"My first step in wedding dress shopping was a boutique, where I tried on lots of beautiful dresses that did not feel like me at all. Then, my mom had me try the dress she, my aunt and my grandmother all wore. It wasn't quite right for me, but there was something so special about wearing a dress with history. When my grandmother offered to let someone re-make the dress, I found Betsy's website and was blown away. From the very first email and meeting, Betsy listened and accommodated my many requests, questions and concerns. She agreed to use material from my grandmother's dress, and was able to take all that she needed from one layer of the skirt, preserving the original dress for future generations. I couldn't choose just one design from her beautiful sketches, so she offered to create not one but TWO mock-up dresses for me to try on so that I would know for sure. She was precise and helpful during fittings, again, truly listening to my concerns (does this make my hips look big?), and even making a major alteration before the final drop-off. Oh, and Betsy agreed to work within the budget I had originally set for a new dress. My wedding dress could not have been more "me," and I am beyond grateful to have gotten married in a dress that represents both my family's history as well as my own taste and style. Thank you, Betsy!" - Emily W.

"The experience of creating my own custom wedding dress with Betsy was just as amazing as the final product. She was so supportive, warm, and enthusiastic throughout every stage of the process – from our very first conversation to our final fitting. I wasn’t just another paycheck to Betsy. It wasn’t just about the silhouette or the fabric; she learned about me as a person, my relationship with my then-fiancée, and my overall vision for our wedding day and put all of that knowledge into making me the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. I didn’t want to wear white, I didn’t want a long gown, I didn’t lose the 25 pounds – and none of that mattered. Betsy created a dress that fit my personality and made me feel drop dead gorgeous. My friends and family kept saying that the dress was so “me.” One of my friends asked me to wear my wedding dress again because she “wanted to keep staring at it.” Betsy is a true artist and the creation of my dress was a true collaboration. I trusted her 100% every step of the way. Almost a year after my wedding, I still pull the dress out of the bag just to look at it – and it still makes me smile like I did on my wedding day." - Nicole S.

"Betsy brought my vision to life. We worked together exchanging pictures, sketches, messages, and she produced the dress of my dreams! It is amazing to me that she can work so diligently to help brides realize their vision. She pulled all of my favorite things from other dresses and made the perfect dress for me. She was prompt with communication and courteous with my time during fittings and meetings. She was easy to talk to and quick to adjust or change things I didn't care for. I felt completely comfortable with her during the entire process. Thank you for making my wedding dress dreams a reality." - Cassandra B.

"I chose Betsy's services because she primarily works with lace and I needed my lace wedding dress altered. She was extremely responsive and accommodating upon initial correspondence. I traveled to her from NYC and made a weekend out of the experience! She perfectly tailored my dress and made it fit me like a glove. She even came up with an inventive way to bustle the bottom of the train of my dress. I would definitely recommend her to anyone needing custom tailoring!" - Perri S.

"Betsy was incredible! I had a dream dress in my head that I couldn't quite find in any store, so she helped me create it from scratch... we started with my pinterest board and a conversation and then she created beautiful custom sketches for me. We tweaked one sketch until it was just what I had envisioned. She created a muslin to make sure the fit and the style were perfect, we chose custom fabrics, and suddenly my dream came to life! I received so many compliments on my dress and no one could believe that it was custom-designed and tailored for me for half the price most of my friends spent on their off-the-rack dresses!" - Maya S.

"Betsy was a dream to work with! She has vision and her skill and knowledge are evident in her beautiful work!! I'm a simple bride, and I decided a few months before my wedding that I wanted to wear my Grammie's 1950s silk dress, if it could be reconstructed. I reached out to Betsy, and I was so impressed by her responsiveness and enthusiasm for this work. I was even more excited after meeting with her at her sweet work space in Beacon--she worked magic, effortlessly pinning the dress while I had it on to give me an idea of how it could be updated. Betsy was totally flexible and allowed for me to adjust meeting times on both or our appointments; she's even is allowing me to bring the dress back one last time for a small alternation. Work with Betsy!" - Emma C.

