The Perfect Veil

While being given the new responsibility of looking for up and coming wedding trends or finding the answers to all different types of wedding questions or inquiries, I knew as the new Junior Consultant at Paisley Events, I had to start off with something that not everyone thinks about. While many and most girls dream about their perfect wedding dress, not many consider the perfect veil. What many people don’t know is that not only does the veil have to be coordinated with the dress, but the veil needs to be appropriate for the location of the wedding. Veils also can emphasize or hide specific parts of the bride’s body thus the length, widths, and tiers are important components of the veil.

Lengths:
 

Very short - very short veils such as visor veils do not extend past the chin. Visor veils resemble fascinators worn to horse racing events. If your bridal gown has a high neck detail, this type of veil can work well. They are a good style to pair with sophisticated or eclectic style wedding gowns.

Shoulder length- shoulder length veils are around 20 inches in length. They are perfectly suited to dresses that have bust, waist, or lower back details. However, they are often too informal for classic, formal dresses.

Elbow Length- approximately 25 inches long, this veil falls to around the elbow. They can work well with romantic ball gown style dresses, because they end where the fullness in the skirt begins.

Waist Length- this veil is just slightly longer then an elbow length veil at approximately 30 inches. They suit most dress styles that do not feature a train.

Fingertip Length- one of the most popular lengths, when you stretch your arm out it reaches around your fingertips. They are approximately 36 inches long and also suit the majority of dress styles.

Knee Length- a knee length veil is approximately 45 inches and reaches to around your knees. It looks good with mid calf length wedding dresses.

Floor length- often referred to as a ballet length veil, they just brush the floor at around 72 inches. They are well suited to full length gowns that do not have a train.

Chapel Length- slightly shorter then cathedral length; these veils still drape onto the floor. They are typically around 90 inches long. They are best partnered with dresses that feature a train.

Cathedral Length- the longest and therefore most formal, these veils are usually around 120 inches long and some extend up to nine feet along the ground. They work best with full length, classic wedding gowns.

Widths:

Veils typically come in three different widths that create varying degrees of fullness at the sides and top. 

54 inches -this is the sleekest version, with limited fullness at the top and sides. If you want to show off a dress detail that is covered by your veil, this type is sheer enough to accommodate. This style hangs behind your shoulders, which means it is ideally paired with dresses that feature decorative straps or sleeves.

72 inches -this veil is moderate in height and width. It offers some coverage around the arms, so it is a good match for simple shoestring strap dresses. It tends to have a more romantic feel then the 54 inch.  

108 inches -this veil is the widest and has the most fullness on top. It comes around to cover the arms. This style is great if you are wearing a strapless dress and would like some coverage around your arms and shoulders. However, it is likely to look too overdone with a sophisticated wedding dress.

Tiers:

The options for tiers for a veil range from one to three tiers. The choice is largely dependent on the style of your dress. A one-tier veil is suited to a sophisticated look, but a romantic dress often benefits from a two or three tier veil. Classic dresses also tend to require at least two tiers. One of the tiers is typically a blusher, which is the part of the veil that is used to cover the brides face during the start of the ceremony. Today’s bride is free to choose whether she wants a veil that covers her face or not. If using a blusher, it’s best to select a veil that reaches at least shoulder length, because a blusher measures around 30 inches in length.

While considering your personal attributes, it is most important to consider your body shape and face shape.

Wedding Location:

A cathedral style veil is the ultimate show stopper if you are having a formal wedding in a large church, with several attendants.

If you are getting married in a small chapel, then it is best to stick to chapel length or shorter.

If you are getting married in an outdoor ceremony, there are extra considerations to be mindful of. You may have sand, wind or dirt to contend with. It’s advisable to choose a knee length veil or shorter. Also bear in mind that in windy settings a long veil can be difficult to control. Visor veils can work well in these conditions. You might also like to consider the climate. For example; in hot, humid weather it is not going to be pleasant to be swathed in full layers that could stick to your skin.

Face Shape:

A veil frames your face, so your face shape is an important denominator in choosing a veil. Consider the following advice for your face shape:

Round face –In order to help your face look slimmer and longer, it’s preferable for your veil to reach at least shoulder length and for it to have some volume on the top of the head. Avoid veils with too much fullness at the sides of the face.

Square face –In order to help your face look softer and add length, it’s preferable for your veil to reach at least shoulder length and for it to have some volume on the top of the head. Circular and cascading styles can help soften the angular nature of your jaw line.

Oval Face - As this face shape is well balanced, it’s easier to experiment with different styles. However, it is a good idea to avoid going extreme in either volume or width, to help maintain your proportions.

Rectangle face - When choosing a veil look for a style that has width around the face, but no height at the top of the head.

Body shape:

Your veil has the ability to help correct the proportions of your body shape. If you have a large bust or stomach, you will benefit from wearing a long veil that extends to fingertip length or below. This is because it will help elongate your upper body. Pears shaped women tend to suit veils that end at shoulder, elbow, or waist level. These lengths draw attention to your smaller points, rather then the width of your hips. Full figured women should ideally stick to one tier, narrow width veils, because you don’t want to add an extra volume to your body. Tall women can typically carry off longer veils, but shorter women tend to suit veils that are waist height or above.

Hope this was informative! Good luck with all of your planning! More to come soon!

Stay classy and fabulous!

Emily