How to Care for Your Veil
For centuries us women have graced the isle wearing sheer fabrics to cover our faces.
You can actually date veils as far back as the Romans, who wore floor-length red veils to expel any evil spirits from cursing the betrothed.
Fast forward to today and the tradition has continued amongst many cultures worldwide. Although still a popular addition to a wedding outfit, you and many brides like yourself may remain unsure of how to care for veils due to the fine fabrics of lace and tulle. We’ve conjured up all the dos and don’ts for you to keep your bridal veils in pristine condition.
Opening and Trying on Your Veil
Now I’m sure you don’t need us to tell you that your veil is delicate.. EXTREMELY delicate... and while it may seem obvious, many brides forget to check they are in a safe space to unbox their brand new veil and try it on. It might seem silly to say, but I guarantee you won’t think so after you hear the most horrifying rip coming from the veil you probably just spent a pretty penny on!
Remember to
Clear the area of any objects that can readily catch on your bridal veil.
Not wear any clothing with sharp, scratchy embellishments that could easily ladder the veil fabric.
Be aware of sharp nails.
Steaming Your Veil at Home
Yes, I heard the little shriek you just let out inside your head. Steaming my veil?!
Whilst this seems like a very daunting task, it’s nowhere near as difficult as you may imagine. In fact, it’s easy as pie! Steaming is most effective way to eliminate those stubborn wrinkles from your wedding veil and if you’re stricken for time, the fastest as well.
If the thought of taking your iron within a metre of your veil gives you heart palpitations, another trick (given you have the time) is to hang it up for a few days and the creases will drop out naturally. Be aware that hard creases may not fall out using this method.
How to Steam a Veil
1. Make sure you have an iron to hand that produces a lot of steam. The more steam you have, the quicker your veil’s creases will drop.
2. Hang your veil up in a place that is away from your walls (you don’t want to be steaming your wallpaper!) and high enough that your veil doesn’t trail along the floor. We recommend popping it on top of a door, a wardrobe or a curtain rail.
3. Now it’s time to steam! Make sure your iron is nice and steamy, then begin to gently take it up and down the veil, allowing the steam to pass through.
DO NOT LET THE IRON TOUCH THE VEIL! I’m sure you don’t need me to reiterate just how delicate your new veil is and it definitely won’t stand the touch of a red hot iron. Be sure to keep the iron a good 30cm away from your veil at all times. The steam will easily pass through the veil without being only closer!
4. Whilst steaming carefully spread your veil to allow the steam to pass through all the nooks & crannies, ensuring you’ve caught all those pesky creases.
5. After you are happy with how your veil looks, you can stop your steaming! Your veil may feel a little damp at this point, so it’s best to keep it hung and let it dry.
How to Store Your Wedding Veil
Once you’ve steamed, we recommend hanging your veil up to give it the best chances of staying crease free, however we understand not everyone has a secret cupboard to stash away pretty wedding veils from prying eyes! Whilst many of our brides here at Legend Bridal Designs ask their mother’s to take good care of their bridalwear, you may also choose to package your veil back up in its box. If you do decide to repackage, you may need to give it a little steam the night before the wedding!
We hope this made caring for your wedding veil a little easier and less stressful. Veils can certainly be tricky material to work with (tulle.. we both love and hate you), but given the right care you can keep it looking crystal clean on the run up to the wedding and beyond!