Mary is a miracle worker! Just trust the process. I bought a dress off the rack that was several sizes too big (height and width). After the first round of alterations, she'd taken it up as high as she could and the cups of the dress were hanging at my ribcage. I was afraid that I was just too short and it simply couldn't be adjusted to fit me. But by our next meeting, voila! She had it looking like it had been made for me all along. She also fixed some imperfections, reinforced week buttons, and added a fantastic bustle. Her price was extremely fair and the final result was stunning. read more

I called to ask a simple question and she was very rude, won't be using her any time soon.

Wow!!! what a job Mary did on my wedding dress!! I am so impressed. It fit perfectly and made me feel so beautiful on my wedding day. She is a miracle worker! and very reasonably priced. read more

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Awful experience. She needs to retire and be done. Her memory is awful and she does not stop talking. My wedding straps broke the day of my wedding. Thank God MOH knew how to sew. One of my biggest regrets was going to her for such an important day of my life. read more

Mary Catomy is amazing! I asked her to add straps to my strapless gown, and she understood immediately what I wanted and it looked beautiful! She also hemmed my gown, added a bustle and bra cups, and sewed on a belt. Her prices were reasonable, and the attention to detail and quality of work was phenomenal! She is a true professional and shared lots of stories and wedding tips during the appointments, which made the whole process a lot of fun. Thank you Mary!! read more

Mary Catomy Bridal Alterations - Me and my nephew :) - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Schiller Park, Illinois

Mary is wonderful at alterations and making you feel like a goddess on your wedding day (or any other celebration!). Mary altered my dress in May 2018 for my wedding and I will never forget all of the hard work she put into it. She took it in in the hips, hemmed it, made a bustle, put in "boob" cups, added darts, build me sleeves (that I didn't end up using), added a "seatbelt" to keep the dress and the girls up high and steamed it. The price cannot be beat ANYWHERE. I have taken multiple bridesmaid dressed to her since and same work was done. She was fantastic to work with and I will continue to go to her for all of my seamstress needs! read more

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Mary Catomy is a saint! Highly recommend. I had received a quote from another tailor for bridal alterations and was shocked when I learned they wanted to charge as much as 40% of the original cost of the gown for alterations In a panic, I asked friends for recommendations and came across Mary. I paid half of what I was originally quoted with Mary! Not only are her services fabulously affordable, she KNOWS what she is doing!! I ordered my dress as recommended from my bridal shop, and it was almost 2" too big everywhere. Mary expertly took it in around my bust and booty, and trimmed my hem, all while being very mindful of the unique lace pattern on my dress. In my final gown, I was able to move, dance, sit and enjoy every aspect of my wedding all while having the dress hug my curves! I have a smaller bust and she was able to fit the bodice perfectly. 10/10 would recommend, Mary is an angel!! read more

Mary Catomy Bridal Alterations - Sitting comfortably! Everything fit great! - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Schiller Park, Illinois

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Working with Mary was excellent. She was quick, professional and did an awesome job! And yes, she books up early - because she's good, and it's only her. But, that didn't stop me from trying -- I called the first week in March, less than two months before the wedding. Although her weekends were booked up, she was able to fit me in during the week. I asked her to book my appointment just 2-3 weeks before the wedding because I was trying to loose weight before the big day. She was very accommodating, even after having to reschedule my first appointment. And ladies - she doesn't have much time to sit and chat. Her phone rang at least twice trying to schedule new appointments, within my 15 minute fitting. I don't believe it's a matter of her being rude, just very busy. However, that did not take away from the quality alterations she provided. Most importantly, she was extremely reasonable price-wise. To hem, bustle, take in the chest, steam and prepare the dress for travel (destination wedding) -- it was only $90!! Of course I didn't have much beading/lace, etc. but felt it was a great deal considering all the other quotes I had received, especially in that time frame. Needless to say, I would definitely recommend Mary! Note: She doesn't do many bridesmaid dresses. Having witnessing her abundance of wedding dresses in a small space and booked-solid calendar, I can understand why. Oh, and she does sell some bridal jewelry/accessories. I bought a cute set of pearl earrings for only $8 which went perfect with my dress. read more

Mary Catomy Bridal Alterations - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Schiller Park, Illinois

