Lara Burn-Heyer, owner of the Veil Atelier, has made several Juliet cap veils recently, and has noticed an increase in demand. “The brides who come to us are often looking for something that doesn’t quite exist yet,” she explains. “These brides are not necessarily rejecting tradition, but they are looking for ways to reinterpret it. Juliet caps sit slightly outside the mainstream bridal playbook. They’re romantic and evocative, but they also feel individual. For a certain type of bride, they offer an opportunity to express personality rather than simply participate in a tradition.”
Vintage and antique bridal specialist Adored Closet has also seen an increase in interest, with one recent bride choosing a Juliet cap veil for her wedding in Tokyo. “Her wedding took place in a mosque, so she was looking for a bridal look that felt modest, meaningful and true to her personal style,” shares Annie, founder of Adored Closet. “She chose a ’40s vintage wedding dress from our bridal collection, featuring a floral lace bodice, Peter Pan collar, long sleeves and a soft tulle skirt. Then, to complete the look, she wore a Juliet cap veil, which felt perfectly suited to the romance and elegance of the dress. The overall inspiration was rooted in timeless vintage fashion, family history and meaningful heirlooms – Lisa wore jewellery passed down from her grandmother, a piece that was over 100 years old that had been hidden inside a loaf of bread during the war to keep them safe.”
Weddings are often a celebration of family histories in this way, so it’s unsurprising that a lot of brides are choosing these veils to specifically pay homage to their ancestors who wore the style the first time round in the ’20s and ’30s. “I wore my great-grandmother’s ’30s silk bias-cut dress in the evening of our wedding, so I was really inspired by that vintage aesthetic and her Juliet veil,” shares designer Liv Rosewood, who made her own veil. “I chose a three-metre blush-pink tulle because it felt fun, elegant and dramatic, while still being relaxed enough for our beach wedding. I loved how it complemented my vintage crochet dress, too.”
