You're getting married and you finally picked out your DREAM dress! You are SO ready to walk down that aisle! But now you need to decide if you want to wear a veil or not. "They all look the same- plain and boring!" or "I'll only wear it for 30 minutes during the ceremony and then take it off!" or "They look traditional, and I'm not going for traditional". These are a lot of things I hear when the topic of veils come up and I wanted to write this blog post to share why I love this iconic bridal piece, and simplify the process of looking for one that best suits you and your dress! I even talk about the best times during the day that you will want to wear it and trust me, it's a lot more than just your ceremony! You will definitely get your moneys worth out of it! I hope this blog post is helpful! Let's jump right into the reasons I think you should wear a veil on your wedding day!
1 | It completes your overall "Bridal Look"! When you're getting ready on your wedding day, you have your shoes on, the dress is buttoned up, all your jewelry is on, and you finish it all off with attaching your veil. It's like putting the cherry on top of it all! Some will say that that they don't like veils because they are ugly or just not their style. Well, there isn't a "one size fits all" type of veil that is one style, one shape, and that's it. You would be surprised by the number of veils that are out there! It's a completely different section in bridal boutiques and shops and is a whole different shopping experience! I definitely encourage you to take a peek over in that section and try them on! You might find "the one" that makes you glow and feel like a BRIDE!
2 | There are SO many creative shots and photo opportunities that we could do! These turn out to be some of my favorite images from weddings because there is just something so romantic and dreamy about veil shots, AND I get to become the 3rd wheel when I snuggle up with the couple INSIDE the veil! Haha!
3 | I can use your veil to add texture and layers to your detail photos! Instead of taking your important details and photographing them on the hotel bed, or on the bright red carpet, I love using your dress, bridesmaid dresses, and your veil as the background because it not only adds a light and airy feel to the images, it also makes them consistent with your color scheme through out your gallery!
4 | The veil you use could be a passed down family heirloom OR the one you choose could become an heirloom piece! One of my 2017 Brides Alliee used her sister-in-laws veil that was passed down in their family for a couple of years! How special is that!!
5 | This is another opportunity to personalize your look and show off your style! Every Bride always dreams of what her wedding dress will look like one day and when that day finally comes that she as found the ONE, it's such a special experience! But, the magic shouldn't stop there! In my opinion, the veil is almost as important as the dress! Whether you're an A-Line girl, ballgown, mermaid or anything in between, there IS a veil for that style dress! Now is your chance to show off what kind of style you love and suits you the best!
6 | Annnnnd last but not least, my final thought of why you should wear a veil on your wedding day-- when else are you going to have the opportunity to wear one?! This is such a special day in your life and it's when you REALLY get to play dress up! Go all out! BUT, at the end of the day, it is YOUR day and you get to do whatever you want! ;) If wearing a veil doesn't make you happy and you would prefer to wear maybe a flower crown or tiara instead? Do it! It's your day girly and you will look absolutely beautiful no matter what you decide!
Now that you have decided that YES wearing a veil is exactly what you've dreamed of, here are a few tips to help you decide what TYPE of veil is perfect for you because like I mentioned before, there are a TON of different styles and looks! This should not be overwhelming, but another fun shopping experience to be had! :)
The photos in this section are not my photos. Credit: Pinterest
LENGTH | There are so many different lengths to veils that I didn't even know existed when I was shopping for mine! There is cathedral, waist, bird cage, shoulder, chapel, fingertip and so many more! Here are three to give you a quick example!
FABRIC | Every veil might look like its all made out of the same material, but it's not! Some may be tulle which this category has many types in itself! Tulle can be very soft and light, or there are some that are more stiff and lay differently. Chiffon is another example of a softer material that photographs beautifully! There is also netting that is mostly used for the bird cage style.
COLOR/SHADE | This is another thing that I learned when I was shopping for my wedding dress is that there are SO MANY shades of WHITE! Stark white, natural white, diamond white, bright white, and then you go into the shades of ivory which, from far away, look like white! You want to make sure that you get a veil that matches the shade of your dress. You don't want to have a bright white dress and then fall in love with a veil and bring it home to find out it is a shade of ivory. Make sure to bring in your dress to the boutique while you're shopping for your veil so you can match the shades!
