When it comes to celebrity weddings, people tend to focus on the dress—and fair enough, wedding dresses are everything. But what's an epic gown without an equally epic, mile-long, meticulously embroidered veil? Answer: still an epic gown, but the point is veils are gorgeous once-in-a-lifetime accessories and the time has come to pay them a little respect. Check out the most intricate, painstakingly-made veils in celeb nuptial history.
Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton wore a stunning Alexander McQueen gown during her wedding to Prince William, accessorized with a hand-embroidered veil made out of silk tulle. "The dress is classic and goes very well in the Westminster decor," Chanel's Karl Lagerfeld said. "It almost reminds me of Elizabeth's wedding, the royal weddings in the '50s. The proportion of the train is good. The lace is very pretty. I like the veil a lot." Naturally, said veil was secured by a Cartier tiara lent by the Queen. (TFW your "something borrowed" is a literal crown.)
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller had a super-simple backyard wedding celebration in Westchester, and Marilyn wore an equally simple beige dress. The problem? Her chin-length veil didn't match, and rumor has it that she dyed it in coffee as a quick fashion hack. Watch the wedding video here to see this outfit in action.
Priscilla Presley
Elvis' leading lady got married in a beaded chiffon gown of her own design, which she wore with a staggering three-foot veil "secured by a rhinestone crown." Meanwhile, Elvis wore a silk tuxedo and western boots, though really, this is irrelevant because all that matters is Priscilla's veil.
Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes' wedding day attire was designed by Giorgio Armani, who said he wanted to make something "modern but at the same time, complement the sweetness and energy she conveys." The gown was accessorized with 400 feet of crinoline and tulle, which took 70 hours to make.
Elizabeth Taylor
When Elizabeth Taylor married Conrad Hilton, she had designer-to-the-stars Helen Rose create a veil with 10 yards of silk netting. It was then attached to a pearl Juliet cap, for max flawlessness. The gown sold at a London auction for $187,931 in 2013, and was presumably worth every penny.
Jackie Kennedy
It doesn't get much better than Jackie Kennedy's veil, guys. The heirloom piece was worn by her grandmother and mother before her, and features rose point lace. Jackie wore with a tiara of lace and orange blossoms, for a slight whimsical feel.
Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly's wedding dress is one of the most iconic of all time, and it's partially thanks to her stellar veil. The piece was designed by Helen Rose, and created from 90 yards of tulle that was affixed to the star's head with a blossom-adorned Juliet cap. Appliquéd lace love birds can be seen on the veil, though the front was left sheer for an uninhibited view of Grace's face.
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani's wedding dress was slightly out of the box, in that both it and the veil were dip-dyed pink by John Galliano. The gown is so epic that it found a home at the Victoria and Albert Design Museum in England.
Bianca Jagger
Coolest wedding outfit ever? We think so. Mick Jagger's wife, Bianca, got married in a YSL Le Smoking jacket, and paired the look with a wide-brimmed hat + veil. Truly timeless.
Kate Moss
Another veil win for John Galliano! The designer accessorized Kate Moss' wedding day slipdress with an old-fashioned Juliet-cap veil. Apparently, Galliano told Kate, "You have a secret — you are the last of the English roses—and when he lifts your veil he’s going to see your wanton past!”
