Bridal Veils 101
A few days ago, I did a feature on fashionable alternatives to the bridal veil for those who want to wear something unique when they walk down the aisle. Those of you who are a little more traditional might find this quick guide to bridal veils more useful.
Wearing a bridal veil is a time-honored tradition that goes across cultures. It’s considered to be a symbol of mystery and purity for many religions. Today, there are no longer any rigid rules for what veil lengths and styles are appropriate for weddings. Whatever guidelines to wedding veils there are have more to do with your personal sense of style and your proportions. As you can see below, veil lengths can vary from yards of tulle to short French netting.
Blusher
The blusher is a short veil that is worn over the face during the wedding ceremony, although it can also come in shoulder lengths. The blusher veil alone is considered informal, but many chic brides prefer it because it draws more attention to their dress. Blushers can either be made of English netting, or tulle (pictured above).
Fingertip veil
The medium-length fingertip veil is the most popular length because it suits more figures and silhouettes. Like the name says, the fingertip veils usually extend to below or above where your fingertips hit when your arms hang down.
Waltz veil
The waltz veil is longer than the fingertip veil and falls anywhere between the knees and ankles. Many waltz veils come in mantilla-style, a veil that was made popular by Queen Isabel II of Spain. Although mantilla veils are often used for Catholic weddings, there’s no rule that says you can’t wear a mantilla if you belong to a different church.
Cathedral and chapel veil
The floor-length chapel and cathedral veils are the most formal. The chapel veil goes two feet beyond the hemline of the wedding dress whereas the cathedral veil goes three feet or more beyond the hem.
You need to wait until your wedding dress has been made before deciding on the veil. The veil’s design depends on your body type and dress style. Petite brides, for instance, should create an impression of height by wearing a poufy blusher. Long cathedral length veils will only drown out your figure in a sea of tulle. Heavier brides look best in one-layered, fingertip-length veils; elbow-length veils edged in ribbon will only create width. Tall women can wear cathedral length veils without losing the poise of their height, but be careful about overdoing the layers.
Generally speaking, elaborate gowns should have simple, one-layered veils with a narrow edging or no edging at all. Alternately, a shorter veil like a blusher or a cage veil should be able to show off the details of an exquisite dress. On the other hand, simple gowns will require a more design-heavy veil to adorn the look.
Photos from Sara Gabriel Veiling
Continue reading here: Kate Middleton wedding dress inspired by Princess Grace Kelly’s Wedding Dress?
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