Fourteenth: The Cost of a Veil
So many brides ask about the cost of a veil. There are a a few things to consider when budgeting for your bridal veil. I hope to answer a few questions and open your mind to some things that perhaps you haven't thought of.
Photo by Antonietta Henry Photography
“I will always remember a bride coming into my shop for a consultation for her bridal veil. At the end of her hour long appointment, she looked at me and said she didn’t understand how a piece of tulle could cost so much!”
After taking particular note of all of the things I had shared with her (right down to the measurements), she told me she had decided to make the veil herself. That consultation taught me so much. First, while we don't charge for a consultation that hour I spent with her wasn't free. It is the first cost that goes into the production of any bridal veil design. Second, there is so much value to the expertise I shared with her. I studied fashion design, I developed sewing and pattern techniques, and all of this takes time and experience. You may be surprised about the ending of this story! The bride returned five weeks before the wedding and told me she didn't realize how difficult it was to make a veil. On her wedding day, she walked down the aisle wearing my design!
Let's talk veils
Katherine was working within a certain budget. Her desire was to find bridal accessories that potentially no one else had. She also wanted something that she assisted in curating.
“While I did go a little over my budget, I believe it was 100% worth it! I received something that not only I can say I assisted in designing, but more than anything I found a friend in Marie, and there is no price you can put on that!””
“I selected a silky European Net that I loved, and I was able to have a say in the customization of it. You made me feel confident and beautiful every step of the way. The best decision I made was that first phone call to Headpiece.com. You made the time to see my mom and me on such short notice while she was in town visiting. You are an absolute gem!”
Annaliza benefited from her one-on-one collaboration. She expected to just go in, buy a veil, and be done with it! During her consultation I walked Annaliza and her parents through the process of designing a custom veil and what makes our designs so special. She said she never imagined the impact it would make for her on her wedding day.
A blusher was something Annaliza had written off and never planned to think about again regardless of her parents request for one. It wasn't until her visit to Headpiece.com that she understood and saw how beautiful a blusher could be.
“Marie showed me some samples, and my Dad got to practice lifting my blusher. That moment changed it all. I saw and felt how special it was and how happy it made my dad. Now, looking back, the photos of me in my blusher and the moment my dad lifted it are some of my favorite photos.”
“I know there are many places out there to purchase veils that might be lower in price, but you would never get the same customer care, detail, and dedication. You know and feel you’ll be getting the most beautiful veil made specifically for you. Headpiece.com veils are not mass produced, and you can tell from the fabric, the delicate design and the way Marie creates it to fit and fall just perfect for your dress and our body.”
Wedding photos by Images by Berit
When it came to her bridal veil, Lauryn didn't want to compromise. Lauryn went to several high-end bridal stores in NJ and NYC prior to finding Headpiece.com. She left each appointment disappointed with either quality, selection, or price.
“I was able to incorporate all of the elements I wanted, from the placement and start of the lace to the color and length of the veil. There was absolutely no guesswork involved. I was helping to design something for my wedding, rather than select and buy. It was great to have a design that reflected me on my wedding day!”
“I firmly believe you get what you pay for...until I started to plan a wedding. So many veils of poor quality were astronomically expensive, some costing more than double my wedding dress! At Headpiece.com, I was able to see and feel the quality of materials, and Marie was nice enough to walk me through her end-to-end process. Admittedly, after our initial consultation, I was scared to ask the price. However I was more than pleasantly surprised to find out this custom veil was not only competitively priced, it was significantly less expensive than most other stock veils I had tried on.”
Wedding Photography by Ben Lau
“At Headpiece.com my ideas were heard, guided, and ultimately incorporated into a fantastic veil!”
The bridal veil devil
For years, I sold my European net veil collection to a very well known high-end department store in Short Hills, NJ. One day the manager of the bridal salon asked me if I could replicate a lace veil that a local high-end bridal veil designer made, but at a lower price. At the time, this veil was retailing for just under $3000. I carefully examined the veil and told them that I could design a similar bridal veil made from the most exquisite French laces and created with couture sewing techniques, but for the same price they were paying. The managers of the bridal salon had no idea the "couture lace veil" they were selling to brides wasn't couture at all! The lace was not French, and it was glued to the veil!
