All About Bustles: A Collection

May 18, 2022 By Leave a Comment

We’ve shared many bustles with you in our ‘All About Bustles’ Blog Series. Here we are compiling all of the different previously shared bustles in one blog! The bustle possibilities are infinite. Each wedding gown is a new opportunity to create a bustle that is unique to you and your gown. Check out the bustle collection below…

English Pick-Up Bustle

Folded Fan Bustle

Belle Bustle

Ballroom Bustle

Single French Bustle

Double French Bustle

Brides-to-be if you are in need of a bustle for your wedding gown or for wedding gown alterations, please get in touch with us. Email us at admin@jenniferoberg.com to schedule your fitting.

Filed Under: Bustles

Wedding Gown Alterations & Budgets

March 15, 2022 By Leave a Comment

At JOA, we often have clients reaching out about pricing for their wedding gown alterations. Naturally our clients would like to know the starting price and max price. Pricing for wedding gown alterations is very nuanced. There are always many factors to consider when calculating the price of your alterations. In this post we wanted to shared some of those factors to better prepare brides-to-be when creating their wedding budgets and considering their bridal alterations costs.

The first thing we always like to suggest to clients is to just come into the Atelier for an initial appointment that is free. In this appointment we will then be able to determine all the alterations and adjustments needed for your gown in order to give you an accurate number. Alterations can be a bit deceiving. Take for example just having a gown that is a bit too long. If the fabric is more simple then great this will in fact be a very simple alteration. However, if the fabric has beading or appliqué designs scattered on the fabric then suddenly this simple alteration becomes far more complex and tedious. Each wedding gown alteration is very case by case.

Factors that contribute to the alterations needed involve the type of fabric of your dress, any intricate designs such as beading or appliqués that need extra care to maintain the details, the layers of fabric, the addition of a bustle to your gown, and then of course all of the micro-adjustments to the gown that will eventually give it a custom-fit appearance. And the bustle in itself can contribute to a higher price. There are simple bustles and then very complex bustles. Below the JOA team, Sophia, Elaine, and Lynne are sewing 35 bustle points on this wedding gown. They were creating a ballroom bustle. Some bustles can have as few as 3 bustle points as well. This completely depends on the shape of your gown, the length of your train, and the layers of fabric.

Brides-to-be we recommend coming in for an initial consultation so that we can give you a quote and determine the alterations necessary for your wedding gown. If you’d like to book an appointment please email Yasmine at admin@jenniferoberg.com.

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles

All About Bustles: The Reception

December 21, 2021 By Leave a Comment

We have previously shared the English Pick-Up Bustle in our blog series which you can find here. For this blog post we wanted to share this type of bustle in action! 

The whole purpose of a bustle is to give Brides the freedom and flexibility to have the dress of their dreams with the possibility for comfort. Many brides like to lean towards the classic longer train on their wedding gown. When you go for this look you also need to consider adding a bustle to your gown. Wedding gowns aren’t already made with a bustle. You need to find a highly skilled dressmaker or alteration specialist to create a bustle for you. Depending on the length of your train, the fabric, the layers, and the detailing on the gown, the complexity of the bustle can vary. Hence, you want to make sure you go to a professional with experience and expertise in sewing and dressmaking. 

The beauty of a bustle is that you suddenly get two dresses in one. You can flaunt your gorgeous classic train down the aisle at your wedding ceremony, and then come night, you can secure your bustle and suddenly your gown is ready to dance the night away at the reception! Bustles are not only incredibly practical and functional, they also add beautiful details to your gown. If you view our past All About Bustles blog series you can see the plethora of bustles you can add to your gown. The possibilities are endless and very much curated to you, your gown, and your personal style. 

Below is the Bride Mickenzy at her reception dancing with her pinned up English Pick-Up Bustle. You can see her bustle is nicely pinned up and her gown is ready to handle any dance moves. 

Here is a photo of her gown with the full train..

