birdcage style questionnaire

Need some help in determining the best style of birdcage veil for you?

The 7 questions below are things that can be considered when choosing your style and shape of birdcage. 

1. Theme

Does your wedding have a theme or are you going for a particular look with your gown and accessories?

eg. Vintage or Art Deco, Beach inspired theme, or Hollywood Glamour etc. If you have a theme, try to choose elements for your birdcage fascinator that echo this theme, but you don't have to get carried away. The theme representation is always better if it is subtle.

2. Gown

Is your gown a full shape or a slimmer gown? Does it have a lot of different textures or is it a simpler style? Is it a strapless style or does it have straps or sleeves? Does your gown have any beading, lace or other detail already present?

If you are wearing a full skirt or more traditional type of gown you want to make sure that you balance out the size of the gown by wearing an appropriately sized birdcage. Therefore, styles like full gathered net cages or styles with larger fascinators such as our Sharlin  are preferable over slimline visor birdcages. If your gown has a lot of detail or textures, it is usually best to choose a birdcage that is either brooch or jewellery based (with or without feathers) or floral without too many different textures. Keep the emphasis on the detail and style of your gown and choose a simpler style of birdcage to compliment it. If your gown is strapless or has fine or inch wide straps you don't really need to take these into consideration. If your gown has any type of sleeve, cap sleeve or wider straps, these elements will be focal points of your gown, so it is best to choose a type of birdcage that will not compete with these for attention. Choose a style that is classic and stylish and compliments rather than overpowers because everyone will want to look at your face without being distracted by everything else going on around it! If your gown contains beading or lace detail, try to select a birdcage and fascinator that matches or coordinates the same beads and colours as your gown. We are more than happy for our customers to contact us with information about the beading on their gown - or even send us a pic if you have one so that we can create a piece that matches for you.

3. Other Accessories

Have you chosen your jewellery yet? If so, are you wearing large or small earrings? What type of jewellery are you wearing?

eg. Silver, diamonte, pearl etc

Obviously, if you are wearing silver jewellery, your birdcage fascinator needs to match this. If you are wearing a lot of pearl jewellery you may want to keep the pearls in your fascinator to a smaller size as the texture will compete with the look of the pearls in your jewellery. If you are wearing large chandelier type earrings, you may want to keep the fascinator section of your birdcage to a smaller size to keep some balance. If you are wearing an elaborate necklace as well as earrings, again less is more when it comes to your birdcage - keep it simple!

4. Hair

How are you intending on wearing your hair? Are you wearing it down or having an updo? Will it be worn high on your head, to the side or down low? Will you be having a soft or curled hairstyle or sleek and slicked back? Is your hair short or long?

If you are wearing your hair down, visor styles or forehead sweeping styles can look effective. If you are having an updo, fuller styles of netting are recommended. If your hair is being worn down low, perhaps consider netting that covers your hair only (our "milla" netting shape can be worn in this position), or fascinators with some added Russian netting are also good worn on the side, or birdcages with detachable face netting. If you are wearing your hair very flat or slicked down, visor styles are not recommended. Choose a style with more substance and more netting to balance out your face. If you have very short and cropped hair, consider a forehead sweeping cage worn high on the head for a really chic look.

5. Tradition

Are others expecting you to wear a veil over your face for your wedding ceremony or are you free to wear anything you like?

If you are not expected to wear veiling over your face, you may want to consider a style that has veiling just sweeping your forehead, or veiling just covering your hairstyle at the back or worn in amongst your fascinator. The options are endless for you. If you are expected to wear veiling over your face, full net styles, visor styles and styles with detachable face veils are the best for you.

6. Style

What are your personal preferences? Would you like something that really creates a statement or something simple that just compliments your gown? What decorative elements do you like?

eg. Feathers, Flowers (traditional styles like roses, or modern couture styles?), Lace, Brooch or Jewellery types of detail or a combination of these.

7. Colour

What colour is your gown and any other accessories that you have chosen already?

If your gown is a Champagne or Ecru colour it is best to use that colouring in the fascinator section of your birdcage but keep your veiling in an ivory colour. This is because the champagne toned veiling looks too similar to your skin tone and can take on a yellowish tone. It also doesn't stand out and look as impressive in your photos. If you are going really bold with a red gown or any other strong colour, it is best to have a mixture of tones or textures in your fascinator and birdcage to compliment the colouring of your gown rather than being an overload of all the same colour. eg. perhaps choose some feathers that have a variegated colour effect or have a jewellery based item that contains different coloured (but still co-ordinated) beads and/or pearls. We are happy to source different detail elements for you to compliment your coloured gown. 
Please  to enquire.

We hope that this information has been helpful for you in narrowing down your choices if you are having trouble deciding on a style of birdcage for your big day. Please remember though that these are only our opinions, and you are not obligated to take on board our suggestions. If you really love the style and look of something that we haven't recommended - go with what you love. The decision is ultimately upto you. If you need further help, please don't hesitate to contact us for some free advice.

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