In the spirit of doing things out of order, I’ve decided to wear Mama Dillo’s veil on my wedding day. It’s a bit ironic since I haven’t even gone shopping for my dress yet, but I’m totally psyched Mama Dillo offered it up to me, and it can’t hurt to have some of that good, successful marriage juju on me when I walk down the aisle on the big day. I’ve decidedly declared Mama Dillo’s veil as my “something borrowed.” (I obviously intend to return it to her after the ceremony just in case maybe Lil Dillo or someone wants to wear it on her wedding day!)
Now, my parents got married in 1987, which means Mama Dillo’s veil isn’t exactly…subtle. HOWEVER, in terms of how ’80s veils tended to look on brides back in the day, hers wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t tulle attached to a hat or to a weird halo she wore down on her forehead—in fact, as far as ’80s veils go, Mama Dillo’s was pretty tame. Maybe it’s because she was married in the late ’80s and styles had toned down a bit, or maybe she just had good taste. 
(All upcoming photos by Miss Armadillo)
The veil is basically a simple, two-tiered veil with a finished edge—the only telltale ’80s signs are the tulle pouf at the crown and the pearl-encrusted headpiece that holds everything together:
It’s pretty wrinkled from being closed up in a small cardboard box for 25 years, but I’m confident we can get the veil back to tip-top shape in time for the wedding in March. I’ll have to make some alterations to it to sort of pull it out of the 1980s, but I definitely think it’s workable. The bonus is, wearing Mama Dillo’s veil means I don’t have to blow a hundred bucks on a veil of my own, and that’s a hundred bucks I can use toward something more important on the wedding day. (To be honest, my wedding veil wasn’t even something I was initially hung up on in terms of wedding planning—I’d just as soon walk down the aisle without one at the thought of blowing some major simoleons on a piece of tulle attached to a hair comb. This solution is both more cost effective AND meaningful. It doesn’t get any better than that.)
Are you incorporating a piece of a family member’s wedding attire into your own for good measure? (And does anyone have any tricks to get 25-year-old wrinkles out of tulle?)
I wore my mom’s veil from the 80′s! I hung it in the bathroom for a few months prior to the wedding, and the steam from showers took most of the wrinkles out 
. I also made a few modifications – removed the headpiece and blusher and gathered the tulle into a smaller bunch at the top so it could easily be tucked under my hair.
Oh my… I feel SO OLD. My parents married in 1977 and I was 6 by 1987.
Her veil is gorgeous, a chapel-length lace mantilla, but totally didn’t go with my dress.
I hope that my hypothetical daughter will wear my veil one day. I’m sure your mom is touched that you’re wearing hers.
It’s great you can wear your mom’s veil, is a very sweet detail.
I recently found my 1st communion veil, and it’s in excellent condition, so I’m going to sew some of the lace inside my wedding dress – for something borrowed/something old!
I love that you are wearing your mom’s veil, I think it’s going to look great!
Steam it with a fabric steamer. That’s what they did to my veil when I picked up my wedding dress. They also told me that I could take it into the bathroom with me and have a really steamy shower and that would’ve done something similar, just probably not quite as drastic.
I love being able to carry something with you into your wedding.
That’s an awesome something borrowed! Can’t wait to see how you un-80′s it!
A steamer? I’ll be saying tuned to see how you transform it into *your* veil!
Yeah I borrowing my aunties veil! It suits my dress perfectly! You are right that the veil isn\t screaming 80s and I agree with Mrs Pain au Chocolat, it will be interesting to see what you do with it!
Quick and easy would be a garment steamer; just be careful not to burn yourself!
Mrs. Armadillo, Houston, Texas Age and Occupation: 23, Graduate Student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Armed Security Officer Engagement Date: September 28, 2011 Wedding Date: March 2013 Venue: First Presbyterian Church/Bay City Civic Center About Me: I’m an oldies-loving, board game-playing, coffee addicted fine arts junkie from Southeast Texas in pursuit of her master’s degree in communication studies who met the goofy, strong, artistic, and unexpected love of her life in the beautiful piney woods of East Texas. Serendipity threw us together again and again (and again) on our college campus before we eventually stuck, but when we finally did submit to destiny, we hit the ground running and never looked back! We’re planning a religious, small town, budget-friendly, DIY-infused “winter becomes springtime” ceremony and reception to celebrate the beginning of our lives together with the people we love the most, and are pouring our hearts and souls into making sure our wedding represents us as a couple down to the nitty gritty details and balances tradition with the quirky individuality that is uniquely and unequivocally “us”!
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