How to Choose a Veil

Whether it wards off bad luck or simply serves as ornamentation for your wedding gown, the veil is a popular accessory for the wedding ensemble. Look for a length and style that suit both your dress and your silhouette.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Beaded Headbands
• Bobby Pins
• Wedding Veils
• White Silk Barrettes
• Bobby Pins
• Hair Spray
• Hairbrush

1. Try on lots of veils at your initial dress fitting - you can choose from tulle or organza, decorated with everything from lace or satin to crystals.

2. Choose a veil that complements your dress and doesn't obscure any special detail. Simple gowns look radiant in either a plain or ornate veil, but if you will be wearing a more elaborate dress, consider topping off your ensemble with a plain veil.

3. Select from a variety of styles: a short blusher, a Spanish-inspired lace mantilla, a multilayered flyaway, the popular fingertip (a veil that ends at the fingertips), a cascading waterfall, or the ballet/waltz style (which ends at the ankles).

4. Use the type of wedding ceremony as another guide. At a very formal wedding, splurge on a full-length veil of any kind; at a formal wedding, don a long veil; exude simplicity at a formal daytime wedding with a fingertip veil or hat; wear a shorter fingertip veil or hat in a semiformal ceremony.

5. Aim for a narrow cut, which creates an illusion of length and slimness, as well as delicate trim and less poof.

6. Have a friend with you to examine the look of your veil from every possible angle. A veil that flatters your face may not flatter the back of your gown, and vice versa.

Tips & Warnings

• At the fitting, wear your hair in a style similar to the way you plan to wear it on your wedding day.
• Attach the veil to an additional headpiece so you can remove the veil and still have some decoration at the reception.

on 3/30/2006 I did not want to spent a lot on the veil since I would only be wearing it at the ceremony and then taking it off for the reception. So, I went to several different craft stores and they had about 5 different ones to choose from. I ended up buying one for about $15. But make sure you take it out of the packaging early so that you can get all of the wrinkles out.

on 11/22/2005 I didn't want to pay $75 for a removeable and separate veil. I spent $7 on my veil. I got a clear hair comb, wrapped a length of veiling (1"X 2 1/2')in and around the teeth of the comb to give me a base to sew the veil. I bought about 2 1/2 yards of veiling and cut it to a little longer than my desired length and in 2 pieces to layer it. I gathered the top with thread and sewed it right to the comb so that when it hangs you can't see the stitching. I hot glued some tiny crystals randomly near the bottom 5 inches of the veil and stitched some white ribbon (1/8" wide) around the edge. Looks great, inexpensive and removeable for the reception!

on 11/22/2005 If you have a dress with an open back, make sure that the veil exceeds the depth of the back by at least a few inches.

on 11/22/2005 If you are wearing a veil with a crown or tiara styling, choose a simple hair style that won't detract or become tangled in your veil. trust me, if your uncomforatable it will reflect in your pictures.

on 11/22/2005 I recommend buying a veil that you plan to take off after the ceremony. At the reception everyone will be hugging you and tugging at the the veil without knowing it - this can eventually pull your hair down, causing undesirable pictures.