Veils can be made out of any fabric, but wedding veils are typically made out of bridal illusion. English netting and silk tulle are more premium options and are luxurious, but more expensive and harder to find. Most brides who want a multi-layer veil want to use the top layer as a blusher layer. If a blusher layer is desired, the best fabric options are bridal illusion and silk tulle, as those are the most sheer fabrics. Anything else will make the bride look like she's wearing a ghost costume as she walks down the aisle—not a particularly alluring look.
Decide on the Length
A center gathered veil can be made in any length. To determine the length of fabric needed for the entire veil, add the length of the bottom layer to the length of the top layer. Refer to this list of industry standard veil lengths or measure the bride to determine the perfect custom length. The fabric will be cut in one large oval.
Decide on the Width
Center-gathered veils must be a minimum of 72” wide, but 108” wide fabric is preferable. Anything narrower than 72” means that the sides of the veil will be shorter than the back of the top layer, and the sides will stick out strangely.
Though wider fabrics usually correlate with poofier veils, the difference a center gathered cut makes is dramatic, and a minimum of 72” of width is necessary to create this look. See the examples below of the difference between a two layer, center cut, 108” wide veil, and the much fluffier looking one layer, standard cut, 108” wide veil.
Cut the Fabric
Cut a length of tulle to the full length of the veil (bottom layer + top layer). Fold the fabric into quarters. Secure the folded corner, either by having someone hold the corner or pinning it to the carpet with a straight pin. Use a rotary cutter and a self-healing mat to cut the curved edges of the veil. If the veil is a full circle, a string or measuring tape can be used as the radius of the circle, ensuring a perfect cut. More often, the veil will end up being an oval. Veils are very forgiving; don't be afraid to eyeball the right curve.
Gather the Veil
Fold the oval on the floor so that the top and bottom layer are the correct length (See figure 1). Measure how long the top (shorter) layer is. Measure in that same number of inches from the left side and mark with a straight pin. Repeat on the right side. For example, if the top layer is 30” long, measure 30” from the far left side and 30” from the far right side of the veil. This will ensure that the sides are neither shorter nor longer than the back of the top layer of the veil. This is critical to the veil draping properly. Use a needle and button thread to gather the veil between the two pins marking the measured points. A simple whip stitch is the easiest method to gather the veil.
Finishing Touches
Attach to a comb (preferably a metal comb, though plastic will work) using a needle and button thread.
Add any embellishments at this point. When making a standard veil, one would typically add embellishments before gathering and sewing the veil to the comb. However, the unusual way this veil is gathered makes it much harder to attach embellishments on the correct side before the veil is fully assembled.
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