hi
chaud
i think both Margaret and Michelle (Bridal Veil) make good quality gowns. but they specialise in quite different things. Margaret uses mostly lace whereas Michelle uses more crystal work on her gowns. so i think the first thing is for you to decide what you actually like, since their specialties are quite different. as for who will work well with you, it's all very personal, so i think it's best that you visit them personally, and have a chat to get a feel.
my personal experience with Bridal Veil: they had forgotten my appointment with Michelle and we were left waiting for at least 20 mins before Michelle came back (she had gone christmas shopping, she said). FH and I were quite tired from waiting, and a little indignant with the fact that they could actually forget about the appointment. But when Michelle finally attended to us, she was polite, albeit a little brisk. she did not have too differing a view from me, so we did not have any major clashes at all (contrary to the scary stories I had read on forums or heard from friends). she also spent a fair amount of time showing me the fabrics she uses for her gowns and the kind of crystals and beading she uses.
Margaret Brides: i felt comfortable with Margaret and found her quite frank with her comments (something which I appreciate in a designer, cos i would rather have truthful comments than for someone to agree to my every whim and fancy, only for me to turn out looking silly on my wedding day.). At the same time, I also found her warm and friendly.
At the end of the day I chose Margaret over Michelle because: (i) my main priority was to find a designer good with lace, since I much prefer lace over crystal/beading and (ii) I felt that Margaret was professional yet approachable at the same time, and I felt personally that I could communicate better with Margaret.
so summary is, (i) decide the style of gown you want and (ii) speak with the designer to see who you're most comfortable with cos you will be working with him/her for at least the next 6 months.
I do apologise for the verbosity of this post. Hope this helps... and let us know when you decide!