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Wedding Veils 101

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Wedding Veils 101

If we were to name a single item that announces “BRIDE!” to the world it would have to be a veil. So we compiled a bit of our research into a primer on all things veil for you. After all, these beautifully flimsy, sheer bits of tulle and net which symbolize brides so perfectly have a long history.

Veils are actually the oldest part of the bridal ensemble according to wedding expert Susan Waggoner in her book I do! I do!: The Origins of 100 Classic Wedding Traditions. The practice of covering a bride’s face dates way-way back when brides were wrapped “from head to toe to represent the delivery of a modest and untouched maiden.” In those days veils were also believed to protect brides from evil spirits lurking around. They further served to shield the bride’s face from the groom prior to the wedding, because they believed it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony. Veils at that time really did their job. Brides couldn’t even see to walk with their heavy face coverings. That’s why someone had to literally walk them down the aisle!!! We love that times have changed but the best part of the traditions remain!

Photo cred: Keepsake Memories

As weddings became more religious in Western culture, the veil was used to symbolize modesty, obedience, and chastity. Eventually, though, veils fell out of fashion. For example, during the 17th and 18th centuries, brides didn’t really wear them in the United States and England. However, when the inimitable style icon and original fashionista Queen Victoria wed Prince Albert in 1840 wearing an insanely gorgeous veil, they instantly regained popularity.

To this day brides love to wear veils. And as bridal stylists, we know that nothing brings out the happy tears from brides and their squads during the dress shopping experience like adding a veil in the mix. There is just something so romantic and ethereal about veils. Luckily today’s veils come in all kinds of gorgeous shapes, sizes, and styles. Most brides no longer wear veils for any particular symbolic reason but just ‘cuz they look so darn pretty.

Veil cred: Malis Henderson

Veils are carefully composed of fabulous fabrics such as chiffon, organza, English net or silk tulle. They come embellished with beading, lavish lace appliques, piped trim or serenely unadorned and simple.

Veil cred: Malis Henderson

Veils come in various lengths, too, and most are named for the body part they end near.

Bird Cage

Bird Cage Veils are vintage-inspired, short and uber flirty. These veils are the perfect finishing touch for retro-minded brides rocking any vibe from the 20s through the 60s. They are usually between 4-9 inches long. Typically they just cover the eyes, but they can cover your entire face too. Also called a “bandeau” veil, this style is most often composed of Russian net or lace.

Shoulder

Shoulder veils which fall to a bride’s shoulders usually have a layer that goes over the bride’s face called a blusher. During the ceremony, the front layer is pulled back to reveal the brides beaming face. (Any length veil can have a blusher layer to go over the face too.) TaDa! Such a magic moment!

Elbow

Elbow length veils are perfect for a more traditional wedding ceremony. They fall gracefully over a bride’s shoulders to her elbows.

Fingertip

Fingertip veils reach the tips of a bride’s fingers, about hip-length. This style is popular with brides because the length allows the back of a dress to be seen. So many bridal gowns these days have such amazing backs!

Waltz/Knee

Designed to fall at your knee, this wedding veil length offers drama and elegance without weighing you down. If you choose to wear your veil for your reception, you’ll be able to dance the night away, thus the name “waltz.”

Chapel/ Floor

A  chapel or floor-length veil just grazes the floor and extends just barely beyond the length of the bride’s gown. The flowing fabric is nice for brides who want the look of a train without having one on their dress.

Cathedral

For a dramatic down-the-aisle look consider a fabulous cathedral-length veil. This extends beyond the length of the wedding dress and commands “oohs and aahs” from your guests. And they look just right in a cathedral.

Royal

Anything over 120″ in length is generally reserved for royalty, veil-wise. Megan slayed.

Crazy

Ok, so there are a few people who like to go larger than life with things. Respect. So If you really want to go big with your veil you will have to compete with Maria Paraskeva, a bride from Cyprus, who achieved her lifelong dream after creating the world’s Longest wedding veil in preparation for her wedding. She wore it on August 14, 2018. Her veil was sooo long she actually made it into Guinness World Records. With this length veil, you’re probably gonna need an outdoor venue. And a lot of help.

The seemingly never-ending lace veil measured 22,843 ft 2.11 in. (basically 63.5 football fields long!!!!). You go Girl!!!

