If you thought choosing shades of white was fun, you are going to love selecting your veil. For those of you who already feel overwhelmed by the trillions of decisions needing to be made every day for your imminent nuptials, hopefully this quick guide will shed some light on the subject.
'Cuz We Are Living in a Material World...
The first step when finding the perfect veil is to establish what material you would like it to be made of. This is also, coincidentally, the easiest step as there are limited choices. Veils are almost exclusively made out of tulle (albeit a variety of different types of tulle, but let's keep this simple, shall we?). However, you will occasionally find them in organza and silk organza. If you want something that flows in the wind and gives off a very ethereal vibe, organza or silk organza will be the way to go, otherwise opt for tulle.
To Blush or Not to Blush
The blusher is a second layer on the veil that is can be brought forward to cover the face of the wearer. Blushers can be any length but are most commonly shoulder length. In recent years, there has been a marked decline of brides opting to wear blushers as they can be somewhat inconvenient. For the traditional bride, however, it may be just the ticket. After all, when you hear the words "you may now kiss the bride," who doesn't picture the groom lifting the veil off his beaming bride's face before leaning in for their first marital smooch?
One thing to consider about selecting a veil with a blusher is how the second layer will look when it is pull away from you face. Personally, I like the extra volume of a double-layered veil and if the veil has a beaded edge, the two tiers can add a lovely bit of embellishment in the back. By keeping both layers in back, a blusher can be a welcome addition even for the more modern bride.
It's Not the Length, But Rather the Girth
Veils are available in a wide range of length starting anywhere from 16" and going all the way up to 130". You can also control the volume of the veil by changing the width. The wider the veil, the more tulle that will be gathered onto the comb and the fluffier it will be. Below, you will find an illustration showing the most common veil lengths. You'll find, much like trains, the longer the veil, the more formal the overall look. A flyaway veil is adorable when paired with a sweet, 1950's style, tea-length ball-gown. And a cathedral veil looks stunning alongside a gown with an equally long train.
Bring on the Bling
Still with me? Excellent. So, we've decided what fabric to go with, whether or not to have a blusher and we've chosen the length and width of the veil. The next step is to determine what sort of embellishments, if any, would compliment it. This, my loves, is not something I can help you with. It is a personal preference. Just make sure to keep everything in balance. If you have a heavily-beaded gown, consider keeping embellishment on the veil to a minimum. And likewise, if your gown is very simple, a more intricate edge on the veil may be appropriate.
Aaaand you're done! You've successfully chosen your veil. At least, in theory. Now you just have to go out and purchase it. As soon as you do that, you can cross another item off your list and give someone another high-five. I'm very proud of you.
Stay tuned for the next post "Accessories Part II - Beyond the Veil," in which I will cover alternative options for headpieces.
