How to choose the right veil and headpiece for your dress

So you’ve found the perfect wedding dress, and it’s just divine. Whether you bought it off-the-rack or decided to have it made-to-measure, you now need to decide on which veil and headpiece to wear with your dress. There are so many different types of veils to choose from, so how do you know which one will look perfect with your wedding dress? There are several factors that will influence your choice of veil and headpiece. We will look at how to select a veil first, then how to select a headpiece.

Wedding dress silhouette:

The style or silhouette of your wedding dress is the first thing to consider. As a general rule, the slimmer the gown, the longer the veil. For example, a slinky figure-hugging wedding dress with a short train looks fabulous with a long, chapel length veil. The veil should be longer than the train of the dress, to avoid the appearance that you ran out of fabric! Some brides say that although they love the look of a chapel length veil, the thought of carrying it around on their arm all day is burdensome. The solution is simple: look for a veil which has detachable tiers, that is, the long tier can be removed leaving the shorter tier in the hair for the reception.

For an A-line silhouette wedding dress, again you could choose a chapel length veil for a floaty, dreamy look. The veil of choice though for an A-line gown is fingertip or three-quarter length, as it suits the proportions of the gown perfectly.

For a full, puffy skirt style with fitted bodice, the best look is a shorter veil, around waist length. Because the skirt is so full in this style, you should complete the look with a similar full veil. The exception to this is a chapel length veil with a full, puffy top layer. Remember Princess Diana’s wedding dress? The train on Princess Diana’s wedding dress was around 7 meters long! Her veil was quite long as well (although not quite 7 meters!) and her gown was extremely puffy and floaty. Her wedding gown and veil surely set the trend in the 1980’s as countless brides imitated the Princess Di look.

Your hairstyle:

The way you plan to wear your hair on your wedding day will also affect the style of veil you choose. Generally speaking, your hairstyle should compliment your gown. Some veils are designed to be worn high on the head, thus your hairstyle needs to accomodate this.

For example, with a down hairstyle, you should wear the veil high on your head. It is recommended to have a section of your hair up, so that the veil can be anchored on to it. You need to do this, otherwise the veil has insufficient hair to hold on to and can slip out of your hair.

Alternatively, if you are having an up hairstyle, then you can place the veil at the top of your up-do, or lower towards the back of your head.

Wedding dress fabrics:

You also need to consider your wedding gown fabrics, as this mainly affects your choice of trim or edging for the veil. For example, if your wedding dress is made in satin, then satin binding or satin ribbon edging on the veil looks lovely. A softer flowy fabric such as chiffon looks better with fine edging, such as a pencil edge or delicate embroidered edge. If your wedding dress has crystal beading, consider having some crystals scattered all over your veil. If your gown features pearl beading, then consider having scattered pearls on your veil.

Another option is to have an elaborate veil with a simple uncluttered wedding gown. For example, Princess Mary of Denmark’s wedding dress was made in beautiful duchess silk, and had no beading or embellishment. Her veil was a chapel length mantilla veil, with detailed embroidery on it.

The beautiful Kate Middleton wore a stunning fingertip length mantilla veil on her wedding day. It was made of silk tulle and trimmed with delicate lace on the edges. This co-ordinated beautifully with her elegant silk and lace wedding gown, creating a timeless, elegant look, fit for a princess.

Veil etiquette: To wear or not to wear the veil over your face:

Whether you decide to wear your veil over your face is largely a matter of preference. It is customary to wear a veil over your face for the walk down the aisle, if you are getting married in a church. In this case, a veil with two or more tiers is necessary so that the top tier can act as a blusher. If you are having a garden or beach wedding, or having your wedding in less formal surroundings, then it is not necessary to wear a veil over your face. Most brides choose to wear single tier veils for less formal weddings, where the veil is simply worn towards the back of the head.

How to select a Bridal Headpiece:

As well as the veil, a beautiful headpiece will complete your bridal look. A bridal headpiece will add some glamour and beauty to your hairstyle. The headpiece you choose should co-ordinate with your veil and dress.

For example, if your dress has pearl and crystal beading, then choose a head piece that has pearls and crystals in it. If your dress features sparkling diamontes, then a diamonte headpiece will co-ordinate nicely. If your dress has no beading at all, but features lace or silk, then choose a headpiece with pearls or combination of pearls and crystals. A lovely flower headpiece or fascinator may be a good option as well.

Side combs are extremely popular as they are so easy to wear, and look fabulous with most wedding dresses. If your dress has asymmetrical design features, such as one shoulder strap, a side comb worn on the opposite side of the head balances the look. Side combs can be worn with up or down hairstyles, and with just about any veil.

Wedding tiaras are a more traditional choice, and suit a princess wedding dress style. A tiara is normally worn at the top of the head, with the veil positioned behind it. A tiara looks beautiful worn with a fuller veil, as it frames the face and creates a beautiful princess look.

If you love the look of a tiara but prefer a more modern look, then a bridal headband is an excellent choice for you. Bridal headbands are worn across the top of the head, and quite often have a side accented design, rather than a centred design. Bridal headbands can be worn with most veils, and work particularly well with veils that have less volume or fullness.

Many brides are confused about whether a veil and headpiece are attached to each other. Veils and headpieces are normally separate and are worn beside each other on the head. They are usually NOT attached to each other, as they were in the 1970's and 80's. The veil is normally positioned on the head, and then the headpiece is placed in the hair, as desired.

Many brides nowadays choose to wear either a veil or a headpiece, but are not sure whether both can be worn at the same time. The answer is simple: Yes you can certainly wear a veil and headpiece together! Quite often, brides wear a veil and headpiece for the wedding ceremony and photos, and then take off the veil for the reception (particularly if it's a long veil). Wearing a headpiece is lovely in this case, as you can still have something beautiful in your hair, once the veil is removed.

Finally,  your choice of veil and headpiece will complete your overall look as a bride. Think about how you want to look on your wedding day and choose wisely. After all, your veil and headpiece will be featured in all of your wedding photos!

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Have a question?

Email Pat at: advice@weddingveils.com.au

Please note: Any advice given regarding suitability of a veil for a wedding dress is a recommendation only. A number of different veil styles may be suitable with a wedding dress, and thus personal taste and preference is a factor when choosing a veil that is right for you.