Brides-to-be get in touch with Jennifer at love@jenniferoberg.com for all bustle inquires. We would love to work together with you!

 

Bride Mickenzy’s Wedding Vendors:

Dress: Ellys in Kihei (@ellysformalwear) (Designer: Stella York) (@missstellayork)

Wedding Gown Alterations: Jennifer Oberg (@jenniferobergatelier) 

Photographer: Sydney Breann Photography (@sydneybreannphoto)

Hair/Makeup: Sisu Beauty, Duluth MN (@sisubeautyco)

Videographer: Hunter Chear, Chear Media (@chearmedia) 

Wedding ceremony: Enger Park in Duluth (@

Reception: Greysolon Ballroom (@greysolonduluth)

Flowers: Saffron and Grey (@saffronandgrey)

David’s tie: Otaa Australia (@otaa.australia)

David’s tux: The Black Tux (@theblacktux)

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles

Real Weddings: Lisa

November 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment

If you have been following our All About Bustle Series then you may remember the gorgeous Folded Fan Bustle we shared! Bride Lisa just shared all of her beautiful photos from her wedding day so we had to share her dress in action and some more about the alteration process.

Lisa had a beautiful wedding at Hui No’eau in upcountry Maui. She got married on May 29th, 2021. 

For her wedding gown, the JOA team assisted Lisa with wedding gown alterations. First, we shortened the straps and then we made them detachable. This was a very nice feature, as Lisa had the freedom to choose whether she wanted straps or not on the day of her wedding. Next, we hemmed three layers of this multiple layer gown. The outer layers of the gown were fine but we needed to hem the innermost layers so she could walk comfortably. After, we created a folded fan bustle for her dress. We attached all the skirt layers together so they acted as a unit. When it was bustled, it fell perfectly together. You can read more details about the folded fan bustle in our bustle series here. Lastly, we steamed and pressed the gown after all the wedding gown alterations were complete.

Check out some of these incredible photos of Lisa on her wedding day. All the photos are captured by the talented Maui-based photographer Bethany Dawn.

And here is a cute photo of Bride Lisa with her bridesmaids helping with the folded fan bustle.

Congratulations on your special day Lisa! It was a joy to work with you!

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles, Real Weddings

All About Bustles: The Folded Fan Bustle

September 29, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Next up in our bustle series is The Folded Fan Bustle. A very fun bustle to accentuate the curves of the silhouette. The shape of the bustle compliments gowns that are more fitted at the hips and bodice. We adored working with this bride on her gorgeous wedding gown. 

The idea behind this type of bustle is that the bustle points create a folded fan-like look. This particular gown we worked on had so many gorgeous details on the center back, from elegant buttons, lace, and intricate embroidery. We wanted to maintain all of these beautiful details when we created the bustle. 

We added clear snaps on the undersides of the center back “fan” to snap that fan into place when the bustle is all buttoned up. The center fan stays open in place so everyone can see all of the beauty and articulate detail of the back. At JOA, we love finding unique solutions for each bride we work together with. From bustles, to custom wedding gowns, to wedding gown restyles, we are always finding creative approaches that are personally curated to each client.

Filed Under: Bustles, Dressmaking

All About Bustles: The Belle Bustle

September 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Continuing our All About Bustle Series, we have a very unique bustle to share with you. We call it the Belle Bustle. 

The Bride we worked together with wanted her dress to be long in order to pair nicely with her four inch heels. However, she also wanted to be able to kick off her shoes for the reception and not have to worry about stepping on her dress. 

So we got creative and created a bustle that gave the Bride the flexibility to dance and be able to wear her styling heels. Normally bustles are pinned up in the back and hold up the long train. We ended up creating a bustle that had bustle points in the back and the front. This made the length of the dress shorter so that when the Bride kicked off her high heels, she could dance the night away. 

Visit our past All About Bustles blogs for more bustle inspiration and to learn more about the infinite bustle possibilities out there. If you’d like JOA to assist you with your bustling and bridal alterations, get in touch at love@jenniferoberg.com to book your appointment.

