For some brides, the idea of restyling their mom’s bridal headpiece or wedding veil never dawned on them. What could be more sentimental and beautiful than repurposing your mom’s headpiece into a custom bridal accessory design for your wedding day?
Photo by Antonietta Henry Photography
“One important accessory we hadn’t figured out yet was my headpiece. We started browsing Etsy, but nothing felt right. Then we remembered Headpiece.com, that wonderful little shop in Pompton Plains.”
Briana and her mom knocked on my door one Saturday, expecting to see the same boutique they bought her Holy Communion veil twenty years ago. They were surprised to hear how my business has changed over the years and that we are no longer a retail shop but a highly sought-after wedding design business for brides looking to repurpose or restore wedding family heirlooms.
Mom’s Wedding Dress Remade
Knocking on my purple door that Saturday led to so much more for my bride, Briana, and her mom, Maureen.
“I still have my original purple box with gold lettering, along with the beautiful headpiece I wore on my Communion day. Little did we know then that we would find ourselves back at the very same shop two decades later, this time preparing for my wedding day.”
“Without an appointment, off we went. Imagine our surprise when we arrived to find the door locked, with Marie working on an intricate design inside. This is when we learned how much her business had changed and that she had become a world-renowned bridal headpiece restorer!”
Photo by Antonietta Henry
After I explained that my business now focuses primarily on repurposing and restoring vintage bridal headpieces and wedding veils, Briana shared that she had her mom’s wedding gown remade into a dress for her bridal shower. They became so excited about the idea of restyling her mom’s headpiece into a beautiful bridal hair accessory. Then I had to break it to them that I couldn't fit them into my production schedule and design something in time for her wedding day.
“I asked Briana to show me the shower dress she made from her mom’s repurposed wedding gown. They loved it — and so did I! The one thing that stood out was the tarnished glass bugle beads below the skirt’s waist. ”
Several people told them there was no way to restore those beautiful beads and remove the black patina. I assured them I could help.
“Marie immediately noticed that the crystal beads on the front of my mom’s dress had discolored over time, appearing almost black against the fabric. Marie worked her magic and was able to restore the crystals to their original clarity, completely transforming the appearance of the dress. It is amazing to see her attention to detail and ability to bring sentimental pieces back to life.”
Cleaning and restoring the bugle beads made a remarkable difference in the final design of this gorgeously restyled dress.
“What makes my vintage design work exceptional is the many techniques I have developed over the decades. I often tell my brides, “You may find others out there who say they do what I do, but no one truly does what I do the way that I do it.””
Bride-to-be, Briana, wearing her mom’s wedding dress redone for her bridal shower.
“Marie asked what I did with my headpiece. I told her I still had it, but it was just thrown in a box somewhere. Hearing this was like taking a knife to Marie’s heart. She suggested we find the headpiece and bring it to her shop. My daughter and I did not waste one second! We knew Marie was so busy and her kindness to fit us into her schedule excited us both.”
Maureen on her wedding day in 1991.
Repurpose Mom’s Wedding Veil
Wedding veils from the 90s were a bit much! They were high, heavy, pouffy, and had a lot going on. While some brides might laugh at the thought of wearing one on their wedding day, many others see potential and beauty in repurposing Mom’s veil.
“To say I was squeezing in Briana’s project to restyle her mom’s headpiece in time for her wedding day is an understatement. I didn’t have a single block of time to work on it at the shop. I had previously commited to babysit my grandchildren in Virginia while my daughter and son-in-law attended a wedding out of state just three weeks before Briana’s wedding. I packed up everything I needed and brought it to Virginia. I designed her accessories during nap times over a paper towel on my daughter’s dining room table.”
I designed a set of three wedding hairpins, each with a unique style. Briana could place them however she desired in her statement-style bridal updo.
“Sentimentality has always meant so much to me. When Marie suggested incorporating my mom’s original headpiece into my wedding look, it felt like such a special moment. It never had crossed our minds that I could wear a piece of her wedding day 35 years later.”
“My mom and I have always been incredibly close, but having the opportunity to plan this dream wedding while reliving aspects of her big day through restyling has only brought us closer.”
“We were absolutely thrilled with the results! Marie has such an incredible eye and vision. What makes this even more special is knowing the history and the love that went into creating them.”
Vintage Wedding: Restored, Restyled, Repurposed
Wedding Photos by Justin Pedrick Photography
GOWN / Pronovias VENUE / The Barn at Villa Venezia VINTAGE HEADPIECE RESTYLE / Headpiece.com HAIR / Skin Deep Salon MUA / Eyes Lips Lace FLOWERS / Dawn Marciniak
“One of the most special parts of getting ready was incorporating meaningful pieces that made me feel connected to my mom. I wore her earrings, which held great sentimental value, along with my getting ready robe made from her wedding dress.”
“Marie worked her magic. I never would have recognized it as even the same headpiece we dropped off. Both my daughter and I were thrilled with the results. The way she cleaned and remade the headpiece was more spectacular than anything you could find in the store today. I could not stop staring at it.”
“There were so many happy tears, hugs, and emotional moments throughout the day.”
“The day of my daughter’s wedding, as she stood on the altar, I realized this is an heirloom piece now, and more spectacular than I could have ever imagined.”
“One of the most touching parts was that some of the guests in attendance had actually been at my parents’ wedding. When they learned that the elements of my mom’s original and elaborate headpiece had been restored and incorporated into mine, they were genuinely moved.”
“Being surrounded by so many generations of love, memories, and people who have been a part of our family’s story made the day even more meaningful. It was a reminder that a wedding isn’t just about two people coming together; it’s also about honoring the love and family that brought you there in the first place.”
“Looking back, we are so happy that we decided to knock on Marie’s door that day. What started out as a spontaneous visit to find a bridal accessory became one of the most meaningful parts of our wedding. Marie didn’t just create beautfiul accessories; she helped us preserve a piece of our family’s history and bring it into a new generation. She will forever hold a special place in our wedding story, and we will always be grateful for the unexpected full-circle moment that brought us back together.”
Photo by a family friend.
Beautiful stories like these keep leading me to find a way to squeeze in one more vintage project. It is so hard to say “no” to love!
~Marie
See you next month on the Fourteenth