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
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE
&