"Betsy is amazing! When I started planning my wedding last winter I cherished dreams of wearing an updated version of my grandmother's lace wedding gown from 1947. I'd grown up looking at one of her wedding photos on the wall of our home every day throughout my childhood, but I had no idea if the gown was in good enough repair to use. I also wanted to find a way to update the look of the dress to make it more contemporary while still honoring the look original gown. In searching for designers who worked with heirloom gowns I found Betsy's webpage. What a lucky day for me! Betsy was wonderful in every way, and I loved my wedding dress completely. The process was so easy and fluid. Betsy sent me sketches of different options, and we worked together to come up with a design. She was always extremely responsive and flexible with all scheduling or artistic questions. The gown was absolutely beautiful and extremely well made. It was more than I'd ever hoped for when I first imagined wearing grandma's dress! Betsy worked magic!" - Jenny S.

"Betsy Wise is a magic maker! My sister had found her dream dress for the most part but the excessive tulle, length and beading was all wrong. We took it to Betsy and she fixed everything! When she was done the dress looked PERFECT. She even designed a super unique way of pinning the back of the dress up that kept the white buttons down the back of the dress in a straight line. Can't recommend her work enough! The turnaround was also really quick. Thanks, Betsy!" - Dawn M.

"Where to begin...!? Betsy has been absolutely wonderful to work with. Knowing I didn't want an off-the-rack dress, I approached Betsy with two photographs of dresses I liked and asked if she could somehow combine them into something that would work for me. She followed up with about 8 sketches all incorporating the features I liked most in the two photos. I decided on certain elements in a few of them and she produced the final sketch - exactly what I was looking for. I live in San Francisco but frequent New York enough that I was able to schedule a few fittings within the 6 months. Each time, it just got better and better! Betsy tweaked things as we went along and accommodated small changes I requested. In short, it's been the easiest part of planning a wedding. Her craftsmanship is unparalleled and she has a keen eye for what looks best on women of all different shapes and sizes. She listens to what you want and then produces exactly that." - Keelin L.

"I had always known I would want a custom made wedding dress. Betsy's talents as a designer and a dressmaker were essential in making my dream wedding dress a reality. She was available to me at every step of the way; from consulting with me from abroad when I was buying the silk in India, to being by my side through all of the sketching, designing and constructing, right up until the very last step of zipping me up. Her professionalism and attentiveness were driving forces, and made me feel very comfortable and relaxed. Betsy was someone who took my ideas and my personality and (no pun intended) seamlessly wove it into a dress that was truly and uniquely me." - Danielle Z.

"I've never been a very traditional person, but when I first got engaged, for some reason, I went directly to the off the rack option for wedding dresses. I tried on dozens of white dresses, and the reflection in the mirror felt like a complete alien was staring back at me. I thought having a custom gown made would be too complicated or too costly. Then I sat down with Betsy, and everything changed. Not only did Betsy work within my budget but she made the entire experience completely relaxed, luxurious and easy. Betsy worked closely with me to hone and craft not only a gorgeous wedding gown, but a vision for what I wanted to look and feel like on my wedding day. She listened to what I wanted, and made amazing suggestions. She went above and beyond to deliver a fabulous garment that was the ultimate reflection of who I am. I could not imagine doing it any other way!" - Sara K.

"Observing and participating in the transformation of my dress – from rough pencil sketches to the moment Betsy zipped me up on the big day – was one of the most beautiful and inspirational experiences of my life. Talent is an understatement for Betsy’s needlecraft. I could fully trust Betsy with my grandmother’s wedding dress, which she reconstructed into a new gown. She included me in every step of the design process, even from long-distance, so that the final result was truly “me.” After working with Betsy, the idea of a pre-made, store bought gown seems dull and lifeless. I can’t recommend Betsy enough. She will harness your dreams and, with ever so much care and professionalism, stitch them into gorgeous reality!" - Margot W.