So you’ve invested time and energy (and money!) into choosing the perfect wedding veil, and into selecting just the right color, trim, beading, and lace accents that compliment your wedding dress. It just seems wrong that you should only be able to wear your bridal veil for a few hours during your ceremony. Right?

Read on for 3 easy and creative ways that you can reuse or re-purpose your veil.

1. Décor for your bridal shower

 My bride draped her pearl-studded veil over the banister and wall for her bridal shower to add a bit of glimmer to her party. The added bonus of this is that her friends and family get a sneak peek preview of her wedding veil, and she gets to build the anticipation for the big reveal on her wedding day!

2. Drape it over your baby’s crib as a canopy

First comes love, then marriage, then the baby carriage – right? Well when those babies start to come along, then you already have a sweet, whimsical canopy to place over your little one’s crib or carrier in the nursery.

3. Your future daughter's communion veil

Store it in an archival, lignin-free garment bag (like this) for your future daughter to wear on her communion day or even for her own wedding. You are starting your own family legacy!

Honeymoon Photo Shoot (Trash the Veil)

Take your veil on a thrilling honeymoon adventure! Tie it to your ponytail or pin it to your bikini and take the plunge — literally! Whether you're cliff jumping into turquoise waters or splashing in the waves, your veil makes the moment feel beautifully rebellious and romantic.

How to Use Your Wedding Veil in Flat Lay Photos

One lovely idea many photographers and brides love is to use your veil as part of a wedding flat lay — a styled, top-down photo of your wedding details. A veil can serve as a soft, elegant backdrop, adding texture and depth to flat-lay photos that include invitations, rings, shoes, jewelry, florals, and other meaningful accessories. Using the veil this way preserves its beauty, highlights its lace or tulle detail, and helps tie together all the small, sentimental pieces of your day into one cohesive, gorgeous image. It’s a lovely way to commemorate the styling and planning you poured into your wedding — even if you decide not to wear the veil during the ceremony itself. The inspo pictures below come from the talented @eyeroniclove

Bonus Idea! A DIY Christmas Tree Skirt

A simple Christmas tree skirt involves cutting the edges off of your veil, backing it with fleece, and stitching around the edges. Now you can remember your wedding every Christmas when you put this out! This project requires a sewing machine, but it is still pretty simple. You get bonus points for designing some tulle "snow angel" ornaments!

You can watch a bit of the DIY process in the video below. Plus, see how the Christmas tree skirt looks in my bride's beautiful home! 

I'd love to hear how you are planning to reuse your veil. Let me know at @oneblushingbride and I'll add it to my list!