Mary altered my wedding dress for my wedding in June 2015. I had bought an off the rack Monique Lhuillier dress that was one size too big for me. The dress was also too long for me being that I'm 5'2. Mary basically had to take my dress apart and re-sew it to fit me correctly. She was very open and honest with me. Mary also made me a bridal belt and used my mom's veil to make my own veil. She used some lace pieces and added it to my mom's veil. Mary's prices were very reasonable. Why the -1 star? I got my pictures back from my photographer and my keyhole back is crooked! Not sure why no one noticed or maybe they didn't want to say anything! But I would still definitely recommend Mary but just be sure everything is how you want it! read more

Mary Catomy Bridal Alterations - Crooked keyhole :( - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Schiller Park, Illinois

Mary was great to work with! I had my wedding dress altered by her back in 2015 and everything was perfect. Reasonably priced, very professional, and very prompt. I looked forward to our appointments because she made it fun. read more

Mary Catomy Bridal Alterations - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Schiller Park, Illinois

I came to Mary based on a recommendation from a friend who also used Mary for her bridal alterations a few years ago. I am so glad I came here! Mary is kind, knowledgeable, and affordable! I was a little unsure how it would go because I am NOT your typical bride: my dress is blue, and a retro style - tea length with petticoat. Except I needed someone who could add the petticoat to get the look I wanted, and understand the look I was going for, including adding boning to the strapless top of the dress as well. I just had my second fitting - after adding the petticoat and initial boning - and I'm so excited that I asked Mary if I could hug her! She is definitely going to have my vision come to life. I highly recommend Mary, but make sure you book her a year in advance - my wedding is 9/5/15 and I booked her summer 2014, as she will completely book up!! read more

Mary is the absolute best! Very reasonable prices and does a wonderful job! Would recommend her for any alterations!

Mary altered my bridesmaid dress and did a fantastic job. A week and a half before the wedding I tried on the dress again and realized the top of the dress was too big! In a panic, I called her and she was able to squeeze me in that same day to get it altered. She was able to fix the dress before the wedding and it looked much better. I will be recommending Mary to everyone I know! read more

I've been coming to Mary for about a decade. Love her. Started out with bridesmaid dresses to be altered. Then, I would have her do dresses and suits for me when I was speaking at conferences and appearances. I will be seeing her soon to have her alter a jumpsuit for me (that only came in one size due to being sold out) for two upcoming TV appearances. Mary is also a great conversationalist and friendly. My relatives also come here for alterations. read more

Mary did an amazing job with the alterations on my wedding dress. My first appointment with her was about five months before the wedding day and I had three more appointments with her, including the final appointment when I picked up my dress. Each appointment was quick and she had everything done prior to me arriving, so all I had to do was try on my dress and make sure everything was still fitting! I also had her attach a belt, which she did flawlessly! Overall, the process of having my dress altered was quick, easy, and pain free thanks to Mary Catomy! I would highly recommend using her services! read more

Absolutely amazing! I've come here for bridesmaids dresses but this time i came for my wedding dress. Mary helped calm me down when i got my dress in a month before my wedding. She reassured me it would be done and look beautiful. She is reasonable priced! Very kind and is great at what she does. read more

Mary is fantastic. My dear friend brought her this VERY nontraditional idea for a wedding dress and Mary not only agreed to make it, but she managed to make it beautiful, practical, and added several personal (and genius) touches to it. There were feathers, and those feathers needed to be dipped in several different colors. There was the bodice, and that changed about three times. Then the straps, and the belt, and well, you get the idea. There were several generations of this dress until it was perfect. She also altered my bridesmaid dress and it was perfect. I may be bringing some of my own crazy ideas to Mary. After all, I've always wanted to be Mary Poppins in the chalk painting for Halloween. :) read more

As good as everyone says. I had read about Mary on the Knot, and couldn't believe I was lucky enough to get an appointment with her! She books up waaaaay far in advance, so call her as soon as you purchase your dress. My dress didn't need that many alterations- just a bit of hemming and a bustle, but Mary also sewed my bra into the dress to make life easier. When I told her that the boning in the bra had been giving me trouble, she offered to remove the metal boning and replace with a softer plastic. I didn't even know that was an option, but it worked out great. When I went back for my final fitting, everything was perfect, and only cost around $165. Had I had my alterations done at the store, it would have been $250. Had I purchased the dress at Kleinfeld and had the alterations done there, it would have cost $500! Aside from her obvious skill (all self-taught, mind you), the best part of Mary is her attitude. She's a laid-back Chicago broad who will crack you up with stories of bridezillas (no names, of course) gone mad. She also seems to be a rabid Sox fan, so leave your Cubbies babydoll t at home when you visit. Another adorable thing Mary does is use a light blue ribbon for the bustle, so every bride has her 'something blue.' It's little touches like that that really make someone like Mary stand out. read more

