When Priscilla Ojo walked down the aisle to marry Juma Jux, the world was in awe of the jaw-dropping masterpiece that was her wedding gown. It was a mermaid-shaped silhouette, beaded to perfection, made by Veekee James.

And now, the visionary behind that gown, designer Veekee James, is giving us an exclusive peek into the process that made this dress a reality.

Veekee shares the inspiration behind her dress, citing God as the major source: “Before I created Priscy’s wedding dress, I went to God that I wanted to create a masterpiece for her.”

Priscilla also shared that she had always envisioned herself in a mermaid gown made by Veekee James. “I always dreamt of a mermaid dress. I did fittings, but this was the first time (her wedding day) I saw it fully completed.”

And… she got her dream dress! “You (Veekee James) don’t have any bad looks, so I obviously knew you were going to kill it. This is my dream dress.”

For Veekee, the process wasn’t more than the design; it was a spiritual journey. “I pray over my staff… I have had to ask God for speed and creativity. My team and I spent weeks and months; there was a time we didn’t sleep for three days. This wasn’t just any beaded gown. We’ve done fully beaded dresses before, but this is different. About 60-70% of the beads we used for this dress were custom-made.”

Veekee uses a variety of beading techniques and fabrics to create an ethereal effect on the bodice and sleeves. “We decided to do a blend of different types of beads; we decided to use chantilly, and for drama, we decided to use chantilly lace cutouts,” she says.

It’s no wonder the result was nothing short of heavenly. “I don’t think humans made it, but God did,” Veekee said.

The beauty of Priscilla’s dress was its simplicity, and Veekee has once again shown that she is an exceptional fashion designer.