Wedding Supplier Spotlight: Anne-Marie Prescott - Bespoke Veils

Those finishes touches can be the thing that really sets off the wedding outfit of your dreams - and veils have to be up there as one of our favourites! Over the last decade it seems the trend has been a bit of a rollercoaster, with a lot of brides opting out from wearing them but we are thrilled to see that the trend to wear them is sky rocketing once again, and we just LOVE that they are back and here to stay!

Gone are the traditional stuffy old veils that we know of - now couples like to be bold, add colour and make designs that are embroidered with personal details. One expert who plays a part in our fairs who specialises in creating bespoke veils is Anne-Marie Prescott.

So for today's wedding supplier spotlight, we took some time to check in with Anne-Marie and find out all about how she works with couple create the accessory of their dreams - and read on to find out about a cheeky EXCLUSIVE offer Anne-Marie is running for our couples!

Firstly let's find out a bit more about you - why not tell us some fun facts about you, some passions on a personal level

So I think the biggest thing to know about me is that I am at my happiest when I am being creative. I remember being one of those children who liked to have lots of projects on the go, experimenting with different media, or as my mother would say, making a mess! I have always loved working with fabrics and have spent many years making garments, including ten years making bespoke wedding dresses. I am a qualified teacher, so have passed on my sewing knowledge to many students over the years, but as much as I enjoy sharing my passion with others, there is no substitute for doing things yourself. So, I am back working within the industry I love and busy being creative again.

What service within the wedding industry do you offer?

Put simply, I design and make bespoke wedding veils, but read further and you will see that there is far more to me and the service that I offer.

Five years ago, I began to explore the world of CAD embroidery with a view to teaching myself how to digitise embroidery patterns. I wanted to make veils, but rather than adding the usual ready-made trims and appliques, I wanted to embroider them with my own designs, giving brides the option to wear something truly unique on their wedding day. After lots of time and dedication I mastered the intricacies of how to convert my ideas from sketches to usable patterns and perfected the processes of stitching them out onto a variety of different tulle. I now work full time from my home studio, offering a design and make service, embroidering bespoke veils for UK brides and beyond. I love working with every bride on an individual basis, creating a veil to her specification. I have a wide range of samples that showcase my work and these are great to use as a starting point on which to build ideas. I love it when I get to add personal elements to a design, those that have special meaning to a bride, her partner and family. Brides often later comment that the personal details were the veils talking point on their wedding day.

What is your unique selling point? and why do you think brides and grooms find this so special?

My style of embroidery and how I interpret ideas and create designs is unique to me. I have chosen to specialise in computerised embroidery, rather than free embroidery, which demands a great degree of accuracy when working. I love adding colour to my veils and this is definitely something that has captured the imagination of brides; my colourful sample veils are definitely the ones which attract attention when on display. There is something very special about being asked to make a veil and the trust that this brings and it is really important to me that a bride feels connected with every step of the process whilst I am making her veil for her. I feel a great sense of achievement and reward upon seeing the happiness that my work brings and the idea that my veils may one day become treasured heirlooms.

What are the big upcoming trends you are noticing within your specialism and what are your takes on these?

Long full veils have been a statement for a while now and I have had more brides request two tiers, although not all of them intend to wear the upper layer as a blusher. I continue to be asked to incorporate national flowers within designs, something which I had already included into my sample range, so I have examples and ideas to show brides. These trends will have no doubt been influenced by the latest royal weddings and for now, seem set to stay. Adding personalisation, initials, names, dates is very popular, as is the trend for quotations, with script writing being the most popular style of font being requested right now. I offer a variety of tulle fabrics for a bride to choose from and the softer tulles are definitely on trend. Made from polyester or silk, they have a beautiful draping quality which complement the softer lines of the more fitted bridal gowns that we are currently seeing.

Can you tell us more how you interact with your couples, so please could you describe the process you go through from initial contact to the final product being made. What are the most popular questions that come up?

Some brides have a clear vision of how they would like their veil to be, others are looking for help and guidance in every aspect. Following an enquiry, the first step is for me to get to know a bit about the bride and her wedding. As well as understanding the style of veil she envisages having, I also need to know any particular features that she does, or does not want to be incorporated. If possible, I will encourage a bride to come and see me in person, because as well as getting to know her, it is helpful for me to show her my work and for her to communicate what it is she has in mind. If a visit is not possible, I am happy to arrange a video call to work through these aspects instead.

