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Frequently Asked Questions |
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| Here you can find answers to questions we commonly receive. If you don't find the information you're looking for on this page, please feel free to email us and ask! |  |
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What to Expect When You Order | |
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• How long will my order take? |
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• How will my package be shipped? |
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Returns, Cancellations, and Refunds | |
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• What is your return policy? |
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About Our Products | |
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• What materials do you use in your products? |
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• What colors can you include in your designs? |
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• What is the difference between a crystal and a rhinestone? |
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Accessories Questions | |
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• How many hairpins will I need? |
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• What if I want just a few more hairpins, do I have to buy another package? |
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| How do I place an Order? |
| Use our secure online shopping cart! All you need to do to order any item is click the "Add to Cart" icon on any product page. You will be able to configure the item to your specifications (including choice of pearl and crystal colors and metal tone) at that time. |
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| Can I request changes to a standard design? |
Absolutely! We're always happy to accommodate special requests whenever possible at
no additional charge. You can specify these minor alterations when you place an order
using our shopping cart. These alterations include:
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| How do I order a custom design? |
| Don't see exactly what you want? Email us! We're always happy to work with brides on custom designs. Send us pictures of your gown, a description of the tiara you envision, etc. The more information we have the better! |
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| How do I change or cancel an order? |
| If you've placed an order online and need to make a change or cancel your order, please contact us by email, phone, or fax as soon as possible. In most cases, there is no charge for making adjustments to your order. Please see our policies page for full details about refunds for cancelled orders. |
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| What methods of payment can you accept? |
We can accept payment in the following ways:
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| Do you offer any discounts? |
| You'll find that all of our products are offered at very reasonable prices -- especially when compared to prices for comparable products in bridal salons! Nevertheless, we do offer some additional promotions. All orders over $200.00 get free basic shipping and handling. We also offer a 20% discount on our crystal bouquets when you order two or more. Also be sure to watch our website for special clearances -- you never know what you'll find on sale! |
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| How long will my order take? |
| Most orders take approximately two weeks to complete, but the time it takes to fill your order may be slightly longer. We appreciate that you're eager to see the finished product, and we're eager to deliver it. But sometimes small delays can't be helped. |
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| We will work diligently to finish your order and ship it out to you as swiftly as possible. Only very rarely does an order take significantly longer than two weeks. Nevertheless, please be sure to tell us if you need to have your item(s) by a certain date. We can usually accommodate rush orders. We will email you to let you know when your order is complete and ready to ship. |
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| How will my package be shipped? |
| Standard shipping within the United States is done via USPS Priority Mail. Standard shipping is normally $5.00, and includes insurance and delivery confirmation. Orders over $200.00 include free standard shipping. We can also accommodate special shipping requests such as overnight via FedEx or UPS. If you're interested in special shipping, please be sure to inquire about shipping options when you place your order. |
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| Please be aware, shipping insurance only covers loss or damage while the package is in transit. Insurance will not cover replacement of items where delivery confirmation indicates the package was delivered. |
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| We also ship internationally. We determine international shipping on a case-by-case basis. |
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| What is your return policy? |
| We offer a very generous refund policy on all of our standard items. Please see our policies page for full details. |
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| What materials do you use in your products? |
| Check out our materials page to learn more about the materials we use in our products. |
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| What colors can you include in your designs? |
| Please see our colors page for images of many of the colors we have available. Swarovski offers their crystals in a tremendous range of hues. If you don't see something that works for you, please contact us and we can investigate options that we don't normally stock. |
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| What is the difference between a crystal and a rhinestone? |
| Swarovski manufactures both crystals and rhinestones, and both are made out of leaded crystal (like a Waterford vase). "Crystals" are beads made out of leaded crystal, while "rhinestones" are solid chunks of leaded crystal cut into faceted shapes in the same manner as a diamond (e.g. marquise cut, princess cut, round cut, etc.). |
