All About Veils!

You’ve found the dress, you’ve found the shoes, and now it’s time to start thinking about the other accessories you may need for your walk down the aisle. The one thing that completes any bridal look is a veil. They can be very romantic and when will you ever have another chance to wear one? Here at The Bustle, we have many different lengths and styles so we’ve created a condensed guide to choosing a veil!

The smallest veil style is called a Birdcage. Inspired by old Hollywood, this type of veil is made of a wide netting and frames the face. It is usually attached to the hair with a small comb and sometimes incorporates flowers, crystals, or even feathers!

Here is one example of a birdcage veil! How fun!

Shoulder length veils are a more traditional style are about 20 inches long.

A lovely Bel Aire shoulder length veil!

Probably one of the most popular veil styles is the fingertip length veil and …you guessed it, right at the fingertips or around the hand. A typical length for this veil is 36 inches.

Now if you want a more dramatic look, the Cathedral length is the way to go.  Typically these veils are 108 inches and line the back of your train.  If you don’t have a train or don’t want one, this veil will create the illusion of length during your ceremony.  Its perfect for a formal affair and great for pictures!

Now lets not forget the blusher! A blusher is the piece of tule that covers the brides face as she walks down the aisle. Traditionally, the groom will flip the blusher away from the bride’s face just before he kisses her. How romantic! Today, many brides choose not to wear a blusher and just have a veil that goes down her back.

Here is a great way to compare the different lengths.

Here is a great guide for selecting a veil length 🙂

What style will you choose for your wedding?

A Perfect Wedding Gown for the Perfect Venue!

When shopping for a wedding gown there are a million details to be considered.  Does the style fit your personality? Is the fit perfect for your body shape? Is it too fancy, or too simple? One of the key factors is your venue.  At each appointment we ask each bride for their wedding date and immediately following.. “Where are you getting married?”  Your venue can help decide on some guidelines for your wedding gown.

Formal Wedding

For a formal wedding consider your silhouette, especially if your venue is very grand.  You want to be able to make a statement and have a larger presence in such a great venue.  Consider a ballgown with a longer train.  This doesn’t mean you have to look like a poofy princess (unless you want to of course 🙂 ).  Modern day ballgowns have something for everyone, from feathers to classy satin.  And don’t skimp on your veil.  Make sure its cathedral length even if your train isn’t.  This will create grandeur and wonderful lines to compliment your gown.

A Formal Princess Wedding

Once you decide on your silhouette, your fabric is next! Satin is the queen of formality.  If you decide against a ballgown silhouette and you prefer something more fitted like a mermaid, satin still works well.  Against satin? A beautiful alencon lace gown will create a timeless look.  Remember Duchess Catherine? Yup! Exactly that.

A Grand Ballgown

To sparkle or not to sparkle? With a formal wedding you can go allllll out! An embelished bodice will look gorgeous, but if you just want a bit of bling try diamond jewelry, a cystal belt, a beaded bolero or a fun headpiece.  There is no such thing as too much bling in this case.

Garden Wedding

Look for a gown that compliments nature and that has an organic feel.  A slimmer silhoutte like a sheath, modified A-line or trumpet would be perfect.  These silhouttes can compliment many body types. Try to also find a gown with a smaller train such as a chapel length or sweep train.  Walking down the aisle and having your reception outside might catch on a few leaves and branches.  Once you pick your silhoutte, you can choose any length veil! A longer veil will help weigh it down in case its windy, but a short fingertip length will compliment the less formal garden feel.

A Trumpet Style

For your fabric, try to look for something that has a light feel such as an organza or a soft lace, like chantilly lace. Along with being light, they compliment an outdoor organic feel.  The embelishments on your gown can go in two directions depending on the time of your wedding.  If it is a daytime wedding, minimize the amount of bling on your gown and accessories with sashes, feathers or fun headbands.  If you are having an evening wedding a little bit of sparkle won’t hurt.  The sparkle will glimmer throughout the night!

