Wedding Veil

Choosing the Right Wedding Veil

By Anna Lynn Sibal

Should you wear a veil on your wedding day? It is entirely your choice whether or not you should don that gauzy length of cloth over your head as you march down the aisle. For many brides, wedding veils are romantic and excluding them from the bridal outfit is unthinkable. For other brides, the wedding veil covers up their makeup and hairdo, and they would rather do away with the veil if they can. One thing is for sure, though: no matter how many times a woman gets married in her life, she can only wear a bridal veil once, on the first time she weds.

Since you only get to wear a bridal veil only once in your life, you should get it right when you do decide to wear it on your wedding day. There are so many do's and don'ts surrounding the wedding veil that it can sometimes be confusing to brides on what to do about it. You only need to understand a couple of things when you select the wedding veil to wear. One is that it should match your bridal gown, and the other is that your wedding veil should be something that you can have fun wearing.

Understanding the Wedding Veil

Why do brides wear veils?
There are many beliefs and traditions associated with the bridal veil, but the most common and recognized one is that it is one of the symbols of purity that a bride is supposed to bring to the altar on her wedding day. It dates back to the time when unmarried women are supposed to cover their face and hair with a veil whenever they are in the presence of males who are not members of their family. It is a sign of modesty to do so.

Wedding veils come in all forms and styles. Some are ornate, with lavish embroidery and embellishments in crystals, rhinestones or tiny pearls. Some veils are simply sheer fabrics without any adornments at all. They also come in various lengths:

• Cathedral. Cathedral-length veils are those worn by brides at ultra-formal weddings. These veils are always paired with a long train and often sweep the floor behind the bride.

• Fingertip. Fingertip-length veils are, as the name suggests, veils whose hems reach the tips of the bride's fingers. They can be worn at both formal and not-so-formal weddings, as long as the bride's dress is floor-length.

• Elbow. Elbow-length veils are perhaps the ones most commonly seen among brides. They reach the bride’s elbows and are versatile enough to be worn in any length or style of wedding dress.

• Shoulder. Also called a blusher veil, the shoulder-length veil goes only to the bride's shoulders. It is just meant to cover the bride’s face. This type of veil can be paired with any style of wedding dress and is often paired with a longer veil that cascades down the bride's back.

Matching Your Veil with Your Face and Body

When you select a wedding veil, the first thing you need to think about is whether or not the style of your veil will fit your face. This would not be a problem if your face is oval; in that case, you can wear any kind of veil that you want. However, if your face is rounded, what you need is a veil that will somehow make your face appear longer. The ideal veil for you would be something that frames your face regardless of length or falls down your back.

On the other hand, if your face is angular or square in shape, you would need a veil that will soften the angles of your face. The type of veil that would look good on you is something that falls beyond your shoulders and floats around your face.

You should also consider your height when you choose your veil. If you are on the petite side, do not wear a veil that makes you look like a walking tent. Short veils would look better on you. If you are on the tall side, however, you would look gorgeous in a long veil.

Matching Your Veil with Your Dress

After you have decided what kind of veil would suit your face, it is time to match your veil with your dress. Here are a few tips.

• Your veil should be the exact same color as your gown. Even the slightest difference in shade will be noticeable when you wear your veil and gown together.

• Try to make sure that the embellishments on your veil will not clash with those on your dress. If your bridal gown is something that is heavily encrusted with adornments such as beading and embroidery, it may be better to opt with a simple veil that will not fight for attention with your gown.

• If you have adornments on the back of your gown, make sure that your veil’s hem does not cut the view on those adornments. Get a veil that is longer than the length of those decorations on your gown.

Always make sure that your veil is something you are comfortable wearing with. Your veil should be a source of fun for you rather than something to add stress to you on your wedding day.