Veils are the crowning glory of any bride’s ensemble. The can be elegant, casual, vintage, ornate or simple in design and any length the bride wants. Depending on the hairstyle a bride intends to have on her wedding day, the veil should be chosen to compliment not only the dress style, but the hairstyle as well. Veils are usually what make a bride feel finished and finding that perfect one can be just as important as finding the perfect dress.
Birdcage Veil – The birdcage veil is a beautiful, elegant veil that lends a very vintage look to any dress. The veil typically has a hat, an ornate hair clip or something similar, with a netting attached to it that goes over the face of the bride. The netting can encase the entire head, or just go over the eyes and nose of the bride. The birdcage veil works well with a more formal wedding, a vintage theme wedding such as 40s or 50s, or for an evening wedding. The hair of the bride can be simple or very dressy, as the birdcage veil doesn’t hide the hairstyle like other veils can do.
Flyaway Veil – These beautiful little veils are perfect for dresses that are tea length or knee length. They are very popular for second and subsequent weddings as well. These types of veils are about 10- 15 inches in length and work well with many different hairstyles as well. The flyaway veil can have one or two layers to it depending on what you prefer. They are a great choice for a bride who may not want or like the traditional long veil.
Blusher Veil – The blusher veil is a single layer veil that is only about 28 inches long and falls over the face. When the couple is allowed to kiss, the groom usually lifts this veil up and over the head of his new wife and can then kiss her. This style of veil is elegant and not over done. It can be worn in two layers as well and is well matched for daytime weddings and evening weddings. The blusher veil can have beading added to it for extra bling if the bride desires.
Elbow Veil – This style of veil is a popular choice for casual weddings since it is not an overpowering or elaborate veil. The veil attaches to the headpiece and extends to the elbow of the bride. It can either just hang down the back, or part of it can hang down the back and the other part can go over the bride’s face. This is a great length for outdoor weddings, daytime weddings and second weddings as well.
Fingertip Veil – The finger tip length veil is a very traditional choice among today’s brides. It’s a length that goes well with ball gown style dresses as well as the more elegant, fitted styles so popular today. The length of the veil extends down to the fingertips, with the hands hanging naturally down by the sides. The veil can have as much or as little beading or glitz as the bride wants, and can be made to match her dress easily.
Ballet Veil – The ballet length veil is also sometimes called the waltz length veil and comes anywhere from the knees to the floor, but doesn’t drag the floor. The usual measurement of a ballet length veil is about 56”. This style veil is terrific for dresses that don’t have trains, as it gives the dress a “train” look with just the veil itself. It is complimentary with most dress styles, although brides who choose the more fitted styles might like the look of this more, rather than someone who chooses a ball gown style dress.
Chapel Veil – The chapel length veil is best worn with a dress that has a chapel length train. It is a great choice for more formal weddings or evening weddings. The veil can have matching lace edging and beading that match the gown or be simpler to not detract from a dress that is more ornate. It typically falls about 2 ½ yards from the headpiece and may or may not reach the length of the train but will come close.
Cathedral Veil – Along with the elegance of a cathedral length gown, a cathedral length veil compliments it well. It is by far the most formal of all the veil lengths and works well with formal and evening weddings. This style of veil needs a pretty powerful dress to go with it, so if your dress is formal and fancy, chances are, the cathedral veil will work well with it. The style dress this veil goes better with tends to be the more ball gown, princess style dresses, since they are typically much more elaborate and the length of the veil can compliment a full skirted gown.
Mantilla Veil – For those who want a more ethnic flare to their wedding, the mantilla veil is a beautiful way to add this touch to your gown. This style of veil is Spanish inspired, and hangs down over the head of the bride and doesn’t need a headpiece to keep it there. Length of this style of veil will vary, so the bride can choose a length that matches her gown. The edges of a mantilla style veil are usually very lacey and add a lot to the look of the gown.
