Ordering a custom wedding dress from Turkey to the US or Canada
Turkey has a long tradition of bridal sewing, and many ateliers now make dresses for brides abroad. The questions we hear from brides in the US and Canada are always the same: what will I really pay, how long does it take, how do I give my measurements, and how do I know the atelier is real? Here is how to answer each one before you send any money, whichever atelier you choose.
1. Ask for the delivered price, not the dress price
The price on a product page is often only the dress. Shipping is extra, and import charges come when the parcel crosses the border. Since the US ended its $800 duty-free allowance in 2025, a wedding dress shipped from Turkey usually comes with a duty bill. In Canada, clothing from Turkey pays customs duty plus GST or HST. If the seller ships on "recipient pays" terms, the courier asks you for these charges before handing over the box.
So ask one question: "What is the total I pay, delivered to my door, with duties and taxes included?" A clear answer is a good sign. At Glorvia, prices for the US and Canada already include duties and taxes, so there is nothing to pay at delivery.
2. Work back from your wedding date
A made-to-measure dress has three stages: agreeing the design and measurements, sewing, and shipping. At our atelier, sewing takes 15–20 business days after you approve your measurements, and express delivery to the US or Canada takes about 3 business days after that. Add time for questions back and forth and for a possible alteration after the dress arrives. Starting three to four months before the wedding leaves room for all of it without rushing.
3. Measuring from home
You don't need a tailor. A soft tape, a friend to help and the shoes you plan to wear are enough. A good atelier tells you exactly what to measure and checks the numbers with you before cutting. You can follow our measurement guide or measure with us on a video call. If something seems off, such as a waist larger than the hips, we ask before we sew.
4. How to check an atelier before you pay
- A real place. Look for a street address, a Google Maps listing with photos and reviews, and phone or WhatsApp numbers that answer.
- Reviews outside its own website. Google, Trustpilot and Etsy reviews are written where the seller can't edit them. Read the recent ones, including the critical ones.
- Who sells to you. Ask which company issues your invoice and what happens if a parcel is lost. A seller with a company in your country, or written terms in English, is easier to deal with.
- How you pay. Paying by credit card or through a marketplace gives you a way to dispute a charge. Be careful with a request for a bank transfer only.
- Photos of real dresses. Ask for a video of the dress you like, or photos of brides who wore it.
- Returns and alterations in writing. Know before you pay what happens if the dress doesn't fit.
5. Returns and alterations across a border
Returning a custom dress is harder than returning a shop dress, so read the terms first. Ours are simple: you can return the dress within 24 hours of delivery as long as the try-on ribbon is still attached, and if it needs adjusting, alterations are free for the first 3 months. Our fit guarantee explains how it works.
How ordering from Glorvia works
Choose a dress from the collection or design your own, send your measurements, and we sew it in our atelier in Gaziantep. Orders from the US and Canada are sold and invoiced by Glorvia INC, our Canadian company, with duties included. If you'd rather buy through a marketplace, our dresses are also on Etsy.