Whatever gorgeous veil you select to wear on your wedding day, we hope you enjoyed learning a little about the history behind the tradition. We know you’ll wear it well. And if you are looking for the perfect style remember to stop by your local bridal boutique to shop their extensive selection of veils.

BRIDAL NAIL TRENDS. Inspo for Your Wedding Day Mani

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Your perfect wedding day look requires attention to every detail. You’ll be focusing on your dress, shoes, bridal accessories, makeup, and hair. And we know you’ll want your nails to be on point for your walk down the aisle, too. We sourced some of the prettiest manicures around to inspire you to focus in on your favorite style for your special day. From Matte to Sparkly we have beautiful options to fit every brides’ vibe.

MAD FOR MATTE

With matte nails, it’s all about a flat finish that delivers major style in a very non-shiny way. A pinky taupe matte mani is a subtle way to “bring it” with a finished yet understated nail.

A softer take on matte, “Sue” by Zoya in champagne gold, features a multi-hued oyster shell pearl fleck in a velvety matte finish. So pretty and bridal.

For a more dramatic manicure, try a navy polish. We picture this at a luxe fall wedding. Preferably holding a greenery bouquet.

LOVELY LACE

We adore the lace nail trend for a sweet and romantic mani. Nailstamp4fun created a lovely look featuring lace nails along with a single jeweled accent nail.

Lace patterns are inherently romantic so they pair perfectly with a wedding day polish.

PERFECT PALE PINK

Pale pink is, we believe, the quintessential and classic nail polish color for brides. Our pick for the prettiest pink is hands down Essie’s “Ballet Slippers.”

After all, this $9 polish WAS Meghan Markle’s pick on her recent wedding day to Prince Harry.

YUMMY YELLOW

Has anyone else noticed how popular the color yellow is lately? We are seeing it on Pinterest, on the Gram, on cool chicks around town. Even every tv commercial seems drenched in variations of the sunny shade. We love the idea of an adorably fresh and sweet pale yellow hue for a wedding day look, like this shade “Meet A Boy As Cute As Can Be,” by OPI. Love this lemony shade? Hurry it is on clearance now at Sally Beauty for less than four dollars!!!!

ORBIT NAILS, THE LATEST TREND

Looking for something cutting edge and trendy for your wedding nails? Then say “hello” to Orbit Nails – where each nail features a thin outline of color around a solid oval of another color. We adore this tiffany blue edged with black version of the polish.

Or try a classic black and white combo for a more traditional take on the trend:

YOU GOTTA LOVE A FRENCH MANICURE

You can never go wrong with a french manicure, a style which features a band of white polish across the tip of the nail and a contrasting clear or pale polish underneath. Your look will say classy, clean and perfectly groomed with a french mani.

We really like this one by trendsetting Greek nail salon File and Style. So crisp and polished.

WHITE ON WHITE

A pure white manicure and matching pedicure is a perfect pick for brides. File and Style does bridal right.

THE PERFECT BURGUNDY FOR FALL

The perfect shade for fall weddings (and for fall anything really), is the legacy Essie color “Bordeaux.”  The deep red wine lacquer is one of the company’s original polish colors from way back in 1981. But hey, when you design the absolute ultimate burgundy color you can keep on making it year after year. And it will continue being rediscovered by fashionistas year after year. This intoxicating manicure would be amazing for any bride. And us. We need this.

GLITTER NAILS

Are you a blingy bride who loves some glam and sparkle? Well, then you will gravitate toward these glittery manicures.

We think these gorgeous silver glitter dusted nails by the creative sisters of Canadian nail company KnailArt would make any glam bride happy.

Whatever style captures your heart, dear brides, we do hope you found some inspiration in the latest nail trends. As for us, we are headed out to get the Essie “Bordeaux” asap, after all, we wholeheartedly agree with the philosophy of Audrey Hepburn who famously said, “I believe in manicures.”

The Royal Wedding Recap: The Dress, The Veil, The Tiara, The Second Dress #harryandmeghan

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We’re pretty sure we know where you were last Saturday morning. If you are anything like us you were parked on the couch in front of your tv…anxiously awaiting THE DRESS while watching the royal wedding of the world’s most adorable couple Meghan Markle & Prince Harry. We know you’ve heard all about it, but we couldn’t resist a lil’ Royal Recap to relive the bridal style of it all. And the love. These two are obvi in LOVE. We admit, we cried. Sigh.

