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One simple way to save money in your wedding budget is to make your own wedding veil. Even if you don’t know how to use a sewing machine, you can do it. It’s easy and fun. It’s also lovely to wear something hand-made by you or someone close to you on your wedding day.
My niece, Marisha Banister, got married in october and I offered to make her veil. the veils we’d seen at Bridal stores cost over $100, even $150. I had made my own wedding veil years ago and had vague memories of sewing some netting onto a comb and ‘voila’!
But since this was for my niece and to spark my memory, I looked at Michaels.com and found a step-bystep tutorial on how to make a lovely veil.
It is a good idea to first go to Bridal stores to try on veils with your dress till you find the one you like. Notice the length and whether or not it has layers. Wedding dresses come in white, ivory and cream. Make sure that your veil fabric matches your dress. Does the veil have a ribbon trim or is it plain? What is the comb like—decorated or not?
Marisha knew what she wanted so we went to the Fabric Boutique on Sutton Way and spoke to Gaylene, the owner. they had a veil on display and sold the fabric, called ‘tulle’, the comb and the thin white satin ribbon for the trim. We left with high hopes and had spent a whole twelve dollars.
Here’s what I learned making the veil: In the 30+ years since I made my veil, the tulle has changed. In fact, it seems to now be made of some kind of plastic. Do Not IRoN It. It will scorch and tear. I found that out the hard way. It meant a trip back to Fabric Boutique for more fabric, but luckily, at $1.29 per yard, that wasn’t serious. (Just hang the finished veil near the shower and the steam will take out any wrinkles.)
You can buy a pattern for $14.95, but it really isn’t necessary, unless you need it for extra confidence. If you follow the directions at the Michael’s website, you’ll do fine.
You just lay the fabric out as a rectangle, the length you want and cut the bottom corners so that they
are curved. It will hang better this way. the bottom edge can be either left plain, the super simple option, or you can sew on white satin ribbon, which we did. Note: Be careful when you sew the ribbon on to not pull on the tulle. It will ‘gather up’ and then the edge of the veil will hang in curleyques. I learned this the hard way and had to trim that part off. If you are leaving the edge plain, you can sew a few pearl buttons along the veil near the bottom to help it hang well.
Now you are ready to gather up the top. You can either do this on a sewing machine or by hand. I used a machine and then once I’d gathered the top, I sewed a piece of wide white satin ribbon over the top to finish it.
I hand sewed the veil onto the comb and then sewed three pearl buttons along the comb. You can make the comb fancier if you like. We kept it simple because Marisha wanted to wear fresh gardenias in her hair on either side of the comb.
I recommend starting early so that you’re not rushed. Even with the scorched fabric and accidentally gathering the side, it only took two hours. the days before the wedding, it was so fun to see it hanging and to admire it. And it was the only part of the wedding outfit that the groom was allowed to see!
Bridal veils are fun and easy to make. And you can feel proud that you did it yourself (and saved a lot of money too.) Good Luck!
My niece, Marisha Banister, got married in october and I offered to make her veil. the veils we’d seen at Bridal stores cost over $100, even $150. I had made my own wedding veil years ago and had vague memories of sewing some netting onto a comb and ‘voila’!
But since this was for my niece and to spark my memory, I looked at Michaels.com and found a step-bystep tutorial on how to make a lovely veil.
It is a good idea to first go to Bridal stores to try on veils with your dress till you find the one you like. Notice the length and whether or not it has layers. Wedding dresses come in white, ivory and cream. Make sure that your veil fabric matches your dress. Does the veil have a ribbon trim or is it plain? What is the comb like—decorated or not?
Marisha knew what she wanted so we went to the Fabric Boutique on Sutton Way and spoke to Gaylene, the owner. they had a veil on display and sold the fabric, called ‘tulle’, the comb and the thin white satin ribbon for the trim. We left with high hopes and had spent a whole twelve dollars.
Here’s what I learned making the veil: In the 30+ years since I made my veil, the tulle has changed. In fact, it seems to now be made of some kind of plastic. Do Not IRoN It. It will scorch and tear. I found that out the hard way. It meant a trip back to Fabric Boutique for more fabric, but luckily, at $1.29 per yard, that wasn’t serious. (Just hang the finished veil near the shower and the steam will take out any wrinkles.)
You can buy a pattern for $14.95, but it really isn’t necessary, unless you need it for extra confidence. If you follow the directions at the Michael’s website, you’ll do fine.
You just lay the fabric out as a rectangle, the length you want and cut the bottom corners so that they
are curved. It will hang better this way. the bottom edge can be either left plain, the super simple option, or you can sew on white satin ribbon, which we did. Note: Be careful when you sew the ribbon on to not pull on the tulle. It will ‘gather up’ and then the edge of the veil will hang in curleyques. I learned this the hard way and had to trim that part off. If you are leaving the edge plain, you can sew a few pearl buttons along the veil near the bottom to help it hang well.
Now you are ready to gather up the top. You can either do this on a sewing machine or by hand. I used a machine and then once I’d gathered the top, I sewed a piece of wide white satin ribbon over the top to finish it.
I hand sewed the veil onto the comb and then sewed three pearl buttons along the comb. You can make the comb fancier if you like. We kept it simple because Marisha wanted to wear fresh gardenias in her hair on either side of the comb.
I recommend starting early so that you’re not rushed. Even with the scorched fabric and accidentally gathering the side, it only took two hours. the days before the wedding, it was so fun to see it hanging and to admire it. And it was the only part of the wedding outfit that the groom was allowed to see!
Bridal veils are fun and easy to make. And you can feel proud that you did it yourself (and saved a lot of money too.) Good Luck!
How to’s and tips:
• www.michaels.com then click on ‘wedding’ and then ‘for a crowning glory’• “I Do” Veils—so Can You! By Claudia Lynch (I got this from the library.)
• Fabric Boutique: 522 sutton Way, Grass Valley 272-1197
