Wedding Suits: The Process
“So you want to get a custom wedding suit - now what?”
Firstly, congratulations! We’d be thrilled to be a part of your celebration. The first question we usually field is, how much time is required to get suited up? If you’re already deep into the wedding planning world, you likely know that these things can take longer than you may think.
Luckily - as long as you have a minimum of 8 weeks, we can likely help! This is typically our quickest turnaround time, though we’d recommend allowing yourself 3-4 months to ensure we have plenty of time for subsequent adjustments, and your apparel is safely at home, allowing you to avoid being in here in the weeks leading up to your big day. Trust us - you’ll have lots of details to be checking off your list in the run up!
We will start the process by scheduling you in for a consultation. This is usually about an hour, which gives us lots of time to discuss your vision for the day (and where the apparel might fit into your general wardrobe and lifestyle), as well as to look at fit, fabric, style and trim. At the end of this appointment, most folks find they’re ready for us to place their order - exciting! If you’re starting well ahead of time, want to consider some of the options discussed at this initial appointment, or perhaps want to have your partner take a peek at your fabric before we commence, it’s no problem to book a follow up.
From the time you give us the go ahead to start working on your order, it’s usually between 5-7 weeks for your new apparel to arrive in the shop, ready for a first fitting. We’ll book you in for a shorter appointment to assess any fit adjustments needed now that your suit is constructed. From here, our in-house tailor shop typically takes a few weeks to complete this fine tuning before you head back in for your final fitting (i.e. pick up) appointment.
Phew - are you still with me? If so, you might have some questions!
Who should I bring with me to my consultation?
This is very subjective, and totally up to you! Some folks want their partner in on the decision making from the jump, some want a parent or other loved one. Some want their entire wedding party to join in on the fun (especially if they are also getting suited up!) In our experience, it’s often helpful to bring just one (or two) trusted people to your first appointment to ensure you can tap into your own thoughts to help guide your decision making, but again, we’re flexible! If you do intend on bringing a group (particularly if multiple people want to get measured up!) kindly give us a heads up so we can ensure we find the best time for you.
Do you have any photos of materials I can look at online first?
We get this a lot! I completely get the impulse to want to do a pre-peruse. However, we find when the world of fine fabrics and that of computer screen calibrations mix, what you see is often not what you get. We believe it’s best to look (and feel!) the fabrics in person to give you a true feel for the cloth. So, TLDR: no - we do not have an online catalogue. That being said, this leads me to my next question…
What should I bring (if anything) with me to my consultation?
I’m so glad you asked! We’ll typically mention this if we’re emailing to set up your consultation, but we love seeing your inspiration. Whether it’s a few images saved on Pinterest, an Instagram that shows just the shade of green you’re after, or a sneaky snap from your cousin’s wedding that illustrates the style you’re after, we want to see it all! This is also your cue to do a little digging before you come in. If you don’t already have your outfit envisioned, now’s the time to chat with your partner, do some visual browsing and have a think about the colour, style and fit you might want to achieve. Coming in with an idea of the direction we’ll be going will greatly help us guide your consultation and make the best use of our time together.
That about sums it up! If you have any lingering questions, or want to chat through any scenario we don’t cover above before booking in, please feel free to reach out via email (blair@blairshapera.com) or by phone (6046834715).