Girls in White Dresses with Blue Satin Sashes

Ok, while I won't be wearing a blue satin sash (though that could be my "something blue"), I will be wearing a white dress (err, ivory...whatever). A little late, however still very exciting...I found my wedding dress!!! Not only that, but I ordered it that very day (you know a couple Saturdays ago when I posted that I was going shopping for the very first time, yeh, that day - - found it, loved it, ordered it, paid for it, done). AND it came in this week...waaahhhhat?? I thought this was supposed to be stressful and all that...
...
Oh yeh, alterations... :::bring on the stress:::
So, the wonderful bridal "boutique" I ever so carefully selected to browse, try-on, fall-in-love-with, and ultimately choose to purchase my dress from has a not so great rep with alterations, which I didn't find out about until after my gown came in. I was a little less than thrilled, to be specific I went into panic-mode. (complete with heart palpitations, shortness of breath, tunnel vision, and spells of intense hot flashes that I can only vaguely assume are similar to what a menopausal woman might experience) See, here's what had happened. I tried on a number of dresses, all in the same size, all of which fit...mostly. My dress in particular couldn't quite zip the entire way (and by "could quite" I literally mean was unzipped by about an inch and a half, not a big deal); fit wonderfully from the waist down (which really is an accomplishment considering the uhm, asset I was blessed with), however was completely and utterly M  A  S  S  I  V  E in the chest. Like, I probably could have stuffed with an entire roll of toilet paper, on EACH side, and still had some room to spare. Now, having said all of this, the wonderful "bridal consultant" at aforementioned wonderful bridal "boutique" and all her little consultant friends INSISTED, insisted I tell you, that I needed to order my dress 2 sizes up but that my "custom" measurements would be taken into consideration when "custom" making my "custom" dress. Let me insert my thinking process while all the incessant insisting is occuring... I, like every other bride, plan on shedding a few pounds before the big day. Not only that, but I had already dropped a few prior to wedding dress shopping, and since wedding dress shopping I've lost more. And I'm not done yet... But alas, I folded. They insisted (do you see an annoying pattern here?) that no matter what (weight loss, weight gain, stay the same) the dress could be altered once it came in to fit exactly how I wanted and that taking in could be done all I wanted, but taking out couldn't so it was best to stick with what they'd suggested as a size. So I did.
And then I found these...

My beautiful * dress that I re-fell in love with cost $402 to alter!!! The dress itself was $500. Is this normal? Did I get taken? It had to be taken in on the sides all the way down and I had to have it rehemmed

Beware * Alteration Prices

However if they are able to do alterations, it would require going up the equivalent of 2+ sizes. And although I am not a professional seamstress, I know enough to say with confidence that it will not look the way it is supposed to.

*(I see no point in adding insult to injury, while I may be dissatisfied with the inevitable alteration process at *, other brides may be satisfied. :))

I am not one to believe everything I read on the internet, however these bad experiences keep multiplying! And most of the complaints are the same: forced to buy 2 sizes too big, required to pay in full before seeing dress, insanely high alteration prices (like almost 1/2 the dress price), custom measurements but not a custom dress, etc. And as disheartening as these reviews were to read, I somehow knew this would happen. (honestly the whole dress shopping process had gone way too smoothly - - granted I was exhausted when we left and a little uneasy about the size they had me order, it was quite a painless experience) So I wasn't surprised. My wonderful mother however (and Queen Fix-it) has more than happily agreed to pick up my gown, and not only that but offered ever-so graciously to give them the piece of my her mind I didn't want to over the phone she didn't think I would have the guts to do. I will say, I tried asking about alterations when I called to warn inform them my mom would be coming. But the girl just told me I'd need to try the dress on first, that I might not need alterations (yes I will), to which I responded with "but I'm not coming" and she said, "then I don't know."

Anyone know a good, reasonably-priced seamstress in the TTown area? 

Always,

C Faith~