The Art Of Vintage Bridal Headpiece Restoration
How Marie Hunt of Headpiece.com became a leading expert in vintage bridal headpiece restoration, repurposing, and restyling
A Rare Specialty in Bridal Design
For more than 30 years, I have specialized in bridal accessory design. My business has changed in amazing ways, finding me at the top of a niche industry. Graduating with an Honors Degree in Fashion Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology in the 80s, I never imagined I would be writing this blog about a career that I am so passionate about—restoring, restyling, and repurposing vintage bridal headpieces and wedding veils.
Marie Hunt, Designer and Owner of Headpiece.com since 1999.
Photo by Antonietta Henry Photography.
How I Became a Specialist in Vintage Bridal Headpiece Restoration
When I opened my New Jersey shop in 1999, Headpiece.com was one of the only bridal accessory stores in the country. At the time, I designed only modern bridal headpieces and veils. As the years went on and my clientele and reputation grew, brides began coming to the shop with family wedding heirlooms, such as old crowns and veils in need of restoration or repair.
Headpiece.com brick and mortar store in 1999.
While I had done many vintage restorations early on in my career, I never documented them. This design was likely the beginning of my career shift from designing modern headpieces to specializing in vintage pieces. I was invited to lecture at NYU's graduate program for entrepreneurs. Three years later, I received a phone call from a bride requesting a consultation to repurpose her mother’s headpiece. She said, “I don’t know if you remember me, but I was in class for your talk on entrepreneurship. I asked a question, but prefaced it with “I will never get married…”Well, here I am calling you.“ This design was gorgeous, and after her wedding, my phone began to ring with requests for vintage services.
Around 2018, I noticed a huge uptick in the number of brides requesting services for vintage restoration and repurposing. I saw that the requests were coming from all over the United States, and I began tracking how my brides found me. The answer was almost always the same. Google search organically put us at the top of the list!
Shannon wanted to repurpose her grandmother’s 1961 crystal wedding crown.
Shannon is wearing her restyled heirloom wedding crown. Photo by Stark Studios
In 2022, I posted my second-ever Instagram Reel, and it went viral. Within weeks, my business completely changed. Today, over 90% of my brides are virtual, and 98% of my design production is vintage bridal restoration and restyle.
What Makes Vintage Bridal Headpiece Restoration So Specialized
Vintage bridal headpiece restoration encompasses many facets: design ability, artistic vision, problem-solving, patience, compassion, confidence, knowledge, and skill. To be successful, you must master all of the above.
Vintage restoration expert Marie Hunt is restoring a 1970s beaded lace Juliet cap that was ruined by a wedding preservation company.
Photo by Antonietta Henry
Why Vintage Bridal Restoration Requires A True Specialist
Every heirloom is constructed differently. Vintage wedding crowns, headpieces, and bridal veils were made across many decades using different materials, techniques, frames, fabrics, finishes, and handwork. Restoring a wax flower crown from the 1920s requires a completely different set of skills than a 1980s headpiece with a pouf veil. A specialist must have the knowledge and understanding of how the pieces were originally made to properly deconstruct the headpiece for restoration.
The age of the piece and how it was stored can create a whole separate set of issues, such as discoloration, deterioration, rusted wire, crushed or weakened frames, and missing vintage beads that are no longer available. A specialist needs to determine unique solutions for each individual piece while also having contacts for vintage elements that are no longer made.
The sentimental nature of the piece is just as important as the restored design. I have worked with many brides who have lost their mom or whose grandmother raised them. Finding a specialist with not only skill but compassion is so important.
Brides often do not immediately see the possibilities in an old, outdated, or discolored heirloom. A specialist needs to be a visionary and able to deconstruct a vintage headpiece in their mind, develop a plan to restore its elements, envision the finished design, and relay it to the bride.
“My reputation in this industry was built over time. A strong foundation in fashion design gave me an excellent start, but the skills and techniques behind my work were developed over years of research, refinement, and disciplined practice.”
How I Help Brides Restore, Restyle, or Repurpose a Vintage Headpiece
When a bride comes to me with a family wedding heirloom, the first question is not simply whether to restore, restyle, or repurpose a vintage headpiece. The real question is how she hopes to wear it, what meaning it holds to her, and how she wants to feel on her wedding day. Some brides want to restore it precisely to its original design. Some want to restyle a vintage headpiece into something new and modern, while others wish to repurpose it, preserving its essence and using its elements to keep the history and sentiment beautifully intact. My role is to help each bride see the possibilities in her vintage piece and offer beautiful options that align with her style and the reasons she wants to wear it on her wedding day.
