Creating A Wedding Veil Headband: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding veils can be expensive, so making your own is a great way to save money and add a personal touch to your big day. You can make a wedding veil for as little as $10 in supplies and a couple of hours.

To make a DIY wedding veil, follow these five simple steps:

1. Measure Yourself: Hold a measuring tape where you want your veil to sit on your head.

2. Purchase Tulle and Other Materials: You can buy tulle and other materials from any fabric store.

3. Cut Your Tulle: Lay the tulle out on a large table or clean floor and keep it folded in half lengthwise. Now, fold the tulle in half crosswise by grabbing the rightmost edge and folding it over so that it touches the leftmost edge.

4. Include Embellishments: You can add embellishments like satin ribbon, lace, or beads to your veil.

5. Attach It to a Hair Comb: Gather the centre of the tulle with a needle and strong thread, weaving in and out with small stitches. Pull the thread to gather the stitched tulle so that it is only about 2 inches wide. Knot the thread securely and attach it to a hair comb.

If you want to attach your veil to a headband instead of a hair comb, you can use glue or sew it on. You can also add embellishments like flowers, pearls, or crystals to your headband veil.

Choosing the right veil and headpiece combination

The right veil and headpiece combination is essential to achieving a harmonious bridal look. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect veil and headpiece for your wedding day:

Veil Length and Style

The length and style of your veil will determine the type of headpiece that pairs best with it. Here are some general guidelines:

• Short veils (birdcage, blusher veils): These styles complement smaller, more delicate headpieces such as simple combs or vintage-inspired clips.
• Medium-length veils (elbow, fingertip): These versatile lengths can be paired with a variety of headpieces, from intricate tiaras to floral crowns or statement combs.
• Long veils (chapel, cathedral): Longer veils often work well with more substantial headpieces like crowns or headpieces, adding a regal touch. Consider the density of gathers and the width of the veil comb for the overall look.

Matching the Aesthetic

Create a cohesive look by ensuring your veil and headpiece share a similar aesthetic. If your veil features lace or beading, choose a headpiece with similar details. Conversely, if your veil is simple and understated, a more ornate headpiece can add a touch of flair and accentuate the details on your wedding dress.

Coordinating with Your Dress

It is essential to ensure that both the veil and headpiece complement your wedding dress. If your dress has intricate detailing, consider opting for simpler veil and headpiece designs to avoid overwhelming your look.

Placement Matters

The positioning of your veil and headpiece can significantly impact your overall bridal look. Here are some tips for classic, contemporary, and low placements:

• Classic placement: Traditionally, the veil and headpiece are positioned at the front/top of the head, resembling a tiara. This look exudes a regal and effortless feel.
• Contemporary placement: For a modern twist, place the headpiece with the veil underneath at the top of an updo or half-up hairstyle.
• Low placement: If you're wearing your hair in a low updo or chignon, position the headpiece and veil at the nape of your neck for a subtle and elegant look.

Proportion Considerations

When choosing your bridal comb, consider its proportion relative to your veil comb. The bridal headpiece's body should be wider (longer) than the veil comb. For example, if your veil comb is 3 inches long, your headpiece should be at least 4-5 inches long.

Additionally, if you have an extra-wide veil comb, pair it with a longer and narrower comb. Delicate hairpins may appear disproportionate and busy in the hair. Avoid plastic veil combs, as they tend to make the veil appear heavy and chunky. Instead, opt for fine metal hair combs, which are stronger, sturdier, flexible, and lightweight.

Placement matters: Positioning your veil and headpiece

The way you position the veil and headpiece can dramatically affect your overall bridal look. Here are some tips for getting it just right:

• Classic placement: Traditionally, the veil and headpiece are positioned at the front/top of your headpiece. Similar to the look of a tiara, this look feels regal and effortless.
• Contemporary placement: For a more modern look, consider placing the headpiece with the veil underneath at the top of an updo or half up hairstyle.
• Low placement: If you’re wearing your hair in a low updo or chignon, you can position the headpiece and veil at the nape of your neck. The placement is elegant and works well for brides who prefer a subtle, understated look.

It's all about the proportions

When choosing your bridal comb, consider its proportion relative to your veil comb. You’ll be positioning them next to each other, so size is important. The body of your bridal headpiece should be wider (longer) than the width of your veil comb. So if your veil’s comb is 3 inches long, your headpiece needs to be at least 4-5 inches long.

Extra wide veil comb? A veil comb that’s 4-4.5 inches or wider is best styled with a longer and narrow comb. Delicate hair pins will appear disproportionate and too busy in the hair.

Plastic veil comb? Consider the thickness of the veil comb itself, particularly ones that are attached to thick plastic combs with a lot of tulle wrapping. These veils are hard to work with because they appear heavy and chunky in the hair. We avoid plastic combs across our collections and we only use fine metal hair combs as they’re stronger, sturdy, flexible and lightweight.

Love a fuller veil with lots of volume? Ensure your headpiece is wide enough to cover the veil comb. The VERSE comb is a smaller comb that pairs perfectly with a fuller AMORA wedding veil. At just over 5.5 inches wide, the VERSE is perfect to cover a wedding veil comb that’s up to 4 inches wide.

If you prefer a sheer wedding veil, a drop veil like our ROSELLA chapel veil or BLAIR fingertip veil will sit flat against the head and will ensure your bridal comb will sit flush against it.

The advantages of wearing separate pieces rather than one that is sewn together

Wearing separate pieces for your wedding veil and headband offers several advantages over a single sewn-together piece. Here are some of the benefits of choosing separate pieces:

Flexibility in Styling

When the veil and headband are separate pieces, you have more versatility in how you style your hair and position the accessories. You can experiment with different looks by trying the veil at various heights. Having separate pieces allows you to adapt your look throughout the day. For example, you can choose to remove the veil after the ceremony while keeping the headband on for the reception.

Practicality

If the veil is sewn into the headband, removing the veil can be complicated and may require the assistance of a hairstylist. With separate pieces, the veil can be easily removed without disturbing the headband or your hairstyle.

Maintenance and Care

It is easier to manage, clean, and store a veil and headband when they are separate. Veils are typically more delicate and prone to wrinkling, so having them unattached makes them easier to handle without damaging the headband.

How to secure your look

Now that you've made your wedding veil headband, it's time to secure your look. Here are some tips to ensure your veil and headpiece stay in place throughout your big day:

• Use multiple hair pins: Secure your veil and headpiece with multiple bobby pins or hair combs to ensure they don’t shift during the day. Make sure to choose pins that match your hair colour for a seamless look.
• Try it on together: During your hair trial, make sure to try on your veil and headpiece together. This will give you a sense of how they work as a pair and allow your hairstylist to make any necessary adjustments.
• Consider weight and balance: If your headpiece is particularly heavy, you may need to reinforce it with extra pins. Similarly, if your veil is long and voluminous, make sure it’s anchored securely so it doesn’t pull on your headpiece.
• Secure the veil first: Once the veil is secured into place with bobby pins, you’re now ready to position the headpiece and pin it into place. It’s best to secure the veil first and then the headpiece on top of the veil’s comb for a more seamless finish.
• Choose headpieces with split combs or no combs: Look for headpieces designed around a split comb system or headpieces that don’t feature a comb at all. This way, you can easily position the veil, position the headpiece, and easily secure them into place.

Frequently asked questions