If you have friends who have recently been married, or if you've ever looked into custom designed gowns, you have probably already heard the name Noccé. Pronounced 'No-Chay', the word was created to mean couture for an elegant evening. At local shows, through photos of past weddings, and from visiting their gown shop, The Ring has had the opportunity to see firsthand, the beautiful creations that Noccé Bridal Designs and Alterations has produced for their brides.

Today, Noccé Bridal Designs and Alterations (formally known as Noccé Custom Gown Design) specializes in gown alterations, from Toronto to London and everywhere in between. With personalized one-on-one consultations at their private studio, brides know that their dress alterations are in exceptionally good hands.

We sat down with designer, Ileana Poessy, and her daughter Axel to learn more on the ins and outs of their alterations and custom design gown service. "What we like most about the business is the fact that we are allowing someone to get exactly what they want," Ileana explains. Having someone take your description of what you are looking for and turn it into a reality - within a reasonable budget - is a huge draw for local brides. Axel understands the need for their services in the wedding gown industry for these and other reasons, "I'm a very picky person myself, so I understand!"

The advantages of getting what you want

Inside Noccé's private studio, you'll find racks of both in-progress and ready-to-pick-up gowns, bolts of gorgeous fabrics, favourite gowns on mannequins, a comfortable dressing room and waiting area, photos of past gowns and weddings, thank you cards from happy brides, and trendy décor. This space is also great because they don't have the overhead of a fancy storefront; the private studio allows them to transfer all of those savings on to you!

It's here that we learned from this dynamic mother-daughter duo that what they do is their passion. Ileana has been a seamstress for over twenty-seven years, and owned a women’s fashion shop in both The Dominican Republic and Miami before calling Kitchener her home.

Beautiful clothes and their creation has always fascinated and excited her. As a small child, she would watch her grandmother create an exquisite wedding dress from a few yards of silk or satin using her love for designing and dressmaking. Working with beautiful fabrics became an ambition she has never regretted.

Her first love is bridal gowns and the one-to-one rapport she has with her customers. She told The Ring, "I like to think my creations give a bride the confidence to know she looks beautiful on her wedding day."

The two work great together and complement each other's strengths. “Ileana is a very personal, thoughtful, warm person. She is always going out of her way for people to make them happy,” says Axel of her mother... and we couldn't agree more! Axel likes to focus on the marketing and promotional aspects of the company since earning her Business Degree. This leaves her mother all the time and resources needed for the master to alter dresses.

In a separate room off of the meeting and gown area is Noccé's large sewing area. When Ileana isn't meeting with brides, this is where you will find her. And because of such high demand over the last few wedding seasons, you'll likely also find several seamstresses working beside her on gowns for upcoming events.

For example...

Designing and altering gowns for K-W, Cambridge and area brides for fourteen years, Ileana has definitely had some unique and diverse requests. One couple planned their wedding for Halloween and had Ileana design an all black gown to match the occasion, along with red bridesmaid dresses. Another request was for a Victorian era gown which was designed based on pictures the bride brought to Ileana. She also designed a drawstring purse to match.

Noccé was approached recently by a bride in a panic. She had found out that she was pregnant after she ordered her gown. By the time she had picked up her gown, she was considerably larger than the size she ordered originally. This young bride left her gown with Ileana that day. Ileana took the gown, removed the back, added a corset-style back (that can grow), added shape to the front that minimized size, and had the gown completed for pick-up the next morning. Value to the bride, one week before the wedding? Priceless. Ileana highly recommends custom gowns for pregnant brides because you can adjust not only the size, but the style of the gown to make room for the baby while still keeping it fashionable.

But it's not just local brides who are loving Noccé as Ileana and Axel told us that they've had brides come to them from as far away as England and Vancouver and from all over Canada. A bride from the Philippines took the material from the bridesmaid dresses that Noccé made and sent it to her grandfather in the Philippines. He custom made shoes to match the gowns!

Using a well-established and trustworthy specialist like Noccé for your alterations can take away some of the fear of ordering your dress online. Their personalized service and years of experience make it easy to alter any dress- there are no alterations they can't handle, no matter how big or small!

The Alterations Experts

It's no wonder that this local treasure books up quickly. With one-on-one personalized fittings and a Lead Designer and Alterations Expert who has been featured on major US and Canadian runways, brides know their dress is in great hands.

And local gown shops agree. Noccé is now doing dress alterations for most gown shops in the tri-cities. If you've purchased a dress somewhere else- whether it's at another bridal gown shop or an online store- and are simply looking for a place to do alterations, Ileana will be happy to give you a quote on the work that you'd like to have done on your gown and/or your bridesmaids’ dresses.

They will even do alterations for brides and wedding parties that are out-of-town. You can send in your measurements and they will make your dress alterations. When you're in town you can come to the studio for your final fitting and they can take care of any last minute alterations.

