Wedding veil? Not surprisingly it depends on who you ask. When asked as a wedding photographer my reply is seriously consider the wearing of a veil. It can add to the overall bridal photograph. It allows me to create interesting poses and shapes, all designed to enhance the wedding photos.

Being the curious person that I am, I decided to ask my wife why she never wore a veil. She saw the wedding veil as another thing to manage, she wore a full skirted princess style wedding dress with tiara. Our advice is stick to your vision. There are no set rules about wearing a veil on your wedding day. The best advice is to try on a veil with your wedding dress, even if you think you don’t want one. Make that informed decision. Choose the one that suits your dress, your personal taste, and the formality of the wedding. Whether it’s a flirty birdcage, heirloom lace, or metres of tulle, I know it’s going to look amazing in your wedding photographs.

Firstly let’s explore the history of the veil 

• Greeks and Romans feared evil spirits so they had brides wear a veil and brightly coloured clothes. This was to scare the evil spirits away. 
• The bride’s family wanted to shield her face so that the groom couldn’t see her until after the marriage was final. This way he couldn’t change his mind!
• There is the superstition that it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. Therefore, the bride’s face was covered until the right moment. 
• The religious meaning of the veil.  The covering of her face and wearing white is to symbolise her purity. When the father lifts the veil it symbolises the transference of responsibility of his daughter to her husband. 

Why some brides avoid the wedding veil

Feeling childish/playing dress up. I’ve had quite a few brides say that they felt as though they were playing dress up when trying on veils. It didn’t really click for them and they recalled events from childhood which made the veil feel ‘costumey’ rather than something bridal. 

Further costs. Veils are not cheap. If you’re working to a tight budget then this could be a costly item for an hour’s wear. 

Difficult to match styles. The style of the wedding dress and veil need to complement each other. It is important that they work together. I’ve had brides tell me how much they’ve struggled to find a perfect match and have given up because nothing looks right. 

Why some brides embrace the wedding veil

Simply put tradition. Many brides look forward to the lifting of the veil. 

Heirloom veil. A wedding veil is commonly one of the heirloom pieces that is passed on to the next generation. Unsurprisingly many brides end up wearing a veil because it’s a family tradition.

Always part of the vision. If you ask brides what they have imagined wearing on their wedding day, a veil was just always part of the vision.

Outdoor wedding. As I’ve already mentioned veils are fantastic accessories for photographs. There is something almost magical about Veils. The cathedral length veil has lots of drama whilst the fingertip length veil possesses a whimsical movement. Both make fabulous wedding photos.

Whatever decision you make talk to your wedding photographer about the style of your dress and the choices you’ve made as this helps us to ensure that your wedding album fulfils your desires. Go on, try a wedding veil on today!