Get to Know! Cori Middlebrooks of Love Veils & Accessories
Cori Middlebrooks is the founder of Love Veils & Accessories and is host to several trunk shows each year at Little White Dress Bridal Shop in Denver, CO. Cori has fitted hundreds of Colorado brides with the most perfect accessories to complete their wedding day looks - anything from helping fashion-forward brides find the perfect veil, headpiece, Russian blusher, flower, headback and/or sash.
We interviewed Cori so we could share her fabulous vibe with all our brides - enjoy!
Where do you get inspiration for designing your veils?
When designing a new collection, I pull inspiration from lots of things and places – trends in bridal and ready to wear, past decades and especially brides that I’ve worked with throughout the season. If I am working with brides, and we continue to design a custom piece, I know it is “missing” from my collection, so I’ll add it the next season!
What does the fabric on a veil say about the bride who chooses it?
The fabric a bride chooses can show a lot about her personality and what kind of feel she is going for on her wedding day. French net definitely gives off a vintage vibe, point d’ esprit (or Swiss dot) can feel very feminine and romantic, feathers are fun and flirty … there are so many options!
Why do you use the word "love" in your business name?
I thought a lot about the name I would use for the line. I wanted something classic, sweet and not necessarily my name. Once “love” popped into my head, I knew it was the right choice. It’s what weddings are all about anyways, right?!
I heard that you recently said, "I do" - what veil did you choose and why?
Yes, my husband Jon and I got married in Austin last November 4th. I wore the pout blusher in tulle with a flower underneath it off to the side. Oh that was a tough choice. I went back and forth between that and a slip cut up until RIGHT before. I loved the look of the flower underneath the tulle – very soft and romantic. Then after the ceremony, I flipped the blusher around to the back for photos. THEN I switched into a French net pouf with a vintage brooch that I had wanted to use forever. I might have changed again towards the end of the reception, but that would have been excessive! Indecisive is my middle name! One of my favorite things though was this vintage turquoise French net that I used in my bridesmaids headpieces. They all had a slightly different flower in their pieces, and they looked amazing!
Why is choosing the right veil so important for a bride?
There are many different veil shapes and endless options of lengths and trims, so I understand that it can be overwhelming. Each shape will accentuate different features in a dress, so choosing a shape that compliments the shape of your dress, whether it be the narrowness of the cut or the shape of the train is really important. We want to show off the dress in the best way possible with the accessories. In my opinion though, accessorizing is the most fun part! You truly get to make your dress and your entire look your own by the accessories you choose.
Who is your dream celebrity to "veil"?
Wouldn’t everyone love to accessorize Jennifer Aniston? She usually keeps her accessories and hair simple and classic and has great taste in my book. I think Anne Hathaway definitely has fun with fashion and has her own sense of style, so she would be fun to work with, and of course … Jessica Biel, a Colorado native. She takes fashion risks and seems to always be trying different looks. I can’t wait to see which dress designer she chooses, so that would be a dream job!
What are some of the hot "veil" and "accessory" trends you're seeing now?
The headband, worn all different ways, is certainly everywhere right now. Sashes seem to be a trend that is here to stay. I love all of the textured pieces right now – sashes, flowers, and headpieces, all with lots of texture created by using different fabrics in the same piece.
What can brides expect to see in your 2013 collection? When?
There are A LOT of new pieces in the 2013 collection! For starters, I have “officially” added sashes to the collection, so there will be 12 new sashes. There are also lots of new flowers, headbands and some fascinators, so many more options to make a bride’s decisions even harder! The new collection will debut at the International Bridal Week in New York on October 13-15, 2013. Little White Dress Bridal shop will be the first shop to get the collection, and we’ll have a trunk show at LWD right after Market on October 27th-28th.
You've been hosting a lot of trunk shows at Little White Dress Bridal Shop. What can a bride expect when she books a consultation with you?
I love working with brides at Little White Dress - they are always such a pleasure! At accessory appointments I usually like to start out by getting a feel for what the brides wants, and then we take a look at her wedding dress (or photos if she can’t bring it in). Then once I get a feel for her vision and see the dress details, we take the plunge and start trying on! If it’s a veil, we’ll start by looking at different shapes so she can see how they complement the dress. Then we’ll look at different lengths and trim options. All of my veils are custom, and I can certainly customize pieces from the Love Collection as well, which is always fun to do at trunk shows!
A Note from LWD: We are currently taking appointments for our next Love Veils & Accessories Trunk Show on September 15-16, 2012. As Cori mentioned, she'll be back at LWD again on October 27-28, 2012 to exclusively launch her 2013 bridal accessory collection to Colorado brides!
