bridal veil

Picking the Right Wedding Veil To Match Your Personality

For many brides, finding the perfect dress is an involved journey. The experience can be as complicated as searching endless shops for the right fit or as easy as looking online and immediately coming across the ideal option. However, one consideration for many brides is whether they want to include a veil. While the wedding veil is a classic staple of the bridal aesthetic, plenty of people have decided to forego this accessory altogether. What’s more, veils come in a variety of styles that reflect different personalities. 

Though an important decision, you don’t want to waste too much time on the veil. Use these tips to guide you through the process and see if this choice fits your sensibilities. 

The History of the Veil

Coverings for the head and face are commonplace in a majority of cultures around the world. With Christian weddings, however, the tradition of the bridal veil can be traced back to a very specific practice. During the rule of the Roman Empire, it was commonplace for brides to wear a flammeum. Essentially, this was a large piece of fabric that covered the bride’s face entirely. Though the subject of debate, scholars believe the flammeum was often colored either red, yellow, or an eggshell-type shade.  

Like many ancient traditions, the flammeum was meant as a way of protecting the bride from evil spirits. As the practice persisted over the centuries, it became a way of obscuring the face of the bride. For arranged marriages, keeping the face of the bride hidden lessened the odds of the groom trying to back out of the arrangement before the wedding because he deemed the woman unattractive. In modern times, the veil acts as more of an accessory that is meant to accentuate the design of the dress in some way. 

The Common Veil Styles

Since the concept of the veil has existed for a long while, it makes sense that there are a plethora of options to consider with the style of your accessory. To find the perfect fit, it is best to look over as many images as possible to get a feel for what each choice looks like. However, there are a handful of designs that tend to be more popular than others. The flyaway veil, for example, is a perfect blend of modern and retro. It’s styled after the looks of the 1960s, and brides have recently been smitten by this multiple-layered option.

For many women, the shoulder-length veil is also a useful choice. This veil can be customized in a number of ways, from giving the piece a fuller look to creating a more informal aesthetic. The birdcage veil is another unique option that is perfect for people with bold personalities. It is one of the shorter accessories, sitting gently across the face like a delicate netting.  Again, look at a variety of images to gain insight on how one veil differs from another.

Making the Right Choice for You

There are several ways to determine what veil is right for you. For some brides, the veil is more of a statement piece. If this is the case, you want something with a bold design that really draws attention to the accessory. For brides who want to use the veil as a finishing touch on an outfit, it is best to go with an understated design. You also can forego the idea of the veil altogether, drawing more attention to your hairstyle or the dress itself. 

Though veils have a long and complicated history in the wedding scene, the choice of including one in your final look is entirely up to you. Weigh the options and look at examples of different veils to make a firm decision and move on to the next planning task.

Wedding Veils: Love Them or Leave Them?

Wedding veils can add an aura of grandeur to your wedding attire, and may enhance your wardrobe depending on your beliefs and tastes.

Wedding veils can add an aura of grandeur to your wedding attire, and may enhance your wardrobe depending on your beliefs and tastes.

In 2015, Wedding Bells estimated that around 160,000 weddings are performed annually in Canada. For many brides, assembling their attire for the special day is a mix of major decisions and minor details. That includes whether to include wedding veils, garments once taken for granted as automatic parts of a bride’s nuptial attire. Whether you wear this iconic piece of nuptial apparel or not is your choice. As you deliberate, it’s helpful to know some of the histories behind the practice of wearing wedding veils, plus the style and fabric options at your disposal.

Why Have Brides Worn Veils?

In Western weddings, veils have been a ubiquitous staple in bridal wear. While there are many possible origins of this custom, most writers suggest that they were worn either for superstitious, practical, religious or surreptitious reasons. Some say brides donned them in ancient Rome to keep evil spirits at bay, while others believe the practice may have been adopted to prevent grooms from seeing their future spouses until the last possible minute. Meanwhile, others point to the symbolism of purity and virginity, both in religious and social contexts, along with potentially troubling implications that they may be a relic from patriarchal times when women were seen as property. It’s also been suggested that brides may have worn them to keep angry, rival lovers from spotting and abducting them from their own ceremonies!

The Pros and Cons of Wedding Veils

If your special day is veil-optional, you might have several reasons to pick them—and probably just as many to ditch them. On one hand, your wedding is probably the only time you’ll get to wear such a delicate, gorgeous accessory. Your entrance into the venue while draped in its fabric, as well as the moment when it’s lifted from your face, can provide stunning points of drama in your ceremony. Moreover, most versions are detachable and are friendly on your budget. Conversely, you may find the traditional meanings behind them distasteful or contrary to your beliefs on gender equality. On a more practical note, they can be unwieldy, easily tossed about by the wind or becoming a prime attraction for insects of the flying, stinging kind.

An Endless Array of Styles and Options

Understanding the kinds of wedding veils available on the market can aid in choosing the best one for your wedding day ensemble. The Knot provides a great guide on some common lengths and cuts. Shorter versions include the birdcage, a unique option that pairs well with vintage gowns, and the blusher, a single-layer veil with a hemline that ends just short of the tip of your nose. Longer varieties include flyaway, elbow and fingertip veils. Cathedral and chapel lengths are usually the longest versions, adding an extra dose of grandeur to formal wedding gowns.

Fabric also contributes to a veil’s look and feel. The VeilStyle Blog published a thorough resource on typical options such as tulle, nylon, chiffon and organza. One kind of nylon material known as “Bridal Illusion” is translucent, making it ideal for photographs. Some varieties, such as silk tulle, drape well but are more fragile. Silk chiffon, a natural fiber, is best for single-layer designs due to its heavier weight. Finally, organza is crisp, with a fine texture and a beautiful sheen.

Religious Significance or Wedding Day Drama

Wedding veils can sometimes evoke some “spirited” debate over how, when and by whom they should be worn. If you opt to incorporate one in your ensemble, you have a huge range of cuts, materials and colors from which to select. Personal preference, religious beliefs and sartorial sensibilities may dictate whether you don one or not on your special day.