If you want this lady to alter your dress, please call her 2 years in advance. I called her this morning, my wedding is in August and she said is too late, she is booked for the whole year, she was very cold too. Then I called Ms Couture, luckily I found her on yelp, and got an appointment for the fallowing week, super sweet lady. You can read the reviews, she is very busy but she never says NO. I am very happy and relieved. Good luck brides! read more

I called Mary with about a month notice until I would need to wear a bridesmaid dress. At first it sounded like she was all booked up. Luckily, I work a retail schedule and often have weekdays off. She was able to fit me in on a Tuesday! I only needed minor alterations. A cinch here and a tuck there. Nothing off the bottom. Mary did a super job, and the cost was very reasonable ($20)! My dress was comfortable and stayed up all day long. Mary is very personable. All of the letters and photos in her basement work area truly tell the story of how many girls she has helped. read more

I first met Mary about ten years ago and she has done eery alteratio for any wedding I have ever attended!! She does quality work for a decent price and I enjoy that she is flexible with her time. Quality work is hard to find- Wedding days are the most important days of our lives- entrusting her with my wedding dress was the easy part because I knew she would do a good job. SHe also makes Halloween costumes that are out of this world. read more

Va va va voom! It is no exaggeration that Mary is nicknamed "The Boob Fairy"! She knows her stuff! I had the opportunity to meet her yesterday while my sister was having her final fitting of her wedding dress. I could not get over the transformation. Mary has mad skills and my sister looked amazing in her dress. I wish that I could afford to bring my entire wardrobe to Mary's house! She truly is a very sweet and friendly person who takes great pride in her work. She's also in high demand, so I recommend that you book her as soon as you have date set! My sister booked her a month before she even found her dress and was fortunate to procure a spot. She also carries gorgeous jewelry and accessories in her workshop. read more

Mary altered my wedding dress for my August 20 wedding and did a fantastic job! I bought a sample sale dress, which was about 4 sizes too big for me. Her pricing was incredibly reasonable ($200 to take it in a ton - which if you see my Dress Doctor review is cheaper than what I paid for bridesmaid dress alterations there). Mary is so friendly and I truly looked forward to each of my fittings. On the day I picked the dress up, there was a small amount of gaping at the top, which Mary fixed perfectly on the spot. Her work was outstanding and my bustle stayed perfectly all night. Couldn't be happier that she did my alterations! If your wedding is in 2012, you're probably too late. If it's in 2013, jump on her NOW. Yes, I know it's ridiculously early but if you wait, I guarantee she will book up. read more

Mary is the best. You don't book up that fast if you aren't good. Her prices are so reasonable. I used Mary for my August 13th wedding and was beyond thrilled. Mary ended up taking the dress in a size, sewing a bra in, hemming it, putting tucks in the sides, and adding a bustle all for only $250. I called Mary in early November and she was almost fully booked. This is not something you put off. If you put it off you will miss out on Mary's work and end up paying double somewhere else. It helped that I was able to make my appointments during the week around the lunch hour as I bet her weekends are crazy. You won't be disappointed. read more

Responsive but short/cold in her response. I looked at other reviews and she has good customer service with people that PAY her for it. The ones that are INQUIRING, she is COLD towards. I would recommend for Mary to treat everyone as if they're a customer now or in the future. read more

Bridesmaid's dress alterations are usually a pain in the behind, but Mary made the whole process as painless as could be! She works out of her home in Schiller Park, so I would never had found her if it hadn't been for a friend's recommendation. Call at least 6 weeks from your wedding date since this is the BUSY season. Mary scheduled me and my roomate for our fittings in late April, we came, brought our dresses and shoes, and we were out in 30 minutes, for BOTH of us! Just picked up the dresses last week and they look wonderful, perfectly taken in, hemmed, steamed, even with little "boobs" sewn in! $35 and we were on our way. Also, she custom makes gowns/costumes too, and judging from the snapshots sent by her past clients, her work is beautiful and makes many a bride's special day! Mary is a delight, there's no wonder they call her the Boob Fairy. If only there were no traffic on the DR, it would have been THE easiest thing I've done in a looong time! read more

