How to Make a Bridal Veil With a Tiara

A bridal veil is a traditional piece of wedding attire that many brides look forward to wearing.

Three popular styles are the fingertip, blusher and cathedral veil. The fingertip veil is approximately 40 inches long from the top of the head to the tips of the fingers. The blusher falls to the tops of the shoulders and can be combined with other veils to make a layered effect. The cathedral veil is floor-length plus 6 inches, depending on the height of the bride.

Veils cost between $50 and $200 in 2009, with tiaras adding an additional $50 to $200 to the total cost. With pre-planning, almost anyone can make a bridal veil with a tiara, and save money in the process.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bridal illusion tulle, 108-inch width
• Rotary cutter
• Rotary mat
• 108 inches of 1/4-inch ribbon
• Seed pearls or crystals
• Toothpicks
• Craft glue
• 1 or 2 veil combs
• Heavy thread
• Needle and thimble
• Tiara

Fingertip Veil - Basic Veil Instructions

1. Fold the bridal illusion tulle in half and weight it down with heavy objects such as drink coasters on top of the rotary cutting mat.

2. Measure out 40 inches of fabric and cut in a straight line or curved arc across the bottom of the tulle.

3. Keep the tulle weighted down for the next two steps.
   
   Add embellishments such as seed pearls or crystals one at a time using wooden toothpicks. Dip the end of the toothpick in craft glue and touch a pearl or crystal to the tulle. Allow at least 1 hour for the embellishments to dry before moving to the next step.

4. Attach ribbon to the bottom of the veil. This can be done by carefully gluing ribbon along the bottom of the veil while folded in half. If you are proficient using a sewing machine, sew the ribbon onto the veil 1/2 inch from the bottom and cut away the excess.

5. Remove the weights. Using the heavy thread, sew a long, loose running stitch along the top of the veil. Running stitches are simply in-out-in-out. When you have stitched along the entire top, cut the thread, leaving plenty of thread hanging out of both sides of the veil. Pull on these threads, which will then gather the tulle material. Tie a knot between the two ends to keep the material gathered.

6. Attach the gathered portion of the veil to the bridal combs using the heavy thread. The tiara will not necessarily need to be attached, but can be if necessary for extra security. Use the same method to attach the tulle and combs to the tiara.

Blusher Veil

7. Fold the tulle in half and weight it down with heavy objectson top of the rotary cutting mat. Measure out 25 inches in length and cut using a rotary cutter on top of the rotary cutting mat.

8. Attach embellishments in the same method as the basic veil using toothpicks and a small amount of invisible drying craft glue. Pay attention to the amount of embellishments, as the blusher is shorter and therefore needs fewer embellishments for the same effect. Wait at least 1 hour for the embellishments to finish drying before moving on to the next step.

9. Attach ribbon to the bottom of the veil using glue or sewing machine.

10. Remove the weights. Using the heavy thread, sew a long, loose running stitch along the top of the veil. When you have stitched along the entire top, cut the thread, leaving plenty of thread hanging out of both sides of the veil. Pull on these threads, which will then gather the tulle material. Tie a knot between the two ends to keep the material gathered.

11. Attach the gathered portion of the veil to the bridal combs using the heavy thread. Use the same method to attach the tulle and combs to the tiara if desired.

Cathedral Veil

12. Measure for length. Cathedral veils are floor-length plus 6 inches from the crown of the bride's head to the bottom of the bride's feet.
    
    Fold the tulle in half and weight it down with heavy objects on top of the rotary cutting mat. Measure out the length determined by the measurements taken of the bride's height plus 6 inches, and cut using a rotary cutter on top of the rotary cutting mat.

13. Attach embellishments in the same method as the basic veil using toothpicks and a small amount of i craft glue. The cathedral veil is much longer and therefore needs many more embellishments for the same effect. Wait at least 1 hour for the embellishments to finish drying before moving on to the next step.

14. Attach ribbon to the bottom of the veil. using glue or sewing machine.

15. Remove the weights. Using the heavy thread, sew a long, loose running stitch along the top of the veil. When you have stitched along the entire top, cut the thread, leaving plenty of thread hanging out of both sides of the veil. Pull on these threads, which will then gather the tulle material. Tie a knot between the two ends to keep the material gathered.

16. Attach the gathered portion of the veil to the bridal combs using the heavy thread. Use the same method to attach the tulle and combs to the tiara of desired to help keep tiara secure.

Tips & Warnings

• Cathedral veils are the most formal of all the veils. Many times they have blushers attached. The blusher can easily be made separate of the cathedral veil for ease of removal before the reception.
• Always measure twice and cut once. This will save time and effort in the long run. Store the finished product out of direct sunlight, preferably in a garment bag, until the wedding day. Take a small kit of craft glue, heavy thread, needle and extra embellishments with you for the wedding day in case an embellishment falls off and needs to be replaced.

References

• The Knot Wedding Veil Glossary