Since any season is now bridal season, I thought it would be helpful to post some tips and tricks for all of those DIY brides out there. Bridal veils can be an important part of any bride’s big day and given what some bridal shops charge, can also be a significant cost. In reality, veils are very easy to make and the basic supplies are inexpensive. Below you will find a list of what you will need to make a basic DIY Bridal Veil.
Bridal tulle – decide how long you want your veil to be and purchase your length of tulle based on that measurement. Tulle comes in 2 basic widths, 54″ and 108″ wide. 54″ will be sufficient for this project.
Plastic hair comb or headband – I prefer metal combs longer in length (about 4″ long) to really hold your veil steady; but any basic comb will do. Or if you prefer, you can use a headband.
Needle and white thread (or whichever color matches your tulle) – to gather the tulle and attach the tulle to your hair comb.
Hot glue gun – You will only need this if you decide NOT to sew the tulle to your comb, or if you decide to use a headband. Note: Glue guns can get very hot and tulle will not protect your skin from glue burns, please be careful if you use this option. Tulle will also melt at a higher temperature setting so again, be careful.
Embellishments – You can choose to embellish your veil with beads, sequins, rhinestones, pearls, ribbon, etc. I prefer to sew these items onto the tulle directly, but, if you are not a sewist you can also glue them on.
Step 1 – Using your needle and thread, gather the tulle to the width of the comb by using a basic running stitch (over and under the fabric) about 1/2″ from the edge of the tulle. Do not trim the 1/2″ edge. A longer needle will make this process easier for you, I’m using red thread thread for easier visibility in the photo, but your thread should match your tulle.
Step 2 – Once the tulle is gathered to the correct length, place the tulle over the edge of the comb with the teeth facing away from the edge of the tulle as shown below.
Step 3 – Attach the tulle to the edge of the comb. If you are gluing the tulle to the comb, be careful to not let the tulle get too hot as most tulle is nylon and will melt (the metal combs can also get really hot). To sew the tulle to the comb, attach by sewing thread around the edge of the comb in between the teeth. A shot of the backside of the comb can be seen below.
Once the tulle is attached to the comb or headband, flip the tulle over so that the raw edge is concealed underneath the veil. You can carefully trim the edge if you want to, but you don’t need to. I’ve attached a couple of (only ok) views of the completed veil so that you can see what it should look like when you are done. At this point, you can embellish your veil to your heart’s content. Some suggestions are pearls, rhinestones, sequins, ribbon, rattail cord (along the edge), etc.
If you’re hesitant to make your veil, or you want to to do a trial run, why not make a fun veil for your bachelorette party? Have fun with it, use a non-traditional color of tulle! I’ve made bachelorette veils in pink and red (Lydia Deets, anyone?), I also made one out of white tulle that had silver stars embroidered all over it (I also made her shirt, but that is beside the point ;)).
What do you think? Are you brave enough to make your own veil?
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