Seamstress' alterations transform wedding dresses at new Long Island shop
Owner Maria Scavo specializes in bridal alterations, offering custom fits and detailed adjustments at Cida’s Bridal Atelier in Amityville. Credit: Maria Scavo
Small alterations can transform a wedding dress in a big way — refining the fit, smoothing lines, and making it look and feel custom-made.
Seamstress and dressmaker Maria Scavo, owner of Cida’s Bridal Atelier in Amityville, has made this area of sewing her professional specialty.
"I make the magic," says Scavo, 57, whose tools of the trade are needles, thread, scissors and precision sewing skills, both by hand and machine honed over decades.
Brides come to her with their precious gowns "to sharpen them up and make it look like they were made for them," Scavo says. "Everything is in the fine details."
Before opening her pocket-size shop in May, Scavo called her home-based business Cida Sew Shop. She’s working on updating the online presence. The name was inspired by Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil, where she grew up on a countryside farm. She learned to sew when she was 5.
"I fell in love with fabrics," says Scavo, a wife and mom who’s lived on Long Island for nearly 40 years. She started out in 2007 making handbags sold on Etsy.
Over time, her focus gradually shifted toward formalwear and bridal alterations — including attendants and mothers of the bride and groom. Because most bridal gowns are mass-produced in standard sizes, they need to be altered. Prom season brings another rush of customers.
Common bridal gown adjustments include hemming for the perfect length, tweaking the bustle for ease of movement, refining shoulder straps, taking in or letting out the bodice or waistline, and altering sleeves and the neckline.
The average cost for altering a wedding dress is about $700. The amount of beading, layers of material, and styles of a dress all factor into the cost and time required for Scavo to complete her work. And it’s a job she takes very seriously.
"Working on the hem is like doing surgery," says Scavo, adding that once she uses her scissors "there’s no going back. I have to measure the hem, like, 10 times before I cut."
Brides typically visit Scavo two or three times to consult on the dress. When asked about the best compliment she’s received, Scavo says, "I’m a good listener."
Cida’s Bridal Atelier, 9A Ireland Place, Amityville, 516-355-8122, cidasewshop.com
