Veil Talk: Walking the Walk

Hello my darling readers, these one is for you.

I know most of you just don't read the wedding blogs/sites/magazines the way I do. And therefore, the distinction between a chapel length mantilla veil and a birdcage veil may be lost on you. Its okay. That's what I'm here for. We're going to briefly pause the veil talk to have a teaching moment. I'm going to share what I've learned (and deemed relevant), and you're going to read along and act like I've managed to teach you something. Okay? Okay.

Lets start here:
(my apologies, I don't know where I snagged this pic from)
This is perhaps my most favorite diagram explaining veil length - which is frequently where people start when discussing veils usability. As you can see, this diagram distinguishes between the different lengths available, and gives you approximate measurements. Of course, if you're a little taller or shorter, your veil may be shorter or longer on you, but these are the approximate lengths.

The biggest impact that veil length will have on your wedding day is by far the most obvious (and the inspiration for my title) - ease of moving around! The longer your veil, the more cumbersome it is. Granted, most brides only care about the the visual impact of the veil, but I think you really do need to take a moment to consider how it will be moving around with an extra yard (or few) trailing behind you. Some brides choose to go short for that very reason. Some forego a veil all together. It has nothing to do with the blusher (the part that hangs in your face). I take small issue with blushers, but I'll save that for another post. :)

When considering veil length, it's also important to keep your dress in mind (duh, right?). Specifically, the length of its train (if it has one) and how embellished it is. The idea here is that your veil and your dress should work together - even if you're planning to take it off for the reception. So if your dress is heavily embellished, you may want to simplify the veil, scale back the lace and the beading. If your dress has a train, the veil should end either way above it (i.e. elbow or fingertip) or beyond it (e.g. chapel or cathedral length). Again, taking into a consideration the decorative aspects. You. do. not. want. to. over. do. it.

Allegedly, one more thing to keep in mind is your physical size. This is probably the length aspect I've seen addressed the least in the literature (lol). Possibly because its hard to make a case for a piece of tulle making a difference for how wide/large you look. I've read that larger girls should go above to the waist (or above) or to the floor and to stay out of that middle section. Not sure I buy this one folks, but that's what some people saying.

On that note, we're going to wrap up today's veil discussion. I'll be back soon share what I know about "Talking the Talk" and "How Veils Accessorize." You have to come back to see what I mean :)

♥