Alterations cost nothing at Once Upon a Story Boutique when the dress or suit is bought in the store. That single policy shapes the whole prom experience at this downtown Sheridan shop, because a hem, a strap adjustment or a bodice taken in is usually the surprise line on a prom budget. Owner Dawn Brehmer's team does the work in-house, and the Downtown Sheridan Association noted in a 2023 spotlight that the cost of alterations is included in the purchase of the dress.
The shop moved this spring, farther up Main Street from its longtime storefront, and marked the change with a two-day grand reopening in late March 2026. The new space is still on the same downtown strip that Sheridan families walk for the Third Thursday street festivals, so the move changed the door, not the neighborhood.
Prom labels and how ordering works
The homepage claims the region's best selection of dresses, with hundreds of styles in sizes 0 to 32. For prom, the shop points shoppers to seven featured vendors, and the arrangement is a little different from a pure off-the-rack store. Browse a vendor's site, find the gown you want, then contact the shop to place the order and the free alterations come with it. Dresses already in the store can go home sooner. The online prom collection recently showed about thirty gowns in stock, priced up to $600.
- Jessica Angel
- The largest share of the in-stock prom gowns on the shop's online collection
- Johnathan Kayne
- Bright, bold gowns; the 2023 spotlight singled the line out
- Sydney's Closet
- Plus-size formal line, useful for the upper end of the 0 to 32 range
- Jadore Evening and Sophia Thomas
- Featured prom vendors, ordered through the shop
Because ordered dresses take time to arrive, the order route favors shoppers who start in winter. Ordering also means the fitting happens after the gown lands, which is where the in-house alterations earn their keep.
Prom dates are covered as well. Once Upon a Story rents and sells tuxedos and suits through Jim's Formal Wear, and the alterations offer applies to a suit bought in the store, not just a dress. Shoes, handbags, jewelry and accessories fill out the rest of the floor.
The prom showcase and the county's schools
Each season the boutique stages a Prom Showcase and Fashion Show in Sheridan so students can see new styles in motion before trying anything on. The 2023 spotlight described an earlier edition with trunk shows and runway segments, a $5 door charge, and proceeds donated back to prom programs at Sheridan-area schools. In a corner of northern Wyoming where the county's high schools are spread across ranch country, a single downtown showcase gives everyone one date to circle. That puts the shop on the calendar for Sheridan High School, the biggest school in town, as well as Big Horn High School, Tongue River High School in Dayton and Arvada-Clearmont High School out east of the county seat. Buffalo High School, in Johnson County, is a straight run down I-90 from downtown.
This is a full-occasion boutique, and bridal appointments are private and booked ahead, with a "sign the dress" tradition for brides who say yes. Prom shopping happens during regular store hours without the bridal booking process. Asked about her buying for the 2023 spotlight, Brehmer pointed to how far her labels are from any other source.
We carry designers that you can't get anywhere close to here!
Asked often at Once Upon a Story
Are alterations really free on a prom dress?
Yes, when the dress is bought in the store. The shop advertises free in-house alterations with an in-store purchase of a dress or suit, including gowns ordered through its featured prom vendors.
Can I order a prom gown that is not in the shop?
Yes. Pick a style on one of the featured vendors' sites, then contact the shop to place the order. Leave time for the gown to arrive and be fitted.