To Veil or Not To Veil? That’s The Question

Historically, bridal veils have created a sense of mystery and fantasy as the bride floats down the aisle, face hidden under the veil. The bride doesn’t unveil herself until her father presents her to the groom. Wearing a veil is actually a long-standing tradition. It’s not always identified with religion, but rather bridal veils are seen as a symbol of purity. They’re great for giving the bridal ensemble a finished look.

The big question for brides is whether or not you have to put on a veil. As a modern bride, you have numerous options when it comes to bridal veils and it’s completely acceptable to keep your face unveiled. For weddings which are not held inside a church or a religious place of worship, the decision is actually dependent on the bride. Think about your comfort level, fashion style and whether or not you want to go with tradition. Bridal veils truly achieve a dramatic impact for the bride’s look. They’re just another way to set the tone of romance in the nuptials as they bring a special aura to the ceremony. Changes in tradition might have diminished their role into mere choice, but veils could never go out of style.

Bridal veil headpieces come in various lengths—shoulder, elbow, fingertip, waltz and cathedral lengths—and in two tiers—single and double tiers. There’s also the bird cage veils. Most wedding designers feel that brides should make this choice primarily based on their height. A common rule of thumb is that unless you’re leaning towards a shoulder length bridal veil—the longer the bridal veil, the slimmer and leaner your silhouette will be. Bridal veils that extend past the hips—waltz and cathedral length bridal veils—is the prevailing recommendation, as anything sitting on the hips tends to shorten and widen your look. For how long you decide on wearing your bridal veil will also in turn dictate how long it ought to be. Wearing it only for the wedding ceremony? Go ahead and get the cathedral length bridal veils. But if you want to wear your veil till the reception’s over, you’ll need a more practical veil—either a shorter bridal veil or a double-tiered bridal veil with a short layer that can be worn on it’s own throughout the reception.

So, To Veil or Not To Veil? Here are Some Things to Consider…

Short bridal veils are light and airy offering an unobstructed view of the back of your dress. These include the shoulder and elbow length bridal veils,  and to some extent, the fingertip length veils. Wear the Dazzling Swarovski Crystal Wedding Veil. Dazzling elegant scattered Swarovski crystals on the edge of the wedding veil resemble fallen stardust.

Fingertip bridal veils elegantly billow around your shoulders. Make a statement by adorning the Exquisite Mantilla Style Bridal Veil, an absolutely gorgeous and stunning one tier fingertip length bridal veil with a scalloped design and a beautiful lace embroidered edge accented with sequins and beads.

The timeless quality of cathedral bridal veils is perfect for formal weddings. These veils dramatically cascade from your head to the floor. The voluminous material gracefully moves with you. Strike a memorable pose in the Stunning Cathedral Floral Embroidery Veil, a beautiful cathedral length bridal veil with embroidered floral applique and a satin ribbon edge. The length of the veil allows for lovely pooling at your feet.

Double tier bridal veils are elegant and graceful with almost all wedding dresses, but look especially gorgeous when combined with a semi-formal or formal gown. Double tier bridal veils have a blusher, are typically fuller than a single layer veil, and frame the bride’s face beautifully whether the blusher is down or pushed back. Double tier veils are the choice for brides who want a classic, romantic, or dramatic look. The Dazzling Crystal Beaded Edge Bridal Veil is an elbow length veil with an amazing design accented with a combination of sequins, silver beads, crystals and pearls.

Single tier bridal veils, on the other hand, are lovely with any dress and often have a more relaxed, casual feel. Single tier bridal veils are an excellent option for brides who want a minimal and less formal, but still chic look. A single tier veil also works well for a bride who is planning to wear their veil at the back of the head to accentuate an updo. Before you decide not to veil, try a single tier veil first, like the Elegant One Tier Beaded Edge Wedding Veil, before completely rejecting this classic bridal accessory.

Bridal bird cage veils are an elegant and high fashion accessory for your modern couture or old 20′s vintage wedding celebration, and are a popular choice. Part of their popularity and mystic is that they work so well with so many styles of wedding dresses. For example, a dress with heavy lace or beading may look best paired with a cage veil because a traditional veil may cover up the gorgeous detailing. Pair these cage veils with a feather fascinator for a chic look, loaded with personality. The Feather & Austrian Crystal Bridal Veil Comb is a breathtaking veil that combines a retro 1950′s veil with an ultra modern birdcage style to offer a striking new wedding look sure to become a bride-to-be favorite.

Bridal hair accessories have evolved throughout the years and what was once acceptable has now been replaced with more modern styles. Bridal veils are simply one other way to accent the gown. Whether you wear a veil or a headpiece, you always want to remember that they’re supposed to accent your hairstyle and dress. Match the details of your wedding dress to your headpiece for a more unified and polished presence. This holds true for the wedding flowers as well. If you have a hair clip veil with flowers, you want it to match your bouquet. In spite of everything, bridal accessories should complement the bride, not take away from her.

So, we’d like to know — do you veil or do you not veil? Tell us in the comments…we’re curious!