Think of a bride and you’ll usually picture her wearing a veil of some sort to her wedding ceremony.
So how do you decide which one is right for you? Firstly, we’d recommend that you choose your style of bridal gown before you set your heart on a particular headpiece, as the veil is an accessory that should enhance your gown, rather than detract from it. Of course, if you’ve got an heirloom family veil that you’re planning on wearing then obviously this is going to influence your decision.
It’s usually when you try your veil on at your dress fitting that your mum, sister or whoever else has accompanied you will start to get tearful, because you start to look like a real bride at this point.
You’ll need to think carefully about your hairstyle if you’re planning on wearing a veil. Take your veil to your hairdresser and try out some different looks with them. Work out how it’s going to fix to your ‘do and ask your chief bridesmaid to come with you so she can see how to take it off for the reception without ruining your style.
Different lengths of wedding veil
Birdcage veil
If your dress doesn’t suit a traditional veil, you might decide to wear a birdcage design instead. Birdcage veils look particularly good if you’re rocking a retro 50s wedding style – you don’t even need to take it off for the evening event if you don’t want to.
Blush veil
The next length of veil is a ‘blush’ veil, which is a single layer of tulle that folds over the face when you’re walking down the aisle and is then moved back when you reach the altar.
Elbow-length veil
If you want a little more coverage then look at an elbow-length veil, which flows gently down your shoulders. It’s a gorgeous length that doesn’t distract from your dress but is still elegant.
Fingertip veil
A fingertip veil is a versatile choice for brides-to-be as it works with most styles of wedding dress, from a simple column gown through to something more ornate. It’s the most popularly chosen veil.
Chapel length
A chapel length veil flows down the length of your wedding dress and it’s one to think about if you’re having a more formal wedding in a church.
Cathedral length
On the other hand, you might want to go all out on your wedding day and have a cathedral-length veil trailing behind you as you process up the aisle. This is a dramatic look (these veils are generally 110-120-inches in length) and it usually matches the length of your train of your wedding dress. If you’re having a very formal wedding then this might suit you, but remember the veil is going to obscure the back of your wedding dress to a certain extent.
Top tips for choosing your wedding veil
Ellie Sanderson has three bridal boutiques in Buckinghamshire and Oxford full of dreamy dresses and gorgeous accessories to complete your big day look. Here are her top tips for choosing the perfect veil for you…
- Your veil should not overpower your dress in any way
- Most girls wear a veil – over 65% of brides in fact
- Cathedral-length veils work well on both tall and short girls
- Fingertip veils look best on tall girls as they make small girls look shorter
- Shoulder length veils work on any height of bride
- If you’re wearing a blush veil keep it further forward so it doesn’t get lipstick on it!
- Think about the decoration of your veil carefully. If you’re wearing a very plain and simple dress, then you could have a more ornate veil decorated with crystals and embroidery.
