My first experience with Beyond the Veil was nothing short of amazing. I had high hopes and expectations. We had discussed what I wanted from the very beginning, 11 months before I got married. When I picked the dress without even seeing it in ...person, I stated I would want to add a simple sleeve. I was not comfortable with bare arms in October. I was reassured many times this would be no problem. When I visited the shop in June, we discussed the sleeves and appliqué I wanted to add along the waist and across the edge of the bust. Again, I was reassured this was simple and no problem. They were going to send me fabric options and go from there. I ended up having to call and email multiple times to receive my choices. I was told to make an appointment to come back in July. I was very understanding as I know they are very busy and a small shop. I wasn't scheduled an appointment in July, but rather, later because of all the summer weddings. My mom went to the shop to clarify the simple applique details and helped pick the appliqué for me. At the appointment, one of my sleeves was complete and the appliqué trim pinned on to be sewed. This was simply a narrow applique trim to be added around the waist and the top edge of the bust. The dress was pinned to my height. I was asked to come back the middle of September and it would be complete. Unfortunately, since I work 12 hour night shifts, had a fiancé going through chemo and live 5 hours away, I decided to schedule the appointment out an extra week to assure everything was completed and there would be no delays. On my way to Vancouver, I was advised by the shop that my dress and veil would not be ready Monday morning and were not ready because the material was on back order. This was confusing to me, as they had all the material at my last visit, and the applique trim was already pinned on the dress. After several calls I was text messaged to come to the shop after 5 pm on the Tuesday before my Saturday wedding. I was extremely frustrated because I had company flying in from across the country on Wednesday, decorating and other last minute wedding details and still waiting on my dress. When I arrived shortly after 6pm, I was told my dress was still not ready and that maybe I should go get a mocha! Once the ladies who I had never met brought it out to me, they told me to try it on if I wanted and asked if I needed help. They got the dress in the dressing room and I pointed out they had missed a 6 inch section of appliqué and had not sewn the bra cups in. At this point it is very late in the evening. I was in a hurry to drive back across the state to pick up company arriving. Without any regard for the days I had spent waiting in Vancouver, I was asked how I wanted to settle the remaining $187. I have no problem paying for anything. The dress and additions were rather expensive, in fact the price of the additions changed frequently. It was the manner of disregard of my time 3 days before my wedding that rubbed me wrong. Ultimately, I got my dress and the $187 was paid. I was home 2 days before my wedding absolutely exhausted from driving until 5am. There is no doubt the dress, sleeves and appliqué were lovely. One wouldn't know that by the awful picture posted on the website of me on my phone, no makeup, black bra out and my hair a mess. Sadly, by the end of the night, both sleeves had ripped off, bustle buttons broke and stitching came undone. Luckily, we only wear our wedding dresses once!