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| What are the different types of headpieces? | ||
| We offer several different basic types of bridal and special occasion headpieces: | ||
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Tiara (with attached combs)
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Comb
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Diadem
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Headband
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Backpiece
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| What kind of headpiece will work with my hairstyle? |
| • Tiaras work beautifully with all hairstyles -- short or long, up or down. Consider adding combs to the end of the tiara for extra security, but consult your stylist first! Some stylists love tiaras with combs on the ends, others prefer tiaras without the combs. |
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| • Combs work best with traditional up-dos and hair worn completely down. Not recommended for low chignons. Combs are magnificently secure and comfortable to wear. |
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| • Diadems work best with traditional up-dos or half-up hair with some height. Not recommended for short hair, hair worn down, or hair worn in a low chignon. |
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| • Headbands work well with all hairstyles. Headbands look especially lovely in very short hair. They can also be worn as low tiaras or bunwraps with longer hairstyles. |
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| • Backpieces work best with low chignons. Hairpins can also be arranged around a low chignon to create a gorgeous backpiece effect. |
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| I have short hair -- can I wear a veil or a tiara? | ||
| Absolutely! Veils work with all lengths of hair, from the shortest pixie cut to the most luxuriously long locks. Our veils come attached to flexible metal combs that can grip even the finest, shortest hair. See "How do I secure the veil?" for more information on keeping the veil in place with any hairstyle. | ||
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| Tiaras, combs, and headbands all work gorgeously with short hair. The diadem styles work best with longer hair worn in a traditional up-do, but many diadem styles can be modified to work with short hair. Just ask! | ||
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Tiara with short hair
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Comb with short hair
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Headband with short hair
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Veil with short hair
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| How can I coordinate my ensemble? |
| Check out the "Matching Items" area on the bottom of most product pages. We've linked to items that we think compliment each other particularly well. |
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| Can I wear pearls in my headpiece, even if my dress only has crystals on it? |
| Absolutely! Don't feel as though you can't wear pearls on your headpiece just because your dress doesn't have pearl embellishments. Pearls pick up the color of your gown, and help tie everything together. Pearls aren't necessary, of course, but you needn't shy away from incorporating them in your headpiece or accessories. |
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| How do I secure the tiara in place? |
| Stylists can work wonders with bobby pins. Take the tiara to your hair trial, and your stylist can determine how best to secure the tiara in your hair. Techniques may differ depending on hair style and texture. |
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| How do I care for my tiara? |
| Your tiara features genuine freshwater pearls, and should be treated with the same care as a genuine pearl necklace. Basically, that means you should be careful around chemicals -- including hairspray and perfume, two items you'll be likely to use on your wedding day. These products are very corrosive, and can damage your new tiara. Just remember to tell your stylist to give you that final spray before he or she sets the tiara in place. |
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| If you ordered a tiara with sterling silver work the following advice is particularly apropos, but it's good general information for anyone. Sterling silver can tarnish if it is kept in humid conditions, or is touched too much. Harsh silver polish is as damaging to freshwater pearls as perfume and hairspray, so your goal is to prevent tarnish from starting. If possible, store your tiara in a cool, dry place. You can help to create a dry place by using a product called Pacific Cloth. It is available at most container and hardware stores, and even comes in zippered-bag form. This material helps to prevent moisture from reaching your tiara. It is widely used to wrap sterling flatware sets and line sterling drawers. |
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| Can I have my headpiece restrung after the wedding? |
| Certainly! All of our headpieces can be restrung into beautiful keepsake jewelry after the wedding. There is a $20.00 charge for this service. Contact us for instructions on how to have us restring your headpiece. |
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| How many hairpins will I need? |
| We offer most of our hairpins in packages of six. Some larger hairpins are available singly, and a few smaller hairpin designs are available in packages of eight. |
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| We usually recommend one package as the minimum. One package will add a bit of nice sparkle to your hair, but you can almost always add more and still look very elegant, not at all overdone. |
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| What if I want just a few more hairpins, do I have to buy another package? |
| Not at all -- if you decide you need more than the number that come in a package, we're happy to make an order of hairpins as large as you need. The price per hairpin will remain the same. |