It's also ideal for pregnant bridesmaids who may need several few fittings or last minute alterations. The team at Noccé has the experience to take care of any alterations, no matter how much your body changes throughout the pregnancy!

While the cost of your alterations really depends on your dress and the type of changes you need, you can come in and they will give you a quote on the spot.

Charlene Gough had her wedding dress altered at Noccé as says she couldn't be happier with the results. She told The Ring, "The prices were great and matched my budget.  They are priced lower than what you will find at a typical bridal store. I strongly believe the value exceeded the prices we paid.  To have a company customize to your wants in every aspect, no surprises, have many options, and lastly provide a stress free, enjoyable time in your wedding planning is top quality!"

Custom Gowns

While Noccé specializes in alterations, they will continue to feature a handful of those custom gowns that brides have come to know and love. These gowns start at $1500 and a select few will be available each year for some very lucky brides!

Another cool option that Noccé offers is the ability to refurbish your mom's gown. You can either redesign it to give it an updated, modern feel or, use your favourite elements from the dress in your own gown.

The creative process

The first step is to give Ileana a call to book your free consultation. This is normally done at least one to two months ahead of your wedding date in order to give Noccé enough time to alter your dress without the unneeded stress of a short deadline.

Charlene Gough says she would recommend Noccé to anyone looking for top quality alterations, "They responded in a timely manner, they made sure you left happy, they accommodated everyone’s schedules and it was stress free. They make sure your dress fits you perfectly and they are very helpful in answering any questions. It was very pleasant to work with them. They are truly one of a kind!"

Tips from the experts...

When you have people who have been in the industry for their whole lives, you can't pass up expert knowledge! Axel and Ileana strongly recommend wearing your shoes and lingerie with each fitting (they usually only require two fittings) as well as any crinoline. This will ensure that you achieve the overall look you are striving for each step of the way. If one piece of the puzzle isn't just perfect... the heels on the shoes are too low, the bustier shows on the sides of your dress... you'll have time to correct it rather than realizing it the morning of the wedding. All alterations are included in your quoted price unless it’s something drastic and requires a lot of additional work. Even then, Ileana stresses that their alteration charges are very minimal.

Details, details, details

• It is recommended by Noccé that you bring your dress in one to two months before your event, to ensure that you have enough time for all the sewing and alterations - however Ileana invites all inquiries and will accommodate you if there is enough time. If it's a rush order, Noccé may have to charge a rush fee.
• A 50% non-refundable deposit is required upon placing your order.
• Your balance is due when you pick up the dress or dresses.

In other words...

"For my dress, I wanted something completely different - out of the ordinary, but yet still my own style. After many weeks of searching online and in bridal stores for 'short wedding dresses' I gave up and decided to have my dress custom made. I contacted Ileana from Noccé, who specializes in custom gowns in K-W (and had actually done my prom dress in high school) and she was excited to take on the task of making my dress! I absolutely LOVED my dress – it really was the dress of my dreams! Random people on the wedding day and for the rest of the week were coming up to me complimenting on it! It was totally suited to the beach theme as well as fit me perfectly. Custom wedding dresses are definitely the way to go! For the bridesmaids, I wanted something they could wear again, dressy, but still casual enough for the beach wedding. I went with a high-waist and black bottom with teal strapless top and matching sash. Ileana from Noccé also made these! The colour and style was so flattering on everyone!" - Danyale Hergott

"I’d like to thank you for making my dress, especially on such short notice. I had a fabulous time, mostly thanks to you. I received countless compliments on my dress – and have been told the pictures don’t do it enough justice. You are an angel in my eyes! Thanks again – the best of luck to you!" - Julie

"Thank you so much for the amazing wedding dress that you brought to life! You have been such a blessing to me. Nothing I saw came anywhere near my dreams, but thanks to you, you made possible far more than I had imagined. My wedding gown was gorgeous – everyone loved it (and Ricky did too!). You have a real gift Ileana, and thanks to your talent you contributed greatly to making me a beautiful bride!" - Esmeralda

"A world of thanks for making me such a lovely wedding dress. Everyone thought it was gorgeous and that it suited me well. You did such a wonderful job and worked so hard (even despite my pickiness!). Thank you so much for all your hard work, your warm service and patience. I wish you luck in all your future endeavors. Thanks again for everything – I absolutely loved the dress!" - Karen

"First, I would like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for the great job you have done on my wedding gown. When I tried on the dress on my final fitting I was left without words… it was absolutely gorgeous. You can just imagine how I felt on my wedding day when I put it on and I was all done up! It fit like a glove, and I truly felt like a million bucks! Thank you, thank you, and thank you! You made this experience really easy for me." - Shawna

"I wanted you to know how absolutely perfect my dress was. I never in a million years thought I would be having my wedding dress made ... but it all seemed so right! I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to ensure that every detail was perfect. Your service and personal touch is second to none. You gave me great relief and I really appreciate your efforts and hard work. Thank you with all my heart!" - Leah