dresses would be done in two weeks and they were finished right on time.

Desiree was a pleasure to work with and I would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone needing alterations. I told my soon to be Mother-in-law about Desiree and she had her dress for the wedding altered by Desiree as well.

Desiree was so professional, yet she added her personal suggestions to make a dress I depised to a dress I love. She is an expert and perfectionist in her detail. I will use her for all of my alterations. Thank You so much Desiree! Even when I came to you a couple days before my wedding, you saved me. You are apart of my happy wedding memories. Thank you!!!!!

I had special ordered my dress from Hawaii, when I received it I tried it on and I couldn't get it on, it was to small with a no return policy. I found Desiree and I was in a panic,she assured me she could help. I met with her within a few days and a week later she had fixed my dress to perfection!!!! She is awesome, easy to work with and a wonderful lady!!! I would highly recommend her!!!!!!

My dress turned out gorgeous. Everyone complimented me on how great it looked. Desiree had great idea's on how to change the dress to my liking.

Desirees Custom Sewing is the best place to have your dress alteration. She had such great attention to detail and really took her time to explain the process to me and to give me multiple fittings along the way with each step of the process to ensure the perfect fit. I highly recommend Desirees Custom Sewing for all of your alteration needs.

Provides fast service at a fraction of the price of local tailors/seamstress

Desiree did a fantastic job. I wore my mothers dress and Desiree was able to make my mother and I very HAPPY!!!! It was a struggle to keep it like my mother wanted it and added a little flare to it for me. Desiree used her superior sewing skills and made everybody happy.

I highly recommend this wedding professional to future brides!

Desiree is very flexible and reasonably priced. Very meticulous with her work. I highly recommed!