The Wedding Veil

The white dress will do it, but the veil often makes a woman feel like she's officially a bride.

The wedding veil was traditionally a symbol of youth, modesty and virginity. It served three purposes: (1) it was used to confuse evil spirits, which were thought to hang around brides on their wedding day; (2) back when most marriages were arranged, it was used to disguise the bride before the groom was stuck with her; (3) it was considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. Now, let's just say these three reasons are not so much the case.

The veil has become that quintessential bridal feature...yes, the white dress may tip you off, but the veil is the true traditional accessory. If the bride is wearing a more modern gown, the wedding veil will give her that sense of convention, and if she's going the traditional route, than it just completes the look.

Here is a list, in order of length, of the various types of veils from which you can choose.

BIRDCAGE VEIL
This veil extends just over the chin and tends to be made of Russian veiling (a wide open weave of netting). It is traditionally worn by older brides, but has become more common for brides of all ages over the last few years, adding a vintage feel to a modern wedding.

FLY AWAY
This is a shoulder-length veil that is an ideal choice for brides who want to highlight the detail of the back of their wedding gown. It is also appropriate for a less formal wedding dress, especially a shorter length gown. The fly away can be up to 18" long.

BLUSHER
This is a short, single layer veil worn over the bride's face before the ceremony. It usually falls just below the collarbone. During the ceremony, the blusher veil is lifted back over her head. While the groom traditionally lifted the blusher at the end of the ceremony to kiss his bride, it is now more common for the father of the bride to lift it up over the bride's face when he gives her away. It is usually accompanied by a longer veil, which cascades down the bride's back. The blusher is approximately 20" to 26" long.

ELBOW-LENGTH
This is exactly what it sounds like...a veil that extends to the bride's elbows. It can be single or multi-layered and can easily be worn at both the ceremony and reception. The elbow-length veil is approximately 23" to 27" long.

FINGER TIP
Again, this is as it sounds. It is a very popular veil that extends to the end of the bride's finger tips when her arms are relaxed at her side. The finger tip is approximately 29" to 45" long.

BALLERINA
This is a veil that falls between the bride's knees and ankles. It is a flattering veil for a bride who chooses to wear a sheath gown or a dress that does not have a train. It is also referred to as a ballet, princess or waltz veil. It is approximately 60" in length.

CHAPEL
The chapel veil falls all the way down the back of the bride's gown. It is appropriate for a more formal wedding dress, and can be accompanied by the blusher veil. If this is the case, it is often made detachable so it can be removed for the reception. It is approximately 108" in length.

CATHEDRAL
This is considered the most formal style of veil. It is often paired with a gown that has a cathedral train and is worn at a more formal wedding ceremony. Like the chapel veil, this can be teamed with a blusher. It should typically extend 6-12" beyond the end of the gown's train. It is approximately 126" in length.

MANTILLA
This is a very traditional veil. It is a one-tier veiling that is usually bordered with lace and is "laid" across the head. While these can be any length, they are typically the same length as the ballerina veil (just above the ankles).