A while back,I stumbled upon Idoweddingveils on etsy,while searching for silk tulle wedding veils.I have talked with Sarah a few times,and she's a really nice lady.That's her picture above.So I asked her if I could feature her on my blog,and here is what she said.....
Q: Where are you from and a little, or a lot about yourself.
A: Well I have practically no accent and am terrified of the cold, so most people don’t believe me when I say that I’m Scottish. I’m originally from Edinburgh but I’ve been living in Sydney, Australia for the last four years. I came for a visit and a friend’s wedding only to meet my Irish husband-to-be two weeks after I landed. The rest I guess is history.
We live in a beautiful suburb of Sydney near the water, with our gorgeous dog Allie and we spend as much time together as we possibly can. I still work full time doing contract admin work in the city and hope to be working part time from home by the beginning of January, with a commitment to quitting my day job by the end of next year.
Q: Are you married? If you are, what was your wedding like? If not, what would be your dream wedding?
A: We were to be married on the 8th October this year, however due to a job loss in June we had to cancel last month. It’s been an incredibly emotional experience but one where we have been able to come out of knowing what’s important and knowing what a great team we are, together with our families.
When we do reschedule, our wedding will be filled with candlelight, laughter, music, mulled wine and lots and lots of dancing!
Q: What skills (any skills, not just crafty ones) do you wish you knew more about?
A: At the moment, I wish I had skills in the IT/Web design area. That and photography. It’s really hard when you’re starting out and you have to outsource a lot of this. It’s also very expensive.
My fiancé is a cabinet maker and I’m always amazed at how clever he is with timber. We restore old pieces of furniture together and I love learning more about his trade. I’m attracted to new skills almost every day and genuinely think I might just die if I couldn’t make things. I take evening classes in everything from corset making and pattern cutting to worm farming and French.
I want to know more about everything.
Mantilla VeilQ: Tell us a little bit about the materials you use, silk tulle, lace, crystals and pearls. How do you find silk holds up and any advice for a bride considering wearing a silk veil?
A: I spent over nine months researching the industry, the fabrics available and the suppliers, until finally I had the best quality products to work with. I wanted to move away from the throwaway society we seem to find ourselves in and create long lasting products. It was incredibly important to me to source everything I use from countries that have good human rights, good working conditions and ethical trade. It’s amazing how many businesses don’t know the country of origin of a product they sell.
When I choose a fabric, whether it’s silk or nylon tulle or lace, it has to feel gorgeous to touch, it has to fall beautifully and it has to be comfortable to wear. There’s absolutely no point in choosing a soft silk gown only to have a stiff piece of tulle on your head.
I have two antique (1890 – 1920) silk veils and they are perfectly wearable and holding up very well. Silk is a natural fibre which makes it incredibly strong and of course better for the environment. It is however delicate tulle and just like its nylon counterpart, you have to be careful not to catch jewellery or a heel on it because it can tear.
A silk veil is an investment; it’s not just for one day. Looked after and stored properly, it will be worn by friends, family members and future generations. Silk is one of the most luxurious fabrics to wear and of course a wedding is the perfect opportunity to wear it.
Q: What are your favorite things about selling on Etsy?
A: Absolutely the community. Being surrounded by people with such a commitment to handmade and cottage industry is just brilliant, I love it!
Q: What is the item you love the best in your shop?
A: I have a cathedral length version of the chapel length silk tulle veil with Swarovski crystals and that has to be one of my favorites. There’s just nothing like the feel and look of silk tulle. I also love the lace edge fingertip veil; it’s just so pretty and light and a great modern option.
Q: This is my favorite item, and I love that picture.
Silk Tulle Chapel Length Veil With Swarovski Crystals
Is that from a real wedding, or a photo-shoot? I would love to know who did the photography, as I'm sure other people would, cause it's so beautiful.
A: Yes it’s from a real wedding and the photographer is a lady called Natalie Page: www.nataliepagephotography.com.au. She is just wonderful to work with and really knows how to capture the shot. She travels internationally for weddings and I can highly recommend her.
Q: Do you have a twitter, facebook, or blog?
A: I have a website www.idoweddingveils.com,a blog www.idoweddingveils.blogspot.com and a Facebook page. These have only recently been set up so they’re a bit of a working progress.
Q: Anything else you would like us to know?
A: I also offer brides a complete couture service which includes comprehensive consultations, pattern making, samples of tulle, colour swatches and sourcing of any specific pieces that a bride may want including vintage jewellery/fabric / lace to give you just a few examples. The veils listed in my shop are just examples of my work but each veil can be custom made to be as unique as the bride who’s choosing it.
As well as making veils, I will soon be offering clutch purses and accessories made from vintage, upcycled and repurposed silks.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any queries.