Filed Under: Bustles

All About Bustles: 17-Point Ballroom Bustle

August 25, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Next up in our All About Bustles Series is a 17-Point Ballroom Bustle. The Ballroom Bustle is not just meant for gowns with fuller skirts, though that may be your initial go-to for this type of bustle. Sheath silhouette wedding gowns look beautiful with a ballroom bustle as it maintains the clean and elegant draping of the fabric on the gown. 

The Ballroom Bustle hides the bustle altogether. The bustle points for this type of bustle are created underneath the skirt, so they are completely out of sight. It’s as if you’ve entirely changed gowns when you have a Ballroom style bustle. The wedding gown can have a long beautiful train and then with several bustle points to secure the fabric, the train can completely vanish and you have a gown that is ready for the reception.

A past bride we worked with, Rana, had this gorgeous wedding gown with sheer mesh covering the torso, an elaborate beaded design near the hips, and an elegant skirt that draped down to the floor. She got her gown at Kleinfeld in New York City. The train for this gown was quite long. When we created the Ballroom Bustle we needed to create 17 bustle points in order to securely fasten the fabric to the inside of the skirt. We were honored to do alterations and create this amazing ballroom bustle for such a gorgeous gown!

If you want to learn more about other types of bustles. Check out our past All About Bustle blogs. And if you’d like JOA to assist you with your bridal alterations and bustle, then please get in touch at love@jenniferoberg.com.

Filed Under: Bustles

All About Bustles: Pricing

August 11, 2021 By Leave a Comment

A more complex bustle including 26 bustle points.

Bustles usually don’t come with a wedding gown, unless it is a custom gown. It is a wedding expense that is sometimes left out of the budget along with dress alterations. Depending on fabric, the number of layers, and the length of the train, a bustle can fluctuate quite dramatically in price. So Brides-to-be, give yourself a nice cushion in your wedding budget when it comes to dress alterations. You don’t want to be faced with any surprises when working with your wedding gown.

You are probably wondering, how exactly can the price of a bustle fluctuate so much?! Below we have a great example of why some bustles can cost so much. This beautiful bustle in progress will take 21 loops to hold up the train when it is completely bustled. Each one of the safety pins in the photos represents a loop. Each loop has to be securely sewn on with a backer button behind it. Each loop will be attached to a satin button which also has a backer button attached to it. In addition, the whole lining is separately bustled with French under bustles. The lining had 5 points so in total the bustle had 26 bustle points on it. Wow!! That is a lot of loops and buttons for one bustle. 

Now your wedding gown might have a very short train and maybe your dress only requires 3 loops to hold up the bustle. The pricing for this type of bustle will be very different from the one that needs 21 loops. So Brides-to-be, just keep that in mind when budgeting and choosing your wedding gown. And if you want some bustle inspo, check out our past ‘All About Bustle’ blogs for some fun bustle ideas.

An example of a bustle that requires only a few bustle points.

We created this bustle in 2015 in our studio in Denver! We were over there for 6 months doing a trial run to the mainland. We loved Denver, but we are so happy to be home on Maui, serving Maui brides! 

Filed Under: Bustles

Wedding Gowns + Aesthetics

July 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment

We have been working together with many brides this last month on custom dresses and alterations. Many brides that had weddings scheduled for 2020 have had them rescheduled to 2021. It has been a busy few months for us! Last month, we altered this elegant white gown for the bride. We added an English Pick-Up Bustle which you can learn more about in our ‘All About Bustles’ Blog series here. 