Beach Wedding

A beach wedding requires a bit of a balancing act.  A gown that matches the casual ceremony might need to have a formal feel for the reception afterwards. Any A-line, sheath, empire (destination style) or mermaid can work well for a beach wedding.   A flowy fabric will look wonderful by the sea breeze and it will create a light airy feel in case you are dealing with major heat and humidity.

Light and Flowy

Just like the garden wedding, the beach wedding follows similar “rules” regarding beading and emroidery on your wedding gown.  Be conscious of your surroundings and time of day.  A little bit of detailed sparkle will look gorgeous against a sparkling sea, especially at sunset, but an over the top beaded bodice, train, veil, earrings, etc. might overbear the casual venue.

And a Little More Formal for the Reception

What kind of venue will you have? xx

Veil or No Veil?

Some might think that veils are out of style, very “old school”, but when you think about it, when will you ever get to wear a veil again? If you haven’t tried on any veils yet, definitely do because you might be pleasantly surprised.  No matter what your style, whether it is romantic, edgy or simple, there is a veil out there made for you.  If you like sparkles, do you prefer simple bugle beads or embroidered flowers? Two tiered or single? Cathedral length or birdcage? Veils are making a comeback in all different styles.

I’m sure you all watched the royal wedding, and if you haven’t, you definitely saw pictures at some point.  The veil length that

Veil Lengths

Katherine wore is considered Cathedral Length, the longest veil option.  Cathedral length can create a traditional feel or a romantic detail that matches the length of your train.  If your train is shorter and a Cathedral length is too long, your next option is Chapel Length which is about 10-15 inches shorter.  It still creates the long feel, but might match your gown better by just slightly brushing the floor. Your next step up is the Waltz Length.  This length can be perfect for trumpet and mermaid style gowns because the end of the veil “hits” where your gown might flare out.  The Fingertip Length is very similar as (depending on that designs “arm length”) it could reach the flare as well.  The shorter versions include Elbow Length which on some gowns will reach the end of a bodice on a ballgown or the bottom of a corset in the back of other styles.  The shortest of all veil length is the Shoulder Length.  This is a fun length because it really creates a different look.  You can turn your simple feel into a couture look with an application of such a short veil.  Those that want something toootally different love birdcage veils.  Those are the tiny ones that only cover your face a little and look like netting.  Options galore! Try them all on and see which one fits your gown.  You might be pleasantly surprised.

Ok, now that you picked what length you like, you get to accessorize your accessory! Veils come with all kinds of beading, lace and cuts.  If you like sparkle, veils can come with the usual beading, or you can UPgrade with Swarovski Crystals. And don’t be scared, that kind of Bling Bling does not come at an unimaginable price.  Beading opens up many options on how sparkly you want to get and what designs can be created with those beads. Other options include lace edging that can sometimes come with beading as well.  Different cuts can also add detail, like scalloped edging. More simple details include ribbon edging that can range from a 1/8 inch to 1 inch in width.  Color? Yea.. that too.  Diamond White veils pretty much match every gown, but if you really want to be specific, its as easy as asking if the veil you picked comes in other color options to match your white, diamond white, ivory, candlelight, alabaster, silver, gold, phew.. any colored gown.  I know it seems like a lot, but hang in there! If you prefer a more traditional look, you can purchase a veil with a blusher (the part of the veil that covers your face), or purchase a removable blusher.  At The Bustle, whenever I have a bride come in, I play with different veils with each dress she tries on, so the process is much easier than it seems. Scouts Honor!

Head Pieces

You have found your veil and it perfectly flows down the aisle with you and looks gorgeous during the ceremony.  It even makes your pictures look stunning.  But after the ceremony is over, most of the time brides do not wear their veils at their reception.  If you are not a veil person, it really is only for an hour or two that you get to wear it.  Naked head feeling? Accessorize! You can either add accessories after your ceremony or wear them during so when the veil comes off you still have something fun! Options include tiaras, handmade organza flowers with all kinds of details, fresh flowers or crystal headpieces.

OK, there you have it! Your Veil 101. Believe me ladies, your grooms are simple minded when it comes to weddings (no offense guys).  When they think Wedding or Bride .. that equals = white dress and a veil to pull over for your first kiss! Don’t disappoint ladies 😉