Acclaimed British designer Clare Waight Keller from the house of Givenchy designed the incredibly awe-inspiring beautiful double-bonded silk cady dress. Meghan wanted a dress that was both modern and timeless, and she nailed it. Featuring an open bateau neckline, slim three-quarter sleeves and a triple silk organza underskirt the gown is a study in understated elegance.  At first we were wondering if there was any kind of embellishment on the gown, hidden by the glorious veil. Some beading? Some lace? And we thought, “hmmmm? Do we like this uber understated gown?” After careful consideration our answer is HECK YEAH! For although the gown is breathtakingly simple with zero beading or embellishments, the attention to detail and the perfectly draped fabric relay luxuriousness only royals can afford. Plus she absolutely glowed with love, inner beauty and gorgeousness.

Harry rocked his Blues and Royals frockcoat uniform. Who loves a ginger? WE DO! And how freaking cute was his case of nerves? He may be a Prince, but that day (to quote one of our fave British RomComs Notting Hill), he was “just a boy standing in front of a girl, asking her to love him.” She replied, “YES!”

Train, train, train. Let’s talk about THE TRAIN. Sixteen feet of exquisite silk tulle, hand embroidered with 53 types of flora and fauna representing all the counties of the British Commonwealth. Such a thoughtful design and utterly, devastatingly beautiful. And long. The “monarch” length was a subtle nod to Princess Diana’s memorable wedding train.

Meghan also included two flowers personal to her heart in her veil design: Wintersweet, which grows in front of Nottingham Cottage, and the California Poppy, the State flower of her birthplace. Plus crops of wheat are incorporated in the very front of the veil to symbolize love and charity. Who knew a veil could convey so much?

Tiara Time! Meghan’s statement headpiece, officially known as the “Filigree Tiara,” is a jeweled band originally belong to Queen Mary. The vintage tiara was loaned to Meghan by the Queen Elizabeth and considering the simplicity of the rest of her look added a major wow factor! We think her beautiful brown eyes sparkled even more than all those diamonds:

And, now, let’s discuss the SECOND DRESS. We live and breathe for it! Because fairy-tale weddings require multiple dream dresses. And, this sleek reception dress is the absolute epitome of glamour. Another dress of stunning simplicity, this one features a high halter neck in custom silk, designed by Stella McCartney. And it is everything. Effortless. Understated. Sexy. Gorgeous.

Meghan and Harry’s day was incredibly stylish and awe-inspiring. We loved every single element. But what shines through all the pomp and circumstance and all the incredible wedding designs is above everything else, love. The simple fact is that these are really just two people who are very happy and in very much in love. And that is our favorite part of this fairy tale wedding day.

TREND ALERT: Plunging V Necklines, Go Deep This Season #DeepVWeddingDresses

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Dramatic, deep plunging necklines are one of the hottest trends on the bridal runways for 2018. We are captivated by this “down to there” trend which pops up at every fashion show we attend. Our forays to bridal markets in Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas saw this trend highlighted in every booth. And at each and every fashion show designers showcased their own unique versions of super intense Vs. They are so glamorous, sexy, fresh and modern. We knew you, our brides, would be as fascinated as we are by this daring fashion statement. We encourage you to take the plunge (sorry, we had to go there!) and try on one of these “wow” wedding dresses at your local bridal boutique to experience the excitement and see why this is such a major trend. We’ve sourced several different variations of this style for you, from several major bridal design houses. And, even if you aren’t especially daring you can still wear this low cut style with ease if you select a style with an illusion panel.

You can go extreme with this Enchanting by Mon Cheri Bridals sleeveless tulle, chiffon and lace over charmeuse fit and flare gown. We love the daring illusion deep V-neckline and bodice accented with three-dimensional flowers, and matching illusion back with large keyhole on this gown.

Berta does drama right with their gorgeous plunging bridal gown:

Blush by Hayley Paige designed this romantic bridal gown – featuring Ivory floral embroidered tulle with a ballgown skirt, and a deep sweetheart neckline with nude net insert, open keyhole back, full A-line skirt with cashmere lining plus a sheer pocket detail.

Or go deep (but not TOO deep) with this classic, Dolce satin ball gown from Stella York:

We are in LOVE with this lace and organza stunner from Adrianna Papell Platinum with such a unique take on the plunging style neckline:

You can go the boho route with this trend, too. Consider these beautiful private label lace dresses with deep Vs two ways. The spaghetti strap version plunges further and the long sleeve gown is a more demure take on the look. Both feature sheer cutouts for serious impact. Love!

