Monika's California Apparel & Alterations

Monika is the recommended seamstress to use by Jaime bridal, where I got my dress. I was so late in choosing my dress and was getting custom work done, that I only had three weeks to do alterations when the dress finally came in. I called Monika the week before my dress was supposed to arrive and she told me that she could get me in on Tuesday and it would be no problem to have the dress done in two weeks-- the Tuesday before my wedding. I was nervous, but she was so highly recommended by Jaime that I figured I couldn't go wrong. I figured that she had worked with them well and that I might have trouble finding someone else to do the work so quickly. Monika is a true professional and right away I knew I was in good hands. My fitting took less than 20 mins, and once I had my dress, shoes, bra, and petticoat on, she outlined everything that she would do (hemming and inch, taking in the top a bit because the sweetheart neckline stuck out, and creating a bustle). She then asked if there was anything else I was thinking of doing, but she had covered everything that was important to me.The total (a bit more that $200) was a bit more than I was hoping to spend, but the price went up mostly because I needed the hem. Other brides I talked to later said I could have gotten a bigger petticoat since I had a ball gown, but I didn't want a ton of poof and didn't have time to get a new one anyway. So, forking out the dollars was necessary. I'm happy to say that she did a gorgeous job. The dress fit like an absolute glove and was comfortable all night. The only issue that we had was keeping the middle button on the bustle in place from me moving around so much, but I wouldn't know if that was an alternation error, or just user error from my mom and bridesmaids putting it up before the reception. Either way, my dress was everything I had hoped for and I would recommend Monika to other brides that get their dress in the Pleasanton area.