Ever wonder how wedding spending is broken down? As in, how that alleged average $22,000 spent? According to the Association of Bridal Consultants, the breakdown looks something like this:
Reception 28.3%
Consultant 15.0% (if hired)
Wedding Rings 11.5%
Photography/Video 6.6%
Bridal Gown 6.1%
Music 5.2%
Flowers 4.6%
Bridal attendants’ apparel 4.5%
Rehearsal dinner 4.2%
Men’s formal wear 3.2%
Invitations 2.8%
Attendants’ gifts 2.1%
Mother of the bride apparel 1.7%
Bride’s veil 1.6%
Clergy and ceremony fees 1.2%
Limousine 0.9%
Groom’s attire 0.8%
I’m a little surprised that the average veil costs more than the average tux–unless you’re renting, I suppose. But then I’m also surprised the veil isn’t higher up on the list considering the amount that many brides-to-be spend on their wedding day attire.
If you’re looking for a really beautiful veil and are willing to spend more than 1.6%, check out Crowning Glory Silk Veils by Ann Guise (as seen above). They carry a wide variety of handmade veils of all lengths and styles in environmentally sustainable and luxurious silks, as well as other delicious fabrics.
Guise may be the only veil designer out there specialising solely in bespoke silk wedding veils. Her philosophy? That veils deserve to be special in their own right–not just a hastily chosen accessory.
Those are amazing, NtB.
I wish they had more pics of their colored veils. I’d love to know how some of them look with a traditional gown.
OTOH, my headpiece cost me about five bucks and I patched it together in a hurry on my wedding day because while I’d gotten a bunch of sundry items to make one from weeks before I didn’t sit down and figure out what I was using and how until then! LOL! I definitely made the average skew low.
That must have added a note of stress to your wedding morning, Twistie!
Actually, I went into this weird zen state in about the last week leading up to my wedding. Nothing phazed me. I didn’t even get stressed about the fact that my gown wasn’t delivered until the rehearsal dinner because it hadn’t been finished! LOL!
So when I woke up and thought to myself, oh yeah, I have to do something with my hair, don’t I?, it didn’t make me freak out. I just looked at the stuff I’d bought, picked out a couple pieces, figured out how my hair went around them, and voila! Instant Bride, just add water! Hee!
Last-minute inspirations are something of a speciality of mine.
Are cathedral length veils heavy? I’m planning on long veil and no train on the dress but I’m worried the veil will be heavy (even though it’s only tulle)???
I chose to go without a veil. Instead I made a headband with feathers and hand beaded flowers. But I strongly agree with Ann Guise, I saw too many veils in the bridal shops that seemed to be cheap afterthoughts. Whether you go with a veil, headpiece or hat, you should choose with as much care as you do your dress. After all, it frames your face which is going to be in all those lovely close up pictures!
Dataceptionist: The veil itself shouldn’t feel particularly heavy, though you may feel the drag as weight. So the weight you do feel will not have a downward pull but rather a sort of backward pull. I don’t think it’s a cause for concern – even though you’ll feel some drag, it’s not going to knock you over 🙂
jj: Great point! For the most part, people look at a bride’s head!
I LOVE Crowning Glory veils, and have drooled every them ever since I first saw them. I keep eyeing them, then informing myself that I can’t really justify the expense.
It’s a pity I don’t much care for veils.
I’m thinking I’ll probably go for the flowers or curls and crystals in hair thing. Besides, my interest is really in the little stunning details on the dress. (I’m an absolute sucker for a pretty back or some pretty little detail….)
Of course, if I DO get a veil, maybe I’ll let my mom make it for me… she really wants to make something.
Stacy, my mother-in-law made my veil and it was not only beautiful, but was a lovely testament to her feelings for me. Especially because she’s a blind woman who used invisible thread to piece it together. She also made me a poufy hair comb which I decided against, though, because it was a little too “Muriel’s Wedding” for my taste — instead, I wore it to host the church’s Easter Egg Hunt later that year. 🙂
Those veils by Ann Guise are stunning!!! I agree with jj
‘Whether you go with a veil, headpiece or hat, you should choose with as much care as you do your dress. After all, it frames your face which is going to be in all those lovely close up pictures!’
They are so different to the veils in the Bridal store. I’ll be ordering one of Ann’s bespoke veils!