Veil it Up

I don't remember if I first asked my mom, or if she brought it up first, but my mom was planning on sewing my veil. To me it just seemed like wedding veils are so expensive when all it's really only a bunch of tulle. Plus it seemed like such an easy thing to do. (Of course this is coming from me, the one whose never sewed anything before.)

My mom and I had discussions about it and she was planning on using pearls from my grandmother's (as in her mother's) veil, but she never had the chance. Although we think she may have started something since my grandmother's veil is currently MIA. Of course, I'm sure it will probably turn up at some point.

My grandmother and I at my showerSo instead in the day's following my mother's funeral, I asked my grandmother if she instead would sew my veil. We had e-mailed a few patterns back and forth, and when I was home for my shower we went fabric shopping together. And about a weekend after I returned I had a box containing my veil on the doorstop.
While I think my expression here is a little scary, it does at least give you an idea of the length. Although you can't see exactly where it ends, it goes about 6 inches or so below my fingers.
I at least look a little less scary here, and you can see a close up of the lace. You can tell it does look a little crumbled after traveling cross country in a box, but nothing that can't be easily fixed.
And here's one using the blusher. And finally an one from the back below. (I realize it's not the most centered photo, but it's hard taking these with a self-timer.) And in case you're curious, the pattern we used is McCall's M4126, picture B.
Wearing it I didn't automatically feel like a bride. Not does looking at the pictures make me think bride. (I think the black tank top kind of ruins that image.) But it was still fun trying it on, and I can wait to try it with the actual dress. To be completely honest I absolutely love the way it turned out. I would love buying a veil like this from a store, but the fact that my grandmother made it makes it all the more special to me.

Did you wind up purchasing your veil ready made or did you go the diy self? Or maybe instead, is your veil your something borrowed? And if you're not planning a wedding any time soon, have you given any thought to the type of veil you'd like to someday use?