There are many things that make a pretty bride. The stars in her eyes and that flutter in her heart when she hears her lover’s name is just the start of it. A poofy dress that she always dreamt of wearing as she glides down the aisle, the gorgeous bunch of the finest of peonies which makes her bridal bouquet, and the cascading hairstyle that she is planning to sport on the big day are all important things that lend towards the mission of completing the look. However, there is one important part of the ensemble which really brings the bridal outfit together, and that is the veil! A bridal veil is a headgear that makes any bridal look complete, as a cherry on top. It is delicate, feminine and dreamy, and makes quite a significant change in the overall look of the bride. Not only does a gorgeous veil make quite a dramatic statement when the bride walks down the aisle, but it also supports the dress’s design sentiment, enhancing the look with additional lace and bead details. The veil also adds a sense of mystery to the bride, obscuring her beautiful face and highlighting it all at once! While wearing or not wearing a veil is completely the bride’s call to make, we sure think that a gorgeous veil not only allows for the bride to make a dramatic entrance, it also works as a phenomenal wedding photography prop!

Veil and wedding photography

Wedding photography is perfect in capturing the look and feel of your special day and immortalizing it forever as the wedding photographers capture it all into tangible photographs for you to savor forever. The veil is an important part of your outfit, and something about its fluid movements, airy and dreamy vibes, and feminine flow makes it a really beautiful prop for wedding photography. If you have a pretty veil and have invested financially in it, you will understandably want to make sure you feature that special piece into your professional wedding photography! Something about the long dramatic lengths of the veil, their dreamy translucent material, and the way it highlights the bridal form is quite magical and definitely needs to be captured. Any wedding photographer will already have an agenda ready to highlight the veil in your wedding photography, but it can never hurt to ensure that your wedding photographer knows that those enchanting veil photos are important to you! Don’t shy away from discussing the options and inspirations with your photographer and list a few specific photos you’d like taken.

Types of the veil and how to style them!

There are different lengths that a wedding veil comes in. Let us look into the different lengths of it and how they pair with the wedding gowns’ length, cut, and silhouette!

Birdcage (4-9 inches)

Short and flirty, these wedding veils cover just the eyes and skim over the jawline. Also known as the bandeau veil, this kind of veil is usually made of net or lace! There's something so exciting and dramatic about this veil style, and it makes the perfect pairing for a 1920s style wedding or a more modern wedding look with a shorter dress. Birdcage veils were having a popular moment in the '40s and '50s, which makes them perfect for a retro bridal look or a more vintage-style wedding. Fashionably old-school and full of personality, the birdcage bridal veil makes a pretty picture too!

Shoulder-length (20-22 inches)

This kind of wedding veil hits your shoulder and is perfect for the bride who loves the charming and traditional look of a longer veil without having it compete with the beautiful dress. This is especially true if the dress in itself is full of interesting design details that you don't want the guest to miss out on! A single-layer shoulder-length veil will end just at the top of your dress and invites a gentle touch of softness to your bridal look. The two-layer shoulder-length veil has a little more fabric which makes it a bit heavier for it to sit firmly across the shoulders and this veil makes a perfect pairing with tea-length wedding dresses.

Blusher (30 inches)

Blusher veil is a veil style that offers a less classically beautiful look with an alluring vintage charm. A blusher is a veil that falls past your face and a little over the top of the dress and is a more traditional wedding veil length than the first two options. It is perfect for A-line gowns with a natural waistline as the bottom of the veil draws attention to the waist. 

Elbow-length (32 inches)

Beautifully modest and charming, the elbow-length wedding veil is perfect if you want a more conservative look for your wedding ceremony, without having to wear a bolero or a shrug. Falling gracefully over the shoulders to the bride's elbow, this veil length looks stunning, and it is a fabulous universal length that brings a whimsical lightness to most bridal looks. It offers a unique versatility that accommodates both the clean elegant lines of a contemporary gown and the ageless retro vibes of a vintage-style wedding dress.

Fingertip (38-40inches)

A fingertip veil sits beyond the bride's hips and is a favored choice because it enables any design on the back of a bride's gown, like a stunning deep back or intricate lacing, to be seen through the sheer fabric. An ideal length for mermaid or fishtail style gowns, this veil ends at fingertip level just before the skirt flares out at the knee, creating a beautiful silhouette visually. 

Knee-length (48 inches)

Devised to fall to your knees, this wedding veil length proposes drama and elegance without weighing the dress down. A beautiful option for a bride wearing a fitted wedding gown without a train, the knee-length wedding veil is still long enough while providing you the freedom to move around freely and the veil not weighing you down. If your wedding dress has a beautiful waist and bodice detailing, a knee-length veil will be just perfect and will create a beautiful silhouette for your wedding photographer to capture.

Waltz (60 inches)

A gorgeous waltz wedding veil provides that sweeping feeling without you necessarily having to take it off for the reception. It won't get in the way of dancing and socializing as it falls to the mid-calf and is an excellent option for those who want to wear a longer veil for the reception, but still want the liberty to move around during the evening. Falling anywhere between your knees and your ankles in length, this is a veil option that is perfect for a romantic and feminine bridal look, particularly when trimmed with lace. It can be a great option for petite brides, anyone who wants a low-maintenance alternative to a floor-length veil or with a wedding dress with no train, or maybe even an ankle-length tea dress.

