Able To Pinpoint The Problem

I’m an alterations specialist at a bridal shop and often have brides bring three to four ladies with them for their first fitting. We only have one small room for pinning dresses; however, it’s an important moment to a lot of people so we try to be accommodating.

I have a first fitting for a bridal gown with a lady in her mid-twenties. She must have brought her whole bridal party with her — five or six women, including her. I lead them to the back where the fitting room is and realize pretty quickly that they have all been drinking before this and are behaving a little drunk.

I manage to help the bride into her dress with the proper undergarments and realize she needs your basic alterations; take in the bust, a hem, and a bustle for picking up the train. I start pinning the sides of the dress and manage to avoid stabbing her, even with her constant wiggling and giggling with her bridesmaids.

They are joking with the bride the whole time, all while I’m constantly reminding her to hold still. Eventually, they start joking about how drunk she is for the fitting. I assume they’ve finally noticed how much she is moving after about my tenth reminder to hold still.

Friend #1: “Girl, you’d better stop wiggling or you’re gonna get pricked.”

Friend #2: “Don’t move so much or she’ll make you bleed.”

Me: “I assure you that I’m an expert at fittings and won’t get her with the pins.”

I finally get to the innermost layer of her skirt hem, right next to her bare ankles. I have wasted a lot of time from being careful not to get her skin, and my next appointment will be showing up soon. I finally get fed up with her squirming and say in a joking, but very clear tone:

Me: “Now this is the part where if you don’t hold still, you will get stabbed.”

She did not move for the rest of the fitting and her girlfriends had a pretty good laugh.