If you are a DIY bride on a budget, then it can be easy to get swept into the do it yourself world. Before you know it, you are doing your own calligraphy for invites, prepackaging confetti for your guests to throw, and folding origami swans for place settings until your fingers are raw with papercuts. Without some planning, the benefit of saving a few dollars in your hands-on approach to wedding planning will not outweigh the stress of all those late nights and craft store runs.
I would recommend choosing a handful of DIY projects that you know that you can execute well. Your wedding veil is one such project. I have full confidence that you can execute a gorgeous wedding veil that you can feel proud of by following these simple steps.
3 Questions for Brides to Ask Before Getting Started Stitching
Before you jump into sewing headfirst, I want to share a brief disclaimer. There are 3 very important questions that you want to ask yourself before deciding to DIY your veil.
1. How much experience do you have with a needle and thread?
If you have never picked up a sewing needle in your whole life, then now might not be the time. Planning your wedding can be stressful enough without the pressure of learning a whole new skill.
Nevertheless, you do NOT have to be an expert seamstress to make your own veil! In fact, you don’t even have to have a sewing machine. Most simple veil patterns and tutorials are meant for beginner – early intermediate level sewers.
If you have never stitched anything in your life and you are not a naturally crafty person, then why not enlist your bridesmaid or Grandma or Aunt to help you make your veil?
2. How detailed do you want your bridal veil to be?
If you want a heavily detailed veil with lots of lace, a monogram, or custom beadwork then you should consider purchasing your veil instead of DIYing it. However, if you are wanting a simple design without a lot of customizations, then you can easily make your own veil. You do not have to be an expert seamstress.
3. How much time do you have before your wedding date?
It does take a bit longer to make your own veil because you must special order the correct fabrics before you start cutting and pinning. Most veil fabrics (such as bridal illusion tulle, silk, English net) will not be available at your local craft stores unless that store is a specialty, higher end fabric store. For example, my local Joann’s fabric store has a huge variety of tulle options, but the tulle options are all pretty scratchy. I would not feel comfortable designing a veil with these.
Finding and selecting the right fabrics is important for achieving a timeless and elegant look on your wedding day, so you don’t want to skimp.
If your wedding day is coming up quickly, then I would order your veil premade from a veil designer or from a local bridal salon.
Why Make your own Wedding Veil?
Now that we have covered some of the obstacles to creating your own veil, it is time for the good news! There are many benefits to a DIY veil. Some of my favorites are that you will save money and you will create memories that last a lifetime.
- Save on Costs: Wedding veils are expensive. As a wedding veil designer, I know from firsthand experience that nice veils made from quality fabrics generally don’t come cheaper than $200-$300. And the price goes way up from there. You can find out more about the average cost of a wedding veil by reading How Much Should your Veil Cost. So if your wallet can’t handle the strain, then I suggest getting your sewing scissors out!
- Memories: Designing your wedding veil is a fun way for you to build special memories with a loved one. Did you know that beginning hundreds of years ago it used to be a tradition that a bride-to-be would collect items of clothing and lingerie as she prepared for her future marriage? This was called her “trousseau”. Oftentimes, family and friends would help her in the process of selecting or making these special pieces. So just as the women in days of old used to eagerly anticipate their wedding by sewing the garments of their trousseau, so too will you be designing your veil in eager anticipation of your happily ever after.
5 Easy Steps to Make your own Bridal Veil
- Decide on a style
Choosing your style for this important wedding accessory is often the most difficult step of the process. There are so many lovely veil and cape styles out there, and you may struggle deciding what will work best for you and your gown. As you start your wedding veil search on Pinterest and in the salons, I would recommend first narrowing down the appropriate length for your veil. Take a look at Should you Wear a Long or Short Wedding Veil for some helpful tips on choosing the right length.
- Measure for your fabrics
I recommend measuring yourself for your veil before you purchase your veil supplies so that you can make sure that you are ordering enough tulle and fabrics.
Your veil measurements can vary depending on your height, where you position the comb in your hair, and your wedding dress. To learn more about the average veil length measurements (in inches), make sure to check-out "4 Easy Steps to your Perfect Wedding Veil"
Your veil measurement does not have to be taken while you are wearing your wedding gown, although sometimes it is easier to visualize things when you have your dress on. Take a piece of string (that does not stretch) or a flexible measuring tape, and measure from where the veil will be attached in your hair down, straight down your back, and down to the tip of approximately where you would like your veil to be at the longest point at the back. This measurement does not have to be exact. It just gives you a basic idea of how long you would like your veil to be. Take a look at the black arrow in the photo below for a better idea as to where you should be measuring. 
Pro Tip: To be extra safe, I recommend adding on at least 5’’ to your veil measurement just to make sure that you have enough fabric on hand.
- Order fabrics and supplies
For longer veils, you should try to find a fabric that is 108’’ in width rather than the more standard 54’’ width fabric. Sometimes it can be a challenge to find veil fabrics that are 108’’ in width, and if you absolutely cannot find a fabric that suits your needs then it is okay to make your long veil out of the narrower fabric. Just keep in mind that your long veil will be a bit more narrow (as shown in my photo below) if it is made out of the 54’’ width fabric. This style is lovely in its own way, and it gives a more minimalist look.Pro Tip: If you plan on designing a long cathedral length veil, then make sure that you order a fabric that is wide enough. You can skip this tip if you plan on designing a shorter veil.
To keep things simple, you can also order your DIY Veil Kit to make sure you have everything you need.
As you purchase materials, you can also begin to think about where you will be making your wedding veil. I recommend working on your veil away from your pets so that their sharp claws don’t interfere. I love dogs and cats, but this delicate sewing is best done in a clean environment without their possible interference. Most of the horror stories that I hear about veils being ruined have to do with animals.
- Cut and stitch your fabric by following a pattern or rounding the bottom edge of your tulle
Now comes the fun part! Get those creative juices flowing because you’re going to make this happen! Now is the part where you actually stitch and design your wedding veil.
This video will help you cut the perfect curve...
Cut the bottom of your fabric in a circular shape as shown in the diagram below and hand-stitch the top straight edge of the fabric to a comb. If you need more guidance, then you can download a veil or cape pattern.
The easiest and most popular veil to design yourself is the fingertip length raw edge veil.
If you run into snags during your stitching, then take a deep breath and walk away for a bit of time. You can come back with fresh eyes. Or, you can reach out for help and ask me a question about designing your veil.
- Store veil in a cool, dry place until your wedding day
I recommend storing your veil in a temperature-controlled location, such as under your bed or in a closet. My preferred method of storing veils is to fold it over a hanger lengthwise and to place it within a protective garment back. You can then keep your veil in this garment bag as you transport it to and from dress fittings, hair trials and rehearsals.
As you approach your wedding date (within 2 weeks of your special day), I recommend having your veil steamed. Alteration shops and salons are able to do this or you can do so with a handheld steamer. In a pinch, you can also hang up your veil in a steamy bathroom, and the weight of the veil will naturally take out the wrinkles within 4-5 days.
Pro Tip: Do not iron your veil because most veil fabrics are so delicate that they will just melt.
You Did it! Congratulations on designing your own wedding veil.
It is my top priority to make sure that you feel beautiful in your wedding veil. So, if you get stuck at any point of the process, then please send me a message on Instagram @oneblushingbride. And share photos with me! I would love to see how it all turns out for you.
Make sure that you check out my most popular patterns for your wedding veil or cape for a stress-free process. Happy stitching!