Floor-length (72 inches)

A floor-length veil just grazes the floor and levels the length of the bride's gown and the flowing fabric will add extra volume to your look, excellent for a bride who can't decide between a ball gown and a more streamlined silhouette. Though not as popular as chapel or cathedral length, floor-length veils are a great option for those who’d like a full-length veil without a train of its own. The beautiful fluid fabric which invites an elegant feel, this veil style pairs wonderfully with either a sheath silhouette or ball gown.

Chapel (90 inches)

A chapel-length veil will generate the illusion of a train, without having to deal with the heavy layers. It sweeps across the floor stretching slightly beyond the bride's gown, creating a charming bridal silhouette, and is perfect for a formal and traditional bridal look. The veils are often decorated with lace or elaborate embroidery, but a raw-edge veil is a more current version of this timeless veil style. This graceful and charming veil adds a soft dreamy illusion to your dress and is excellent with a gorgeous blusher. 

Cathedral-length (108-120 inches)
The one which takes the cake, cathedral-length veil is a veil style that ensures a regal entrance that extends beyond the train of the bride's gown and creates the most dramatic down-the-aisle moment! One of the longest veils available, it often extends a foot or two behind the dress and sure requires assistance to adjust. This veil works best with a glamorous fit-and-flare dress, a sheath gown, an A-line gown, or a ball gown. If a gorgeous super-long veil has always been your dream, this is it! It is as classically bridal as one can get, and you will love how gorgeously it pictures in your bridal portraits!

Tips and tricks to capture the best veil shots!

The Drop: That perfect picture with the couple posing together and the veil blowing in the wind or sweeping behind beautifully is something that is a classic shot that cannot be missed, especially when you are sporting a longer style of veil. We will let you in on a secret- it is not the wind which does the job most often, but rather a maid of honor who has to gracefully drop the veil and get out of the frame! The effort behind this shot is completely worth it, and this is the perfect way to show off a gorgeous veil and the beautiful surroundings of the location!

All wrapped up: Perfect prop for intimate shots, most wedding photographers use the dreamy cloudy lengths of the veil as a way to frame those intimate couple portraits and close-ups. It not only brightens up the picture, but it also blocks out all distractions and keeps the focus on where it should be you! The best part is that there are a ton of different ways one can get creative with it!

Wedding details: A pretty veil sure looks good on the bride, but it looks equally magical when photographed with the wedding details arranged in pretty flat lays, whether it is with the bridal bouquet or the pair of stunning bridal heels! Not only does it create a dreamy flat lay that is aesthetic and pretty, but it also adds interest and texture to the frame, making the wedding detail pictures come alive beautifully!

Back view: The back view of the bride is the perfect way to photograph her veil, and it can be done in various ways. Be it at the grand entrance of the bride as she walks down the aisle, or it is more of a bridal portrait captured as a candid photograph in the bridal suite while she is admiring her looks in a mirror which is more conceptual, the effects can be stunning either way.

Design details: Details like a sheer, light-as-air drop wedding veil, speckles of celestial-looking sparkles, pearls, and embellishments, metallic sheen, vintage laces, and 3D appliques are always greatly appreciated in a veil and can do wonders for a bridal look. Zooming on those design details can create some phenomenal wedding pictures too!

Bridal portraits: A bridal portrait with just the bride in her billowy wedding dress and the flowy veil is something that is priceless and is the perfect window for a bride to just be captured in her full bridal ensemble. So take a moment and let your professional wedding photographers capture you in the full ensemble, veil, and all before the ceremony begins. You will never regret it!

Mind your hairstyle: Your veil and your hairstyle have to work together to make a truly balanced picture. The veil placement on a chignon and long-flowing curls might be completely different. Also take into account hair accessories and veil features like a jeweled clip, a flower crown, or a beautiful lace detail on the crown of the veil! It might be the best idea to do a trial run of the hairstyle before the actual wedding day.

Nothing declares the arrival of the bride quite as dramatically as a cascading veil flowing behind her. It is one of those heart-stopping, jaw-dropping, and most anticipated moments of the wedding day, as the bride walks down the aisle heading towards the love of her life, draped in a stunning dress and adornments and veiled in mystery. And it is quite the ‘aha’ moment when the veil is finally lifted off her face! This sheer length of fabric is not just a part of the garment but is a part of the story. Traditionally it represents good luck and modesty; it is in fact so much more! A veil is the most timeless bridal accessory of them all, but how do you pick which one is apt for your wedding day look is quite tricky. There are thousands of different wedding veil styles and various different veil lengths to choose from, be it the short and sweet veils, like blushers and birdcage styles, long, lace-trimmed cathedral veils, or more edgy options. By doing some research and consultation, we are sure you will be able to find the veil which not only matches your style but also matches your dress while looking beautiful when photographed!