Her Veiled Intentions
Are Clearly Successful

Jennifer Leigh Bridal Makes Veils for Salons Nationwide

Article by Patricia Rathbun
Photo by Dave Brumbaugh

Jennifer Leigh Bridal business came into being because a friend of Jennifer Leigh was getting married and needed a veil to wear at the wedding. Leigh recalled how she made a custom veil for her friend in 1993, while living in Bothell.

“My friend loved it, and it seemed all our friends were getting married then. I made more veils and took them to Eastside Girls Bridal Salon in Bothell. I also rented a booth at the Seattle wedding show that year,” Leigh says.

Jeff Koll, Leigh’s husband, was also in on the venture.

“We started getting more business, and wanted our own shop. Our goal was to do this full-time professionally,” Koll remarks.

The decision to open the veil shop in Fairhaven in 1998 was a mutual one. Both Leigh and Koll had attended West-ern Washingon University in the late 1980s and wanted to come back to Bellingham to live.

“We wanted to settle down in Bellingham. It’s worked out nicely and we’re having fun. It’s nice to be able to move and make a living where you really want to live. We love it here,” says Koll.

The Sycamore Building, where the manufacturing shop and separate retail outlet is located, caught the couple’s eyes while they were in Bellingham attending the university.

“We put the shop and retail store here because we loved this building. The person who was in the manufacturing space hated to leave here; she wanted something special and unique in here,” Leigh recalls.

Leigh describes the veils they manufacture and sell.

“The styles of veils and headpieces do change as bridal-gown styles change, especially the beading design. We start with the headpiece, then add beading and move to the veil,” she explains. “How long does the bride-to-be want the veil and how full? Fuller and perkier, or sleek and modern?”

Leigh and Koll’s primary business is with bridal salons all over the country. They attend bridal shows to display the veils in New York, Chicago, Dallas and the area surrounding Seattle.

“Besides picking up new accounts, we expand and build on accounts we have. We work with retailers; we haven’t done any advertising,” Koll says.

They are increasing their scope of retail. The veils have been featured in national bridal magazines and catalogs, including In Style, Victoria and Bridal Guide. Also, a Web site — www.jenniferleigh.com — was launched in April.

“We are in a pretty aggressive growth phase; next year we hope to double our business,” Koll reports. Last year, Jennifer Leigh Bridal sold between 2,000 to 3,000 veils.

“They sell for anywhere from $60 to $600; that’s what we would sell them for,” he says. “But when I was in Dallas, one shop was selling them for $1,000.”

The retail shop is located in Suite 411 of the Sycamore Building at 1200 Harris Ave. in Fairhaven. It sells the veils and other bridal accessories as well.

“We sell retail only locally. We also sell other people’s bridal accessories in the retail store — shoes, purses, jewelry and ring pillows,” Leigh remarks.

Besides Leigh and Koll, assistant Neallie Walvantne works at the Sycamore Building site. Leigh and Koll also employ three other people that work for them out of their homes.

“They have kids and like that flexibility,” Koll observes.

“Everyone collaborates on a veil; people specialize in one part. There’s so much detail and we all do our very best to make each veil perfect. That’s why they sell so well,” Leigh says.