Sweating the Details: Veils

I didn't think veils would be so difficult to choose, but I suppose when you are as into sweating the details as I am I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised.  When I bought the dress I tried on several veils but really didn't like any of them and was completely turned off by the price.

For several months it seems I was trying to track down Jill's veil (Chris' sister).  It seemed like it'd be perfect - something borrowed, save me some money, etc.  But a few months ago I fell in love with a veil at BHDLN.  My sister and I had gone to the store to try different sizes for her bridesmaid dress and just for fun decided I should try on some of their veils.

While I've never really been the kind of bride to dream about my wedding day, I do know that whenever I did think of my wedding day I always dreamed about a lace edged veil.  There's something about it that is just so romantic.

 

The first one (on the left) is a fingertip length veil (the terminology you learn when getting married!), but the one I REALLY fell in love with was the one on the right - BHLDN's "Airy Lace Veil."  I probably looked at this picture at least 3x a week, it was ridiculous, but at $400, I just wasn't quite sure it made sense.

So I kept looking for veils.  I went to several shops and instantly disliked every one I put on my head.  I finally got Jill's veil and it isn't edged with lace.  Every place I went to was overwhelmingly full of beaded and bedazzled veils - totally not my thing.  And if they did have lace veils the quality was shockingly poor.  I was beginning to understand that pricing structure of veils.

One day I was on Newbury St. (A really expensive shopping street in Boston) and knowing I was asking for trouble, I wandered into L'Elite which is basically THE expensive bridal salon in THE expense shopping district Boston.  Of course I fell in love with a veil...sometimes I am my own worst enemy.

I showed my attendant/salewoman (on my phone, on Pinterest!) the BHDLN veil I was so in love with.  She said that with a garden wedding that a fingertip length veil is better because it doesn't drag on the ground and with the length it's much easier to wear beyond the ceremony (i.e. during the reception).  It made a lot of sense.

Then I asked the question I had been dreading...How much was the veil?  A mind numbing $560.  What a joke! As an unemployed, doctoral student that was waaay out of reach.  But then my attendant whispered that she could make it for less and wrote down a few numbers.

Uncertain whether this woman really had the chops, I went to her house and saw some veils she had in progress and she really did make beautiful veils.  Then the fantasy prone side of me just took off...a custom veil, handmade just for me! How incredible would that be?  She even said she would make BHLDN's veil for $300, $100 less!

The kicker was being able to look at all these samples of lace.  I even picked out a lace pattern that I not only love but also goes well with my dress.  Who knew one could be so obsessed with lace?

A shopping rule of thumb I always have is if I'm still thinking about it 24 hours later (and in this case weeks later), just buy it because I know I love it.  So suddenly I'm seriously thinking of dropping a hefty amount of money on a veil.

So I went to my second fitting with Jill's veil, the BHLDN veil and while I was there found a similar veil to the L'Elite one.  And I'm still torn, sooo torn.  It's times like this when I wish I was filthy rich and could afford both so I didn't have to make a decision.  I'm leaning towards one and need to commit soon if I want the veil to be ready in time.

So...stay tune for wedding day to see what I walk down the aisle with...maybe I'll be veil-less if I can't make up my mind!