Love her! She did a fantastic job altering my wedding dress. She was so affordable too-- I have literally spent more getting bridesmaids dresses altered than I did for my wedding dress! Book early, because she is excellent! read more

Mary Catomy is a gift! I got married this past weekend and she transformed my dress and also did the alterations for my sister's bridesmaid dress, my mother's outfit and my grandmother's dress. We could not get enough of her! I bought a sample dress and loved it from the start but knew that there were things that needed to be changed about it. Mary took off the zipper and replaced it with satin buttons, made the straight across tube top into a sweetheart WITHOUT cutting into the dress and added cap sleeves to it by finding the EXACT same material of the dress so it would look like the sleeves were there in the first place. I had multiple fittings with Mary and every one of them made me feel more at ease than the last one. Nothing was "impossible" for her and she was calm and reassuring at every fitting while also being blunt and honest about what areas I still needed to work on to have the dress fit how I wanted it to. Also, Mary's prices can't be beat! If you try to get your wedding dress altered at a bridal store or seamstress in the city, they will charge you DOUBLE if not more than that. Mary also made my veil for $40 and it was gorgeous! I had shopped for veils prior to working with Mary and they all started at $200. I would recommend Mary to any bride or bridesmaid! I will definitely be bringing dresses to her in the future!!! read more

AMAZING!!! Mary not only altered my gown but also made me a lace bolero and veil. This woman can do it all and even has jewelry and sashes for WAY cheaper than anywhere else. She's so good she never even measured me. It was done all by eye. Call her before you even buy your dress as she fills up FAST! I just got married this past weekend and my dress and bolero looked awesome. I felt like a million bucks. We customized my dress quite a bit and she nailed it! So lucky to have found Mary!! read more

Just called to ask if I could come in for a bridal consult to alter my wedding dress. She interrupted me with "Well when's your wedding?" shortly followed by "No, I'm all booked-booked real fast this year". Just like that, kinda short and rude. No thanks. read more

Mary was so wonderful - her many years of experience made this such an easy breezy process. Get into the dress, have her assess, come back at the next appt and try it out - perfect! Mary's prices were extremely reasonable and she did such a wonderful job altering the dress and making my veil. She is extremely popular so please call in advance to get on her calendar! read more

Mary Catomy is wooooonderful. Her alterations are quick, inexpensive, and excellently done. We went in to get bridesmaid dresses altered, and she did an equally great job taking in my roommate's way-too-big dress and helping my strapless dress to stay securely PG-rated all night long. Her business cards call her the "Boob Fairy" for good reason! She even did a quick fix on a pair of my jeans for free in conjunction with my dress alteration. Mary runs her very busy business out of her home in a suburb by O'Hare. Call ahead to make sure she can fit you in- she is constantly busy for good reason! She can also do custom work if you need something to cover your shoulders, a veil or headpiece, or even a dress created from scratch. read more

Mary Catomy is absolutely fabulous. I bought a very simple wedding dress over the Internet that I needed to alter quite a bit to get it where I wanted it to be. Mary added panels in the back of the dress and re-did all the buttons down the back as well to let it out in the bust area, and then she took the dress in at the waist. The dress fit needed a lot of work, but it fit perfectly and I looked absolutely stunning in it. Additionally, Mary helped me add the "perfect red" to my dress. I found out that Mary also loves the color red, and she enthusiastically went out to find the perfect red material for my dress. She made a custom sash and we designed it to go with my antique brooch. Oh, it was heaven! She was easy to work with and the quality of the work was great as well! Highly recommended. My dress - in total - probably cost me $500-600 even with all this work by Mary. read more

Mary is amazing! I can not thank her enough for all that she did to create my wedding dress for my November wedding. I did not want to be a strapless dress wearing bride...with these swimming shoulders strapless is a no go! Mary helped to make my vision of my dress a reality. Her skill is unparallelled. I came to her with several pictures and she created my dress out of multiple patterns and a great eye for design. She even tea dyed my lace because the white lace was too white and the ivory lace was too yellow and it came out beautifully! Mary does fill up super fast, so sign up early! She is easy to work with, listens so well and really loves what she does. Every time I went to Mary's, eveyone is in such a good mood and chatty...I loved that and it made me look forward to visiting Mary and my dress. The workspace is filled with pictures of brides and the dresses Mary created or helped alter to make that bride's day more perfect. Mary was a pleasure to work with and everyone loved my dress and all the intricate lace work that Mary did by hand. Mary even helped make a Russian net cage veil to match. She was nice enough to fix my fur wrap to make sure it fit and matched my dress. The entire process of creating my beautiful wedding dress was very smooth and surprisingly easy; I can not say enough good things about Mary's talents....now I only wish I could do it all over again! :) read more