Lillian West does a sexy plunging V-neckline with this adorable beaded spaghetti strap gown. This dress features a center ruched dropped waistline lined with charmeuse for extra comfort. And it has you covered since the v is topped with lace and an illusion panel.

Even the sides of the dress feature alluring v cuts. Deep Vs all around!

A deep V-back provides a sophisticated back view. Lace appliques cascade from the hips of this stunning chiffon A-line.

Berta’s take on a lace, deep v, boho dress is breathtaking:

Enchanting by Mon Cheri Bridals offers this truly awe-inspiring, sleeveless embroidered appliqué, lace and tulle, fit and flare gown. A jewel neckline sets of the dramatic center slit which spans from neck to waist. Complete with an embroidered illusion bodice with pearlescent buttons down the back, a natural waist accented with a belt and center hand-beaded motif, and a gathered tulle skirt with embroidered appliqués down center back onto a chapel train, this dress incorporates the plunging v in a new way.

Romantic Bridals offers a sultry and sweet version of the deep v dress with this lace appliqued trumpet gown.

This crepe fit and flare gown by Sweetheart will accentuate your figure in all the right ways. Without any other form of ornamentation save the dramatic construction and a plunging V-neckline, this one provides effortless style.

Just. Wow. Your wedding day look will never be forgotten with this opulently embellished gown by Justin Alexander Signature. The hand beaded Sabrina neckline with plunging v-neck matches the illusion back adorned with beading and working button closures.

TREND ALERT: Laser Cut Wedding Details #LaserCutLace

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Laser-Cut Wedding Details

Laser cutting is a futuristic and precise method of creating designs using a laser beam to achieve high quality, dimensionally accurate cuts. A laser cuts the design by melting, burning or vaporizing the material. Kinda like magic. The results of this high tech process are astonishingly beautiful, and so, of course, have found their way into wedding items. We think Laser Cut details are a stunning trend for 2018 weddings. And since many diverse designs can be transformed into laser cut products, the trend lends itself to any style wedding, from rustic to sophisticated. Incorporating this trend will put a modern, edgy spin on any style nuptials. This crisp and clean look works especially well in white for warm weather wedding celebrations.

Laser Cut details can be found in wedding invitations, cakes, dresses, shoes, accessories, favors, shoes, bags and more. We love these gorgeous floral laser cut invites from Amazon, which would work well for any romantic ceremony. Sending these beauties out will let your guests know you mean to put on a fashion-forward event.

Brides inspired by country-girl style will love this down-home take on laser cut fabulousness. These invites comes with adorable jute ties and a kraft paper interior and would set the stage for rustic occasions:
Laser-cut wedding gowns add a twist on the romantic lace ensemble – perfect for those who love intricate designs, but want a modern take. Bridal designer Lillian West offers up a beautiful interpretation of the trend with this V-neck fit and flare gown with tons of lace details. Sequined lace appliques over Chantilly lace, plus laser cut top stitched lace, and finished hem lace add up to one insanely gorgeous gown:

Did we mention the deep illusion lace back? Prepare to fall in love with laser cut lace. Boom:

You’ll be needing shoes, too. Iconic shoe designer Manolo Blahnik created the “Carolyne,” a Laser-Cut Low-Heel sling back Halter Pump, currently available from Neiman Marcus just for you:

For your guy, Sperry makes these perfect leather Top-Siders, which would be a fab twist on his wedding footwear (especially for spring and summer!):

You can carry your laser-cut love around waaay past your wedding day with this spectacular bag by Alaia. You will, however, have to carry it for the rest of your life because the price tag exceeds $4K! WOOOH!

How amazing would a laser cut outfit will look for your rehearsal dinner? Answer: VERY AMAZING.

You can customize your wedding with laser cut details with a cake topper like this adorable bicycle-themed one in birch:

Or cake stands like these:

Or evan a laser cut cake, like this one by Pixy Cakes:


Treat your guests to delicious treats fashionably presented in these White Laser Cut Favor Candy Boxes:

Whichever romantic laser-cut designs you select, you will exude contemporary style on your special day and you’ll be wearing the cutting-edge (literally) of fashion.

To learn more about how this interesting, intricate and futuristic process works check out this You Tube video!