DETAILING | Beads, diamonds, lace, and appliqués! Every girl knows that there are many, many different styles for wedding dresses. Well, it's the same for veils! Every dress has it's perfect match. If your dress has lace detailing on it, you will probably want to get a veil that has lace on it too! Same thing if you have a glitzy and sparkly dress! You don't want to clash the styles. You want to find a veil that compliments your dress perfectly!
LAYERS | There are also different styles that have one layer of fabric, some may have two layers and some have 5 layers! Depending on your style and how dramatic you are wanting to go, keep the amount of layers in mind!
HOW TO WEAR IT | You might be thinking that you are wanting an up-do for your wedding day and not sure how to actually wear the veil! I am here to tell you that there is no right or wrong way to wear your veil. If you want to showcase your hairstyle that you spent so much money and time on, clip it underneath! You can also attach it higher up in your hair to have more volume!
ACCESSORIES | Don't be afraid to add some extra special touches and accessories to your veil and hairstyle! Add a hair clip that will still be in your hair after you take your veil out! Or adding fresh flowers adds a more dreamy and editorial look!
Now that you are definitely on board with wearing a veil, and you know exactly what type of style you want and what to look for, now I'm going to explain when are the best times during your wedding day to actually WEAR it! You might be thinking, "Don't you wear it all day?!" The answer is actually no. There are some key moments during the day that you will definitely want to wear it and some parts that it's okay to take it off. Here are certain times of the day where I would suggest wearing your veil and when not to wear it!
Getting Ready - YES | While you are with your girls in your bridal suite getting ready, now is probably the first time you will wear it on your wedding day! Like I mentioned before, after you have all of your beautiful details on, you put the veil on as the finishing touch and we will get gorgeous bridal portraits of you fully dressed and all set to go before seeing your groom!
First Look - NO | There are a couple reasons why I would suggest not wearing your veil during your first look. Many couples decide that they don't want to do a first look because they would rather have that traditional aisle moment, which is totally okay!! But there are tons of benefits in doing a first look that I will save for another blog post! A special way to still have a special aisle moment is saving your veil for when you walk down the aisle and not wear it during your first look! This will still give your groom something he hasn't seen yet! Another reason not to wear it is, when he finally gets that first glimpse of you in your wedding dress, he's probably going to want to hug you so tight! The problem with that is, he's most likely going to rip that veil right out of your hair, and that will totally ruin the moment! Haha! One more reason that I think is the best one, after you both have your moment together, we will jump right in to bride and groom portraits! This will then give you two different sets of images with two different "looks" at the end of the day. Bride and Groom portraits are without the veil and before the ceremony, Husband and Wife portraits are WITH the veil and after you are finally married! You will have so much variety in your photos together and this definitely gives you more images in your final gallery!
CEREMONY - YES | I don't think I need a reason here why you should wear your veil during the ceremony! Haha! This is the BIG moment! The moment we've all been waiting for!
POST CEREMONY - UP TO YOU | This can change whether or not you did a first look but whatever time that family formals and the wedding party photos are taking place, you have the option to wear your veil during these photos or leave it off. There is no right or wrong, it is completely up to you! If we have done a first look and all family formals and wedding party photos are done before the ceremony, all that's left to do are the husband and wife photos! And you DEFINITELY want your veil on for these!
RECEPTION - NO | It's PARTY TIME! You're finally married, the drinks are flowing, the music is bumping and now is the time for you to relax and enjoy YOUR celebration! Now would be a good time to retire the veil and leave it at your table!
Curious to see what kind of veil I chose for my wedding day? I knew I wanted a somewhat longer one because I DEFINITELY wanted veil throwing shots that I always do for MY brides! It didn't touch the ground but went way past my waist so it is a waltz length. If you can see the edges of my dress by the arm straps, there is a very thin ribbon detailing on it and so did my veil so it matched perfectly! What I also loved about my veil was the tulle it was made out of was very light and soft so it was very flowy and wasn't stiff at all! Here are some of my favorite photos that showcase my veil from our wedding day! (ughh, I miss it already!!)