Mary is not only an amazing seamstress, she is a wonderful person! She is fast, does a great job and her prices are incredibly reasonable. Mary is running a one person show out of her home and therefore books up very quickly. I can't believe how many people give a bad review because she could not help you. She should not be 'honored, that you called her for an alteration late in the game! Would you rather she said yes, did a shitty job - like many other places that just say yes to get money - or worse, not complete your alterations? Mary takes pride in her work and knows the appropriate amount of time needed to complete an alteration. If you really want her help, call her when you have a date, not when you have a dress. read more

Loved working with Mary! I found my wedding dress online at BCBG for a few hundred bucks (score!), but the problem was that there were two large slits going up the front of it. Mary closed them partly as well as added custom-dyed lace behind them to make an awesome custom creation!! She also tightened up the waist and added a built in bra. LOVED it! Really reasonable prices here as well. Thanks, Mary!! read more

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I have been going to Mary for years. I had her alter all my bridesmaids/MOH dresses for the past few years, had regular clothes altered and now she will be altering my wedding dress for my July 2016 wedding. She does a remarkable job and her prices are beyond reasonable compared to what you pay in department stores. She tells it how it is. The top of my wedding dress is 2 inches too small. She gave me 3 options as to what she could do to my dress. I LOVE her ideas and outside of the box thinking. I paid $45 to get my previous bridesmaid dress altered. She added boobs, shortened the top and the length. I live in Gurnee and drive all the way to Schiller Park see her. She's worth it! Thank you Mary!!!! read more

Mary Catomy Bridal Alterations - I wouldn't trust anyone with my wedding dress except for Mary! - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Schiller Park, Illinois

I used Mary for my May 2012 wedding. I couldn't be more pleased -- she did an excellent job and did it for $400 cheaper than the bridal salon had quoted. Mary was thorough and paid attention to every detail. She made sure my dress and cathedral-length veil looked perfect when I picked them up. As others have mentioned, she books early. I had booked in August of 2011 and was one of her last 2012 brides. read more

Well, to start off, I booked with Mary over a year in advance, and I am so so glad that I did!! She did a fantastic job altering my dress to fit, and also taking the sash thingy that I bought separately and transferring the rhinestone bling on to a different fabric, and then attaching that to my dress. I will say after you book with her, do NOT forget to call her when it's about time for your first appointment (when you book, she'll tell you how the scheduling process works/how many months before the wedding to call her... write it down and DON'T forget because I very nearly did, thinking that she would call me). Mary was very accommodating with scheduling (weekdays are best for her of course but she was always able to fit me in for a Saturday) and her pricing is downright cheap compared to how much a salon would charge you. Her amazing work aside, she is a sweetheart!! I loved coming in for appointments because I am shy and awkward, but she just makes you feel right at home and like you can gab with her about anything. She also had a lot of fun anecdotes about alterations, and great advice on stuff like storage for your dress or posture for photos... she's got advice/stories for everything, she has been doing this for so long!! Hopefully as a newly engaged bride, you've done your homework and know that you need to book Mary immediately, because it will be one of the best vendor decisions you make!! read more

Mary was a godsend. A friend of mine used her last year and because I bought my dress from an outlet in Florida, I needed to find someone local. It's hard because you can't trust just any seamstress to do wedding dress alterations. You want someone who knows wedding dresses and styles. From the moment I walked into her small shop, I knew that she was someone that I could trust. She's very commanding and explains to you exactly what you need to do and what she needs to do to your dress. I had to go back and see her 3 times and she charged me $275. If you know anything about what the bridal stores charge for alterations, you know that is SUPER cheap. My friend had only one fitting and had to have tulle removed and a few seams taken in and she paid $475 at a salon. She's out in the burbs by O'Hare, so if you live in the city, it's a hike. But she is well-worth it! read more