You know what I found out? That the overwhelming majority of bridal professionals I spoke to today didn't even know what a birdcage was. In case you're among those who have no idea what I'm talking about, here's a photo of one.
So after several frustrating & disappointing phone calls, I spoke to a boutique whose owner referred me to Sara Gabriel Veiling & Headpieces. And things just kept getting better. . . I found out the flagship location is right here in Denver and only 15 minutes from my condo. I called the boutique before heading that way and the person I spoke to was incredibly nice. When I arrived at Anna Be' which houses Sara Gabriel in addition to bridal & bridesmaid dresses, I was directed upstairs. Imagine my surprise when the "salesperson" introduced herself as Sara. It took me a moment for it to sink in that I was meeting the designer of all these beautiful veils. I'll admit, I was a little star-struck. I don't know about you, but it isn't every day that I meet a real, honest-to-goodness designer. All of her pieces are custom made, so after choosing your favorite from her extensive collection, you can customize it to your heart's content.
I wish I'd thought to bring my camera so I could post some photos of her beautiful and glamorous veils, but I left it at home. You can check out her website. There are no photos of Collette or Astyn (the veils I tried on) but you can find a sketch of Collette.
My original plan was to have a traditional fingertip length veil for the ceremony and switch to the birdcage veil for the reception. I hadn't really thought out the whole scenario, and Sara pointed out that if I wear the birdcage for the reception, my guests may feel a bit ill-at-ease trying to have a conversation with me through a veil. She showed me an alternative to the regular birdcage veil. It's similar to the one worn by the oh-so-fabulous Mrs. Gingerbread for her wedding to Mrs. GB 2.0 last month. Check out her wedding recap post with photos on Weddingbee.
Now I'm rethinking my game plan, but I'm so in love with Sara Gabriel's designs. I like that she is not about the hard sell. She was helpful and friendly, immediately putting me at ease. She answered all of my questions and even made suggestions for alternatives. Even if you're not in the market for the oh-so-classy but elusive birdcage veil, definitely check out Sara's designs. The way I look at it, if I'm going to spend some cash on a veil, I may as well be giving that money to someone who's super-nice and cool to boot.
What kind of veil or headpiece will you wear on you wedding day? Are there any other birdcage brides out there?
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