Veils Explained

Everything You Need to Know About Veils

Choosing the right veil to go with your dress is almost as difficult as choosing the dress itself! You want one that matches and looks right with your dress, one that doesn’t detract from your over all look but does add something special to that moment as you walk down the aisle.

The History of the Veil

It’s not clear if the wedding veil is a religious symbol in Western, white weddings or not. In the Olden Days, women wore their hair long and flowing as a symbol of their virginity. In Roman times, women wore brightly coloured, often red veils that were very big and full. They were worn to ward off evil spirits. Later, in the 19th Century, women wore a veil as a symbol of modesty.

There’s an example in the bible of a girl wearing a veil where the father tried to trick the groom into marrying his fiancé's sister. So, they have been around for a long time.

At a Christian marriage in the UK, the bride must remove her veil just as she reaches the altar as the vicar must be able to see clearly that the people he thought he would be marrying are standing in front of him.

Veil Lengths

Fascinator Veil This veil would be worn as a clip, slide or on an Alice band in your hair. It would only cover the face.	Shoulder Length Veil This is the shortest length veil that it’s possible to have without the veil being a hat.
Elbow Length Veil As the name suggests, this veil comes to your elbows. The entire back of your dress is still seen.	Waist Length Veil This veil stops at the waist. A veil like this is good as it obscures any tan lines you may have.
Fingertip Length Veil This veil comes a bit longer and will hide detail on your dress. However, if you have a sparkly veil it’ll add detail.	Knee Length Veil Again, this veil will cover your dress but the right veil will only enhance your dress.
Floor Length Veil This veil goes all the way to the floor and will cover the entire back of your dress.	Chapel Length Veil This veil will come slightly longer than the average dress and will trail behind you.
Cathedral Length It certainly makes a statement, the cathedral length veil is very long and trails behind the bride.	Royal Length Veil The longest veil before Princess Dianna was 20 feet, Princess Dianna’s veil was 25 feet long.

For a complete guide to veil lengths see The Wedding Veil Shop.co.uk.

The Right Veil for You

My suggestions are as follows:

• If the veil doesn’t feel right on you, it’s too long, or too heavy, or too short, then it’s not the one for you. You want to feel comfortable, emotionally and physically, in everything you wear on your wedding day.
• If there is a lot of interesting detail on the back of your dress I would suggest elbow, waist or finger tip length veils as this will best show off your dress. I would also suggest a plainer veil as this will keep the focus on your dress.
• Alternatively, if your dress is a bit plainer you could go for a bit of detail in your veil, either lace detail or some diamante sparkles.
• When trying on your veil, try to do your hair in a similar style as to what you want on your day as this will give you a better idea of how you will look on your day.
• Be prepared to shop around for your veil. Some veils cost anything from £60 - £200. Your bridal shop may suggest an expensive veil but you might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere, or a very similar one. If you have the name and number of your veil, you might even be able to buy it online!

My Veil

I chose a finger tip length veil with a touch of sparkle. I really fell in love with a Swarovski with dangling diamantes. It was gorgeous, but it didn’t look right with my favourite dress. I wanted something that enhanced the prettiness of my dress, not something that took the attention away.

I’m really looking forward to wearing it!