Hello there and thank you for visiting my page.
If you are here that could mean only one thing or two..
I assume you are a bride who has a lovely wedding dress that doesn't fit the way you imagined it... or you could be a wedding guest such as a bridesmaid, mother of the bride, mother of the groom, a close friend or cousin who wants to look flawless on your loved one's special wedding day.
And this is where I come in to the picture...
My name is Tina Valydon, I'm a professional bridal and occasion dress alteration specialist, seamstress, dressmaker, designer. I cut and stitch things, create bespoke garments, veils and I also take beautiful dresses apart then put them back together like a puzzle but in my case the outcome is breathtaking every single time. Don't get me wrong.. You do most of the work by looking absolutely stunning on your special day, I only assist you to have that extra sparkle.
My Career:
I started out 11 years ago as a sample machinist in Manchester's Northern Quarter working with a team of professional designers and tailors. We created beautiful unique evening dresses, vintage garments, jackets, wedding dresses and even some crazy costumes like those on the image below that we made for an ITV drama called "Boy meets Girl".
I soon began to feel very comfortable in the world of fashion and as a person who likes challenges, started discovering the different areas in prototype making. That's how I became a sample machinist in lingerie and swimwear for Marks & Spencer and that's how I ended up in Leamington Spa (such a lovely town) working at Bravissimo and PepperBerry making beautiful lingerie and clothing prototypes designed for ladies with curvy body shapes. I enjoyed every second of being part of such a phenomenal team. However as I mentioned earlier I love challenges and I decided to go to university and study fashion.
For years I was designing and had no intentions of sewing again but something life changing happened...
I got engaged!
Long story short 1 month before the big day my wedding dress DID NOT FIT! It was a zip up construction and I knew the only way to get married in my dream dress was if I altered it. As an experienced dressmaker I did not hesitate, I took the zips out and changed the back to a lace up corset back dress. It worked perfectly and I saved the day!
I felt the love for sewing again, It was exciting to take something apart, changing it little, give it some love and care and make it fit perfectly for our beach wedding. The outcome was amazing...
Once I got back from our honeymoon with my now husband I began to look for a new career in the bridal industry where I spent a couple of years greeting, fitting, altering for the loveliest customers.
The garments I had the opportunity to work on were absolutely stunning, they all required very high quality work, precision and a lot of attention to detail. It made me feel like a surgeon..
Yes you guessed it! That's where the name The Wedding Dress Surgery comes from.
Now that you know all about me, I hope you feel comfortable enough to get in touch and let me help you sparkle a little more on you special day!
Love Tina