Valentine’s Day & Weddings
Say yes for less in newly-expanded bridal space
LOVE 2021
All you need is
Rapids Alterations now sells discounted wedding dresses in Sauk Rapids BY ELLARRY PRENTICE STAFF WRITER
A Sauk Rapids business that has been professionally altering wedding-day attire for decades is now offering a shopping experience for brides-to-be. Rapids Alterations has added a bridal consignment to its newly-expanded space at 621 N. Benton Drive. More than 60 bridal gowns – new, with tags – are for sale at discounted prices. Most of the dresses come from bridal boutiques in Waite Park and New Ulm. Some of the gowns are marked down 50% and some by as much as 75%. Prices range from about $100 to $999. One of the designer gowns, originally priced at $1,770, is marked down to $399. “There was no bridal consignment shop in town, so I thought, well, let’s try it,” said
Cindy Battleson, owner. Wedding parties also have more space to be fitted for their formal wear. In August, Rapids Alterations was moved to the lower level of the existing building, doubling its space. Among the amenities for customers are five large fitting rooms – two more than before – including an extra-large dressing room for brides, complete with a sitting area. The large bridal area, with expansive mirrors for every angle during fittings, is more than double the previous size, creating more space for brides to move around in their gowns while accompanied by an attendant. And there is plenty of room for their entourage. Near the fitting rooms is the bridal consignment area, where customers can browse ivory and white wedding gowns of different
Bridal gowns hang for sale inside a new bridal consignment area at Rapids Alterations on North Benton Drive. More than 60 gowns – new, with tags – are offered at discounted prices.
FEBRUARY 6 & 9, 2021
styles. By the new front desk and reception area, dresses for bridesmaids and mothers of the bride are for sale, also at discounted prices. This space is where Rapids Alterations will sell prom dresses as a fundraiser for the Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center. Each year, the Prom It Forward project brings in several hundred formal gowns, which retail for $40 or under. With the uncertainty of prom this year and special-order dresses taking longer to arrive, Battleson moved dresses suitable for bridesmaids, attendants, mothers, grandmothers, etc., to the front. Rapids Alterations typically serves hundreds of brides every year. The pandemic has hindered the wedding business, but Battleson looks forward to assisting more brides with dress shopping and alterations as a sense of normalcy returns. Last year, despite fewer wedding ceremonies taking place due to COVID-19, Rapids Alterations served 134 brides, Battleson said. With more space to accommodate them, she is optimistic that number will multiply as time goes on. “I think once weddings take off, we’ll be busy,” said Battleson, who became the fourth owner of the long-running business, established in 1978, nine years ago. “I have hope things will get back to normal. I love my job. I love helping the brides. It’s my favorite thing to do here, doing bridal fittings.” Five dedicated seamstresses do bridal gown alterations. The
PHOTOS BY ELLARRY PRENTICE
Cindy Battleson, owner of Rapids Alterations in Sauk Rapids, helps bride-to-be Megan during a fitting in the newlyexpanded bridal area.
seamstresses also alter dresses for bridesmaids, flower girls, mothers of the bride and other wedding attendants. Whether it is a dress for date night or the most special day of your life, Battleson said these professionals can tackle any alteration. The new space also better accommodates employees. The seamstresses are pleased to have a much larger work area. “This is the best sewing room in the world,” Battleson said. “Everything they need is at their fingertips.” Brides keep the seamstresses especially busy in the summer months. With a plethora of gowns to hem, bustles to create and other alterations to complete to ensure each dress fits perfectly, they are thankful to no longer be bumping into one another, especially in the thick of wedding season. “They were literally working right on top of each other,” Battleson said. “Now, they’re spread out. They can breathe.” Every year, Rapids
Alterations serves brides who took their dress elsewhere for alterations but did not achieve a proper fit, Battleson said. During the pandemic, her team has also accommodated brides in cases when wedding dates have had to change. “We go above and beyond,” Battleson said. One bride was supposed to have fittings through the month of December, but when she needed the dress weeks sooner, they expedited the alterations to make sure she was ready for her big day. “I told her, ‘You’re going to wear this dress. We’re going to get this done for you,’” Battleson said. Ideally, most brides have four fittings, and most bridesmaids have two fittings during the alteration process. The staff at Rapids Alterations prefer to have a full two months to complete alterations on a bridal gown and a month to work on bridesmaid dresses. Rapids Alterations page 2B
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Page 2B | Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021 | SAUK RAPIDS HERALD & BENTON COUNTY NEWS
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Mirrors surround the newly-expanded bridal area at Rapids Alterations. Brides now have more space to move around in their gowns.
Rapids Alterations from page 1B
Dress shoppers should keep in mind that the more elaborate the dress, the more expensive the alterations, Battleson said. This is especially
true for bridesmaids who sometimes agreed to be in a wedding and want to wear an elaborate dress without realizing the final costs involved.
“Everything that takes the seamstress longer to sew, costs more,” Battleson said. “That dress with six wings on it looks really cool, but that’s a really expensive hem. Rapids Alterations page 3B
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from page 2B You can spend as much on your hem as you did on your bridesmaid’s dress.” An advantage of going to Rapids Alterations is having access to a team who have more than 100 years of sewing experience, Battleson said. “That makes us stronger than a single person sewing out of their home or their own studio,” she said. There are plenty of great in-home seamstresses, Battleson said. She herself used to sew at home. “But, when you’re faced with a quandary,
PHOTO BY ELLARRY PRENTICE
An extra-large fitting room awaits brides who visit Rapids Alterations, either to shop for a dress or to have theirs fitted for alterations. By relocating to the lower level of the existing building, the shop doubled its space.
the team comes together to figure it out,” Battleson said. “Plus, we can take on a lot.” Rapids Alterations has a bridal and formal blog on its website, www. rapidsalterations.com, where people can learn about the four steps of alteration and scheduling
appointments, get tips on proper dress fitting and online dress shopping, and get answers to questions such as “Can I wear my loved one’s dress?” “The best piece of advice I can give a bride is to read that blog,” Battleson said.
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Dress alteration tips – Seamstresses prefer to have a full two months to alter a bridal gown and a full month to alter a bridesmaid’s dress or other formal gown. When ordering a dress, plan accordingly. – A typical bride will have four one-hour fittings. The first fitting focuses on the bodice and other areas above the waist to make sure it fits properly. The second fitting focuses on the hem, and the third fitting is for the bustle. The final fitting is to make sure everything is perfect. Other alterations like straps, bead work, belts and repairs get worked in along the way. – A typical bridesmaid will have two, possibly three, 30-minute fittings. The order of work is the same as it is for a bridal gown. – When it comes to your dress, think time. It is usually not too early to bring a dress in for alterations, but it can be too late. A little planning can also prevent extra charges. When a rush order comes in, the bride needs to have time available for all the fittings, the shop appointment book needs to have openings, and the
sewing schedule at the shop needs to be re-arranged to accommodate the rush. A rush charge should be expected. – Purchasing a dress more modest in style makes the job easier on your checkbook. Having a solid structure to start with when adding material will reduce design and construction time, which will directly affect the cost of your alterations. – A dress with straps, sleeves and a higher neckline will provide a good base to add more material if needed and a better fit overall. Rapids Alterations can add material and full linings to bodices and sleeves, and raise necklines and the back of a dress to a more appropriate height. – It is best to make an appointment. You and your friends may decide, at the last-minute, to go bridal shopping and cannot be helped at the shop because all the clerks are tied up with customers already. Same for alterations. Only certain people can do bridal fittings. Appointments ensure a bridal professional will be available to assist at your fitting.
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