Many of the vintage veils we work on were glued. Over the years the lace has become stiff, discolored, and the glue has turned orange. Glue is the "devil" in bridal veil design! A true designer utilizes a needle and a thread!
“It is so surprising to me how some top name designers glue lace on a veil. I often think about what a professor would say if I showed up in a design class at F.I.T. with a glue bottle. I am sure I would have failed the class! If you see or feel glue when buying your bridal veil—-run! Look for stitching and then make your decision.”
One of our clients (whom we made a custom headpiece for) is soon to be married and brought her veil that she had purchased elsewhere with the hopes that we could help her to alter the volume at the comb. The gathering overwhelmed her head size, and the lace was so wide and stiff it stuck out at the sides. If the lace was stitched on, we could re-design it at the comb.
“Being a bride and shopping for your wedding dress and veil is just a dream come true! It was an exciting moment, but also very overwhelming. I felt that I was so focused on my dress at my bridal shop, that I didn’t think through my veil. I had everyone in my ear saying it matches perfectly and I should just get it. So I did. I went with a long lace veil. I didn’t take into consideration how heavy and bulky the veil can be.”
The lace was 6" wide and not graduated towards the top of the veil. If we could remove the lace, we could cut it down and reposition it, but the lace on Sarina's veil appeared to be glued.
We removed the comb and found that the gathering stitches were large and rolled causing thickness resulting in bulk. I was able to modify the stitching and do a little magic with the lace.
When shopping for a veil consider the quality and construction. Here are a few tips:
Get a feel for the fabrication. If the netting or lace is coarse question the quality.
Stitching is good! Glue is bad!
If you plan to preserve your veil as an heirloom, be aware certain beading can't be professionally cleaned and steaming can damage the beading.
Bulkiness at the comb is caused by a poor gathering stitch. Couture stitching techniques will not cause bulk.
The gathering stitch should be consistent and look just as beautiful on the top of the comb as it does under the comb.
You will recognize individually cut veils by their unique shape. Mass produced veils are cut in mass with limited shape.
Mass produced veils come in a few standard lengths. A couture veil can be customized to any desired length---down to the inch.
Lace does not have to be heavy! The best Alençon laces in the world will feel like they float off your body.
Remember...anything created individually by hand will always add to your budget.
Delicate shaping and luxurious fabrics make all the difference in the world! Our newest veil design "Betty" will stun guests as it romantically sweeps down the aisle.
Deliberate lace placement is the sign of a couture veil. The lace on our "Hayworth" veil took hours to place and sew in an inner circle, with the tiniest lace pieces towards the center front of the veil and the larger pieces towards the center back. The stone finishing has a distinctive shine comprised of white opals and clear stone. Each stone is hand-placed.
Gown and veil design by Headpiece.com
Nichole's Wedding Veil
Nichole looked for a veil in several bridal salons and found she wasn't happy with the quality. Nichole found Headpiece.com through some of her bridal clients at J.C. Christophers, in Kinnelon, NJ, where she works as a stylist.
Wedding Photography by Amanda Bantham
“I felt if I am going to spend as much time as I did searching for my perfect dress I want to complete the look with the perfect veil custom made for me.”
Nichole told us she will always remember her best friend placing the veil on her head as the final touch!
Nichole wanted a specific amount of fullness at the crown of her head and a design that would be sheer enough to show the open back on her wedding gown.
A great photographer can tell the difference between a couture veil and a standard stock veil. It has distinct movement, almost like it is alive and a real part of the wedding day. Photographer Amanda Bantham caught it all with her lens.
A separate short reception veil was also on Nichole's wish list. Many store-bought veils that are shorter in length, fall full and stiff against the back bodice. Not at Headpiece.com! Our veils dance with you.
All five of our brides had similar stories. All wanted a unique veil that was different and suited to their desired wedding day style. They also wanted to have a say in the details that were important to them. Headpiece.com designs are created individually to give each bride what they are looking for. So when you are on your search for your bridal veil, remember the stories of Katherine, Annaliza, Lauryn, Sarina, and Nichole. Let us know if we can help you along the way!
Thank you for following our blog on the Fourteenth of every month. So many cool topics ahead---Hair Trials, Wedding Gown Alterations, and...
Next month on the Fourteenth:
Designing for Marissa Lopez, Winner of Next Great Baker (Season 2)