Once I have an understanding of what is required, I will sketch some ideas, from which a final design can be developed and send a formal quotation. On confirmation of an order, a final design is agreed and the embroidery patterns are created and tested. Samples will be sent to the bride for her approval and these are then hers to keep for her bridal scrapbook.

Whilst a veil is being made, I will send photographs to the bride as the work progresses. This is a great way to keep connected and for a bride to see her veil as it develops. Depending on the complexity of the design, the average time for the embroidery process takes between 2 or 3 days. More complex designs can take much longer. Once embroidered, brides are welcome to come and see their veils and to try them on with their bridal gown, if available. The veil is finally cut to the desired shape and length and a comb is added if required. It is then carefully wrapped in recycled acid free tissue paper and presented in a luxury keepsake box, ready for collection, or posting. Having a veil made, means that there are lots of questions to ask and choices to be made. There are three questions that I am frequently asked within an initial enquiry. ‘Do you have the availability to make me a veil?’

As a general rule, I am working a minimum of 3 months in advance of a wedding. Whilst some veils only require 2-3 days to make, I need to allow between 4 – 8 weeks for all of the design and sampling work to be completed, before the embroidery can begin. I will however, always try to accommodate a late request if at all possible. ‘How much does a bespoke veil cost?’

The answer to this question is unfortunately not so straight forward, due to the fact that every veil is uniquely made to a brides own specification. The complexity of the design and the time it will take to embroider will naturally reflect the overall cost. When creating my bespoke veils, I always work with my bride’s in relation to budget. With my veils starting at £250, I offer a variety of designs and will work with you to not only bring your vision to life, but to endeavour that you keep within your budget. ‘Will you embroider a veil that I have already have?’

Sadly the answer to this is ‘no’. I need to work on a flat piece of fabric, on that is cut to shape after it has been embroidered. I will only use tulles that I have tested, guaranteeing a high-quality finish.

Wedding planning can be hard so what would be the top tip you would give you couples planning their big day? Deciding on what you will wear on your wedding day is a very exciting, but it can sometimes be a hugely daunting part of planning your wedding. My advice to brides-to-be is to try on as many different dress shapes as you can. Try various skirt shapes, sleeves and necklines as you may be surprised what suits you and what you feel great in.

What do you love about your role and what are the rewards?

Weddings are such happy, personal occasions and those of us who work within the industry, are privileged to play a part in someone’s special day. There is something extra special about being asked to create a veil for a bride. She will be the centre of attention and what she is wearing will be a very big part of how she will look and feel. Without exception, my spirits are always lifted when a bride places an order. It is a lovely feeling to know that someone is happy to place their trust in me and the service that I offer. I love to receive photographs from the wedding and it is always lovely when brides take the time to get in touch after their wedding day.

So the dreaded issue of Covid-19 should probably be mentioned - how has it effected your work and is there anything you would like to communicate with our readers at this time?

Over the past 3 months, one by one, my brides have been contacting me to say that their weddings have been postponed until 2021. This has naturally been disappointing for them and as a supplier, I am trying to be as flexible as I can be to help them through this difficult time. Where possible, I have completed the embroidery of some veils and these are now in safe storage, ready for when I am able to see my brides again. For others, we have agreed to keep in touch until such time as we are able to pick up from where we left off. On a positive note, I have continued to get new enquiries and I look forward to meeting and working with some new clients in the near future. In my spare time have been making scrubs, scrub hats, bags and children's theatre gowns for the NHS. It has been nice to be part of a wider community, who are busy sewing as fast as they can to help those in need.

There has never been a better time for people to support small, independent local businesses and this is particularly important for those of us working within the wedding industry. We are all passionate about the products and services that we offer and wish to continue doing what we love to do. Without your commitment, many suppliers may not be able to support themselves and their businesses and will sadly have to cease trading. Please help us all to be here for future brides and grooms, by sharing our love and passions.

As a way of helping you during this period I am delighted to be able to offer you an exclusive ‘Chosen’ promotion of 10% off any veil order, secured by a deposit payment on or before 31.12.2020. All you need to do is simply quote ‘CHOSEN10’ with your initial enquiry via my website HERE

It would be great to hear from you if you would like to have a conversation about my work. In the meantime you can find me at:

Website - www.bespokeveils.co.uk

Instagram - @annemarieprescott_bespokeveils

Facebook - www.facebook.com/AnneMariePrescottBespokeVeils and Pinterest - amp1899

Thank You

xxx

Styled shoot photography credits to: @daniel.thomas.photography @outlite_photography @johnschofieldphotography @courageanddashphoto

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