Wedding Veil Giveaway! – Why & How to Wear a Wedding Veil

Make sure you check out the awesome Simply Bridal veil giveaway at the end of the post!

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As my best friend walked down the aisle, looking the part of the perfect bride in her princess dress and soft white blusher, I began to reconsider my skepticism of the veil tradition. But when her father lifted the veil from her face, presenting her as a bride to her fiancé for the first time, I’d made my decision. The intimacy of that shared moment between them, the guests’ anticipation of seeing the lovely bride for the first time, and, frankly, the only time of your life when you get to wear such a thing..

That was the moment I knew I couldn’t wait to wear a full veil and blusher.

Of course, the veil tradition speaks to a time during which the wedding might be the first time the groom saw his bride ever, but as time goes on, this, as any tradition, weaves new meaning into our ceremonies and rituals.

So what type of veil should you rock on your big day?

There are nearly as many types of veil lengths and styles as there are wedding dresses. I advise picking a veil to match your dress–the formality, the era, the inspiration, the shape. Once you’ve selected your dress, matching a veil will be a cinch.

Here’s a basic overview of the different lengths and types of veils to look out for!

The birdcage veil is short and often made of netting with much wider holes. It’s great for a vintage look and looks excellent with a strapless dress. For a 40s glam look, it’s perfect! It also allow the bride to express her unique personality and love of vintage and glam.

Shoulder length veils are long enough to read as a traditional veil, but they have a completely different feel from the birdcage veil. They look amazing with a knee- or tea-length full skirted dress for an earlier wedding, or perhaps a sheath for nighttime! This length is subtle and delicate, very feminine.

The elbow length veil is very traditional, and, simply put, anything that Grace Kelly does is pretty much a winner. This length allows the bride to show off gorgeous detailed edging, like the embroidery on Grace’s, or the mantilla-style edging on the right. These veils are totally classic and feminine and–seriously, no pun intended–über graceful.

Looking for the feel of a longer veil without the hassle? The fingertip length veil is your best bet! Long enough to read as a full veil without it hanging too far down your back, the fingertip length veil is traditional and flattering. This is what Kate Middleton rocked on her big day!

Teetering on full-length veil, the ballet length veil is often referred to as a “waltz length”–long but short enough to not get in your way when you bust a move! Easy-to-maneuver, yet dramatic and elegant, the ballet length veil is a great choice for more formal evening weddings, but you can rock it balanced with a less formal gown on the beach, too!

The less formal of the two most formal veils, the chapel length veil begins the statement veils. I mean, when will you ever again wear a veil that brushes the floor? This length is vintage and glamorous and looks excellent really any full-length gown.

The longest veil of all, the cathedral length veil, is very traditional, very dramatic, and frankly, very romantic! This is the type of veil you always imagined your little flower girls carrying behind you as you walked down the aisle to meat your beau. Certainly for formal weddings, often in churches, this is a great choice if you have a less super-formal dress (like a princess gown).

Lastly, choose the edging of the veil based on the shape, material, and detail of your dress. My gown has gorgeous bead work edging the bottom, so I chose a veil that had beaded edging to match and mimic the bottom lines. If your dress has a particularly delicate texture, like lace, consider going with a raw edge. The mantilla is becoming more and more popular, though, and is one of my favorites. Its thick lace edge is gorgeous on your big day.

In honor of these gorgeous wedding accessories, we’re giving away one veil of your choice, thanks to Simply Bridal! All you have to do is

1. like us on Facebook
2. follow us on Twitter
3. follow us on Pinterest
4. and then comment letting us know you did all three things!

THE CONTEST ENDS WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2013 AT 3:00 P.M. CST.

Contact me with any questions!