Marie, during an in-store vintage restyle consultation with a bride.
“Planning a wedding is a lot. My hope is to relieve a little of that pressure by helping my brides recognize the beauty and potential in a cherished family headpiece or veil, and reimagine it into something truly special for their wedding day.”
One of the most amazing things that happens at Headpiece.com doesn’t involve me at all. Yes, I guide my clients and offer them my expertise, but the cool thing is watching the family experience it. I always say vintage restoration and restyle is a love story. These photos tell it all. My brides come to see me, and they make memories. This is the number one reason I love my work!
Traveling from New York, Melissa and her mom had a beautiful moment putting on her 1983 headpiece for the final time before it is restyled.
Jackie flew from Oregon to NYC and took the bus to Pompton Plains for her consultation. She and her mom spent the weekend together and brought me their 1941 wax flower crown that is in desperate need of repair and restoration.
Gianna and her grandmother came from Long Island, NY, and shared the experience of transforming her 1964 crystal crown into a breathtaking restoration for her June wedding.
The Beauty of Reimagining a Family Bridal Headpiece or Veil for Today’s Bride
There is something truly special about reimagining a vintage bridal headpiece or wedding veil that a beloved family member once wore. You may already have the foundation for a beautiful, one-of-a-kind bridal accessory in your possession. With the right vision and expert craftsmanship, that heirloom can become something deeply personal and meaningful for your wedding day.
A 1980 Headpiece was heavily oxidized and damaged by old glue.
This 1980 headpiece arrived from Virginia. All my bride expressed was that she wanted to use it somehow. This was a tough one for me to envision. The elements needed major restorative work before I could even come up with a concept for repurposing a headpiece so dear to her.
Deconstructed vintage elements.
At first glance, brides may not see the beauty and design potential in an old, discolored, or outdated piece. With expert guidance, a bride can begin to see the possibilities she may have never imagined on her own.
I restored the vintage elements and restyled them into a set of the prettiest hairpins I have created.
Photo by Callie Manion Photography
Reimagining a mother’s or grandmother’s bridal headpiece or veil is a meaningful way to wear family history. It is a personal way to carry love, memory, and legacy into your wedding day.
Why Brides Across the Country Trust Headpiece.com With Family Heirlooms
A bride who desires to have their vintage headpiece and veil restored or repurposed wants to be assured that their wedding heirloom is safe in someone’s hands. Brides find trust in me because of my decades of experience specializing in a category that very few designers truly understand at a high level. I help them to see possibilities they cannot see on their own.
“I have many brides forgo sneak peeks before I ship their designs to them because they want to be surprised. I have had six or so brides open their purple headpiece box on their actual wedding day! This always blows my mind and is a true testament to how much trust my brides have in my work. I am incredibly grateful for that trust.”
Kristen opened our signature purple-and-gold box on her wedding day. You can see the reveal on this Instagram Reel.
Kristen is wearing her mom’s vintage headpiece restyled for her wedding in Richmond, Virginia.
Photo by Mod Motion
Experience Matters in Vintage Bridal Headpiece Restoration
When it comes to working with vintage pieces, going to someone with experience is most important. I have had brides come to me to save a family heirloom that was ruined by someone who claimed to have experience. One particular bride had just weeks to go before her wedding. Her 1960s family crown needed restoration, and she was referred to a milliner in NYC. Her crown was ruined. The woman who claimed to be able to do the work did home-crafter-type repairs, used glue, and threw out the gorgeous vintage Swarovski crystals. Alyssa’s story is found on our blog, The Family Crown.
Botched wedding crown restoration by a NYC milliner.
Expertly restored wedding crown by Marie Hunt at Headpiece.com.
You also need to find a person with the “right” experience. Mary Helen went to a renowned Wedding Gown Preservationist to clean and preserve her wedding gown, headpiece, and veil, which were stored in her closet for 52 years in a plastic bag. The preservationist did a beautiful job on her wedding gown, but told her there was no hope for her headpiece. You can see the remarkable results on this Instagram Reel.
Beautifully preserved wedding gown with an aged and oxidized lace headpiece inside the box.
Mary Helen’s vintage lace Juliet cap and wedding veil were fully restored by Marie.
“My brides aren’t simply looking for a vintage bridal repair. They are looking for expert solutions to help them create a meaningful wedding story and are asking me to be part of it.”
If you are hoping to restore or reimagine a treasured family headpiece or wedding veil, I invite you to reach out through my contact page. My schedule tends to fill well in advance, so beginning the conversation early is always best.
See you next month on the Fourteenth