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| How do I attach my veil to my headpiece? | ||
| Our veils usually come attached to 3" metal combs, which are far superior to plastic combs. Metal combs grip the hair better than plastic combs, and are much less bulky. They can also be bent to fit the shape of your head more precisely and comfortably. | ||
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| Using the comb you can place the veil wherever you please -- on top of your head snug against a headpiece so that it looks attached, or at the back of your head. Having the veil on a separate comb gives you tremendous versatility, and makes it easy to remove the veil after the ceremony, should you choose to do so. | ||
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| Veils can also be attached to your headpiece with small metal snaps for an additional $15.00 charge. That way you can simply unsnap the veil to remove it after the ceremony. While convenient, snaps aren't quite as secure as having the veil on a separate comb. You run the risk of having the veil unsnap when receiving an enthusiastic hug that tugs on the veil. You can snap the veil right back on, of course, but it is a small risk. Most brides choose to have their veil on a separate comb. | ||
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| Veils can also be attached with bridal loops (see image on right). Your stylist will attach the veil by threading bobby pins through the loops. This technique is both easy and very secure, but you may need assistance after the ceremony in removing the veil without mussing your hair. | |
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| We don't recommend using Velcro to attach the veil to your headpiece. When you remove the veil, you'll be left with a visible strip of white fabric on the back of your tiara -- not very attractive. Veils attached to headpieces with Velcro are also prone to coming off when you receive an exuberant hug. | ||
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| What is a blusher? |
| A blusher is the top layer of any veil brought forward to cover your face. In order to have a blusher, your veil must have at least two layers, or be a cage veil. |
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| Can the blusher be detachable? |
| No, the blusher cannot be detached. Doing so would leave an unattractive seam at the top of the veil. But the longer layers can be detachable, leaving you with just a short veil for the reception. |
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| How do I get wrinkles out of my veil? |
| Veils usually become wrinkled in transit. Happily, it's very easy to remove wrinkles from your veil. |
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| Simply hang your veil up for a day or two, and the wrinkles should fall right out on their own. If you have a few stubborn wrinkles, hang the veil in the bathroom (but not in the shower itself!) and take a hot, steamy shower. By the time you're done, your veil should be wrinkle-free. |
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| We do not recommend ironing your veil. Tulle is very delicate and may melt or burn. |
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| How do I secure the veil in place? | ||
| Your veil will come on its own metal comb, unless you request otherwise. Your stylist will be able to slip the veil right into place, especially if you're wearing your hair in any sort of up-do or have your hair half-up. The teeth of the comb should point toward the back of your head. | ||
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| If you're wearing your hair down, or if you have short hair, your stylist may use one of the following simple tricks to keep your veil solidly in place: | ||
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| • Tiny Pony Tail: Take a small section of hair (about the width of a pencil) where you'd like to anchor your veil. Use a small clear hair band (available at any drug store) to create a tiny pony tail at that spot. Be sure the pony tail is tight! You can even make two small pony tails for extra security. Then simply slip the teeth of the veil's comb under the pony tail, and your veil should stay put all night, no matter how much you dance. Irish step dancers use this technique to keep their curly wigs in place for competitions and shows. | ||
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| • Pin Curl: Take a small section of hair (about the width of a pencil) where you'd like to anchor the veil. Wind the section of hair around your finger until you have a coil of hair snug against your head. Secure the pin curl flat to your head by using two bobby pins criss-crossed in an X shape over the curl (see picture on right). Then slip the teeth of the veil's comb under the pin curl, and you're ready to go! Vegas showgirls use this technique to keep their huge headpieces on during stage shows. | |
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| How do I secure my cage veil? |
| Your stylist will secure the veil with hairpins. Some people use hat pins, but the wedding hair specialists we've consulted uniformly prefer standard hairpins because they're less slippery and much less sharp. |
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| What's the difference between bridal illusion, English netting, and silk tulle? |
| Please refer to our tulle page for descriptions and images of the range of fabrics used to make veils. |
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| What's the difference between 54 inch, 72 inch, and 108 inch wide veils? | ||
| As veil width increases, so does 'poofiness' and opacity (in other words, it's more gathered and harder to see through). Look at the images below to get a better feel for these differences. Each depicts a single-layer, elbow length, bridal illusion veil in 54", 72", and 108" widths respectively. | ||
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54 inch width
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72 inch width
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108 inch width
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| Tiaras • Veils • Accessories • FAQ | © 2000 - 2003 Tradewind Tiaras, Inc. All rights reserved. |  |
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