This gown is a great example of ‘less is more’. Every detail and design is purposeful and clear. It can be overwhelming making that final decision on a gown. We recommend breaking down your aesthetic preferences into smaller categories to help make the process more simple. So what exactly should you consider? Here are some elements to consider when choosing your gown:

  • Color – there are infinite shades of white, do you want to go more towards an off white or a bright white, or do you want to experiment with some nontraditional colors?
  • Sleeves – what season is your wedding in? Do you want a lace long sleeve or maybe you want to go strapless? What makes you feel beautiful?
  • Neckline – high necklines or sweetheart cut? Or maybe you want something more linear cuts as an aesthetic choice? Is there a neckline that is more flattering on you?
  • Back Styles – there are so many beautiful back cuts to explore, maybe you want something simple, or maybe you want an elaborate cut on the back.
  • Waist + Silhouette – how do you want your gown to hug your body? Do you want a tight fit or do you want more of a ballgown style? 
  • Fabrics – fabrics can be an aesthetic choice and it can also be a comfort choice. Do you want fabric that feels luxurious on your skin? Or maybe you want a fabric that has a shine to it?
  • The extras – what details are must-haves for you? Is it beading, lace, sequins, ribbons, or would you rather not have extra details?


We hope this helps you break down the different elements of the wedding dress during the wedding dress process. Ultimately, when making your choices, think about what makes you feel good or what you think flatters your body more. It truly is all about feeling comfortable and beautiful in your skin. If you want to take the adventurous step into a custom wedding gown, Jennifer of JOA, will guide you through every step of the way. She will make sure every detail is aligned with your vision and will help make the process an exciting and memorable one! Get in touch for wedding gowns and alterations at love@jenniferoberg.com.

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles, Dressmaking, Restyling

How to Take Your Wedding Dress on a Plane

July 7, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Maui sees many destination brides each year! Brides have been paving the way forward with ways of flying with their wedding dresses for many years now. The thought of flying with a wedding dress can make most brides pretty anxious. After all, no one wants to arrive at their destination with a wrinkled or ruined wedding dress. Chances are your wedding dress has become a very precious garment for you by this time. So we have gathered some of our tips for traveling with your wedding dress to ensure it arrives in tip top shape.

  • Contact your airline – Every airline is different. We recommend contacting your airline and asking about storing large and delicate items, such as your wedding gown. They may have an extra space where you will be able to store your gown separate from the overhead storage. Alternatively you may need to store it in the overhead compartment. Make sure you determine where you can store your wedding gown so you can properly secure and fold your dress before arriving at the airport.
  • Consult your dressmaker or the bridal shop you purchased your dress from – depending on the size of your dress and the length of your train, packaging your dress in a garment bag can vary significantly. Consulting your dressmaker is a great way to get expert advice on packaging your dress for the plane. They will help you delicately lay and fold your gown in the safest way possible.
  • Buy a breathable garment bag to store your gown in – We recommend buying a 20” gusset garment bag made out of breathable material. Muslin is a great option, try to go for 100% cotton fiber and unbleached fabric. And if you are worried about any unexpected spills on the plane, you can place a plastic covering over top of this garment bag. 
  • Keep an eye out for empty seats on the plane – Here is your golden ticket for your wedding gown. If your plane has some empty seats try to swap seats so you can use the empty seat for your dress. This is the perfect situation! 
  • Don’t panic at the sight of wrinkles on your gown – Your dress will likely accumulate a few wrinkles and creases here and there during your travels. Don’t worry, this is completely normal and expected. 
  • Find a dressmaker at your wedding destination prior to arriving – Regardless if your dress is perfectly packaged or not, make sure you seek out a dressmaker to help you with professional steaming and pressing for your wedding gown. They will have professional tools and the expertise of working with a plethora of fabrics. Be sure to book this ahead of time. Dressmakers working in destination locations can be very busy bees.

Destination brides and Maui brides if you are traveling to or from Maui don’t hesitate to contact us. We will gladly assist you with storing your gown for traveling or with steaming and pressing services upon arrival. Regardless, we will make sure your wedding gown is perfectly cared for for your wedding day. Get in touch at love@jenniferoberg.com to schedule your appointment.

Filed Under: Alterations, Bustles, Dressmaking, Sewing Tips + Tricks
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