The first veil I ever tried on was a whopping £1000 at Carolina Castiligano. It was divine but the price that some brides pay for their dress and so I could not justify buying it. The veil that matches my dress at Pronovias retails at £350 but I didnt like how long it was and how intricate it was. I wanted a plain veil made out of veil tulle that would enhance the dress, not distract it. Also, Pronovias only sell veils that are of cathedral length (so hang out a feet after your train of the dress) This makes for a very dramatic entry but my walk up the aisle is approximately 5 meters so I didnt want to look a bit Over the Top.

So when I recounted my dilemma to my cousin, he offered to make a veil for me (or did I sigh so loudly that he felt sorry for me and make it?

The inspiration behind the veil was Jessica Simpson’s bridal look. She had a simple tulle veil that was quite puffy and had a lot of volume. My veil has two layers as well.

Anyways, I went over yesterday to pick up the veil my cousin had made. We bought the material in Soho from a fabric store. I was so touched to see that my cousin had even hand stitched the veil on the comb when he had this terrible backache. This makes the veil so much more special knowing that he made it with so much care.

Here are the photos of my finished veil:

Side view:

and back view:

and veil’s comb:

You will notice how close he has stitched the head piece on to the comb so that it can hardly show.

I am so lucky to have such a talented and generous cousin to help me. For those brides who want to attempt to make their own veil, here are some instructions I found online:

Making a Bridal Veil Materials:

Fabric – Tulle, organza, chiffon, silk, etc. The veil pictured is tulle and cost only $1.99 per yard. Most come in standard 108″ width, but I cut mine in half so it was only 54″ wide because I wanted it sheer and not bunchy. Length is up to you! Measure the length from where on your head it will attach down to where you’d like it to fall. For more info go to the article Veil Info to Keep In Mind When Making a Bridal Veil which has different length measurements and fabric options.
Thread – Select thread that matches the color of your veil or use silver metallic thread if your edging will be silver metallic.
Comb – Any plastic comb will do, but clear is probably the best color. I purchased mine at a craft store for $2.99.
Trims – Options include crystal beads, pearl colored beads, sequins, ready made trims, satin cording and ribbon. Any trim that is ready made will be faster than sewing on individal beads or sequins when making a bridal veil.
Making a Bridal Veil Instructions:

Once you have the piece of fabric cut to desired length and width you will need to sew on your trim. Some fabrics actually do not need trim as they won’t unravel, but most look best trimmed. You will only need to trim three sides of the veil since the top of the veil will be sewn onto your comb. Fold over the edge of the veil and add your trim to the three sides using a needle and thread. The trim shown is white satin cord.

Before trimming, you may want to round out the bottom edges of the veil. Place a CD disc on the corner and trace the round contour and then cut the rounded corner with scissors. This is optional.
To attach the trimmed veil to the comb, find the center of the top edge of your veil and sew it onto the center of your comb. Bunch up the veil and continue to sew it onto the comb. Make sure you sew it onto the outside of the comb, the convex (rounded out) side.

Finish making your bridal veil by adding matching trim or beads to the top of the sewn on part of your comb. This will cover up any visible stitches.

Always a good idea to have someone help you with your veil. I advise that even with a comb, a few bobby pins should be used to secure the veil in place.

So get yourself to a fabric store and start looking for veil fabric and trims so you can start making a bridal veil!

Related posts:

1. Shopping for Wedding Veil
2. Veil material shopping
3. New Trend: Bridal Head Piece
4. A Tale of Two Veils
5. Fabric Glossary