Wedding veils are a traditional part of wedding attire that adds an ethereal touch to any person getting married’s look. Historically, wearing a wedding veil is a deeply honored tradition for many- even having roots tracing to Ancient Rome to ward off evil spirits (Interesting, right? Read the whole blog on it here from an expert for Brides). But, in today’s wedding industry the veil has become a showcase of personality! It easily elevates and enhances anyone’s overall look on their big day.

The trends are even leaning towards more untraditional styles as the years progress, which is so exciting for my color obsessed and fashion babes!! However, there was almost zero options online in the funky and bright style I dreamed up for this Valentine’s Day elopement shoot at Volunteer Park in Seattle, WA.

We were looking for a pink ombre veil to match her bright pink wedding dress and white leather coat, but finding the perfect one on Amazon or Etsy proved difficult. I decided to take matters into my own hands and hand-dye the veil myself without any prior experience, but there weren’t any blogs on how to do that either!! After some thought and not much preparation I did the whole experience from start to finish for you and recorded the process. Check the photos below for proof of how amazing it turned out, and continue reading for a How-To on recreating this for your wedding day or next styled shoot!!

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Here’s a step-by-step guide on how I achieved the perfect pink ombre veil for our Valentine’s Day elopement shoot:

Materials:

• White wedding veil (I used a medium length)
• Rit Dye in petal pink
• Salt
• Large pot
• Water
• Wooden spoon (I didn’t use one but I definitely should’ve)
• Rubber gloves
• 2 Plastic buckets
• Towels
• Tarp/Drop Cloth

Instructions:

1. Start by soaking the wedding veil in a mixture of water and salt. This will help the dye adhere to the fabric evenly.
2. Have your two plastic buckets set-up side by side (and the tarp underneath) with warm water in both of them, enough water to completely submerge the wedding veil you chose to use. Fill two caps worth of the dye into one of the buckets and stir with your spoon until it is mixed evenly.
3. Take the entire veil and submerge it into the dye water, hold underneath for about 1 – 3 minutes — not much longer or the thin veil will take too much color and your ombre effect could be ruined. Remove it from the dye bucket and submerge it briefly in the regular water, just a blanch to set the color. Repeat until the entire veil is the light color shade you prefer to start.
4. Let the veil hang (so as not to collect droplets of color anywhere) while you add another 2 cap fulls to the dye water and stir.
5. Dip half the veil (or wherever you want your ombre to start) into the water and hold for 30 seconds to a minute, remove and blanch again (but only the section you previously dyed) in the clean water bucket.
6. Hang to dry while you add more color and repeat the process in sections until the last and most vibrant bit of color at the end of the veil!
7. The entire process is fairly easy, you just have to remember to not hold the garment in too long as veils are thin and delicate!! If you can test a piece first I definitely recommend it 🙂
8. I hung my veil to dry outside for a couple hours in the shade.

Once the veil is completely dry, you can add any additional embellishments, such as lace, crystals, or embroidery. For our Valentine’s Day elopement shoot, we left the veil as is, allowing the ombre effect to speak for itself.

The pink ombre wedding veil added a romantic touch to our bride’s look, and the Valentine’s Day elopement shoot at Volunteer Park in Seattle was the perfect setting to showcase it. The park’s lush greenery and scenic views made for a stunning backdrop, and the veil added an extra layer of whimsy and charm to Julia and Will!!

Hand-dyeing your wedding veil is a fun and easy way to customize your bridal look. It allows you to achieve the perfect color and style that complements your dress and adds a personal touch to your overall look. And when paired with the right setting, such as Volunteer Park in Seattle, the effect can be breathtaking. Head to my Instagram for more images @mackenzieramans and if you recreate this please tag me so I can see and share!!! But for now, more images from the elopement gallery below!!

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Stay funky my friends!!

xx, Mackenzie