Now that you’ve narrowed down your wedding gown and photographer, it’s time to focus on that detail that tops it all off – the veil. Sure, you could easily buy a silk tulle veil from a bridal store, but making a DIY veil can save you money and elevate your wedding style with a piece that’s uniquely you.
Here’s everything you need to know about DIY veils and a little wedding veil inspiration to get you started.
Do I Really Need a Wedding Veil?
The veil you choose (or don’t choose) is as personal as any other wedding detail. Like your wedding dress, it sets the mood and completes your ensemble. Consider it the crowning jewel.
Learning how to make a DIY veil can give you a unique, custom veil that no one has ever worn before. But that doesn’t mean you have to have a veil. Wearing a wedding veil is a personal choice, and there are no hard and fast rules that say you absolutely must wear one. Break with tradition or go bold – the choice is yours!
Different Types of Bridal Veils
There are a wide variety of wedding veil lengths that you can choose from. A veil’s length can range from full-on Princess Di’s cathedral-length up to a simple (but classic) birdcage veil.
Longer-length veils (like a chapel-length veil) tend to be more formal than their shorter counterparts. If you’re planning an adventure wedding or elopement, you should consider whether a longer veil might make getting to your ceremony destination more of a challenge. But, there are always ways to pack your veil if you are after that long, flowy vibe.
If you’re on the fence, consider a simple, short veil. Shorter veils pair well with modern, minimal dresses – in that delicious cheese and wine kind of way. Or, you can get fresh and funky with a birdcage veil or go for a youthful but flirty shoulder-length piece.
Benefits of Making a DIY Wedding Veil
Let’s circle back to that Princess Di veil. Her cathedral-length veil was longer than her 25-foot train. It measured a whopping 153 yards long and cost over £9,000 – which comes out to about $34,750 in today’s dollars.
Long story short – the cost of a wedding can get quite pricey. From the wedding dress to florals, it can be hard to stay within your budget when there’s so much temptation to splurge on beautiful things! DIY’ing your wedding veil is one easy way to help stick to a budget.
The average cost of a bridal veil ranges between $250 and $400. Learning how to make a wedding veil isn’t complicated and should only take a few hours for a simple or mid-length veil.
Plus, making your own silk tulle wedding veil can make your big day feel just that much more unique and special. Instead of opting for a store-bought veil, a homemade veil gives your wedding day extra character.
No one else has ever worn that veil that you designed and created. You’ve got something borrowed and something blue – and now something made just by you.
How to Make a DIY Veil
When you’re ready to get started on your DIY veil, here’s what you’ll need and how to get it done.
What You’ll Need
- Nylon or silk tulle at least 108 inches in width
- Decorations (i.e. beads, pearls, sequins, lace, etc.)
- Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
- Sharp fabric scissors
- A hair clip, wedding veil comb, or bridal hair comb
5 Steps to Make Your Bridal Veil
- Place your comb or clip in your hair
- Measure your tulle length. An extra set of hands can help you hold it in place to get a better idea of where the end length will fall once you’re done
- Trim to length with scissors. Cut the edge in an oval shape. The outer sides of the veil should be shorter than the bottom center portion of the veil. This will help create a natural drape once you’re done
- Add in decorations – or don’t! You might be surprised how it only takes a few lace details or small pearls to really up the wow factor.
- Once you’re ready to fix it in place, gather it at the flat top and lay a line of running stitches along the top. Try to keep the pleating as even as possible and gather the end to match the width of your bridal veil comb.
- Wrap a piece of tulle over the comb and through the teeth, secure the ends of the veil with a few stitches, and sew the veil to the tulle. And voilá, your DIY veil is ready for your big day!
Wedding Veil Inspiration
Not sure where to start? Here are some of my favorite bridal veil looks:
Capture Your DIY Veil in All Its Beauty
It doesn’t take much time or effort to create a DIY veil that you’ll never forget. Now all that’s left to do is to book a photographer that can perfectly capture you and your veil in all your beauty on your big day.
Ready to get started? Contact me today so I can help you capture all the intimate memories of your big day.
Leave a Reply