This post is in two parts. This is part 1. Look for part 2 tomorrow.

Do you want a unique, vintage wedding veil from the 1930’s to complete your wedding trousseau, but don’t have a lot of money? Beatrice and I have got you covered! Beatrice designed, hand made and then wore this gorgeous veil for her wedding on February 15, 1936 (86 years ago today). Now, it needs a good soak and a hot iron, so please pardon the wrinkles and spots.

Vintage and economical are trending for 2022 brides. In that spirit, I bring you a wedding veil tutorial for this vintage veil that’s economical, not to mention gorgeous and unique. You can make this veil yourself, which saves you money, right off the bat. But, hold on to your hat…. It’s also made entirely of tulle (with a few lily of the valley sprays added). Yes, you read that right. This veil is made entirely out of that fantastic, ethereal fabric called tulle (some call it netting.) No matter your term, most tulle and netting options are easy on your bridal budget. Beatrice’s veil is made of

cotton tulle, common in 1936. Silk tulle was also available in 1936, but much more expensive. Today we also have polyester and nylon tulles available, at reasonable prices. I chose to make my reproduction veil out of nylon, the most economical option, for two reasons. One, I wanted to see myself how the nylon tulle draped and pleated. Two, I knew brides on a budget would want to know if nylon tulle would work. Speaking from experience, I can answer a resounding, yes. While I recommend cotton tulle for this veil, because it has a softer hand, drapes beautifully, and holds a pleat, I can also tell you, from experience, that this veil can be made out of the more economical nylon tulle. I don’t really recommend polyester or silk tulles, as they are very soft and drapey, and probably wouldn’t hold the standing pleats in the crown of the cap very well. Since there is no blusher to cover your face, a heavier tulle like cotton works beautifully. Cotton tulle is a bit tricky to find. If you’d like to purchase some from me, comment below with your email address (it won’t be made public) and I’ll get back to you. If you’re on a tight budget, use nylon. Nylon tulle can be found at most fabric and craft stores, as well as online. Nylon tulle just has a little more body to it, which gives the veil a little more poof. Let’s have a closer look, and you can judge for yourself which tulle fabric is best for you.

This side view close up of Beatrice’s veil gives you an idea of how well the cotton tulle on the left drapes and stays where it’s put, compared to the nylon tulle on the right that expands and poofs, no matter how much I tried to tame it.

The Beatrice starburst veil was worn during the depression, when most everyone was on a budget, including Beatrice. Her entire ensemble was hand made by her and her two sisters, Violet and Florence. Even her wedding bouquet was hand made, of paper flowers. I decided to make my lily of the valley flowers out of paper, too. That kept the entire veil down to a very minimum cost. There are several paper flower videos online that can show you how to make them.

We’ll save the instructions for tomorrow, otherwise this post would get too long. Think about what tulle you want overnight, and, tomorrow, we’ll get into the supply list and directions on how to make this vintage veil.

À demain!

♦
Faith is the Senior Fashion Writer and Editor for legendary weddings at LLTM. Hire her to enchant your readers and get them talking!