Wedding Veil Lengths: Choosing Your Style
A bride wearing a fingertip length veil.
Once you’ve said yes to the dress, all that’s left is to accessorize. If you’re a Kleinfeld fan, like me, you can probably picture the moment where Randy adds the wedding veil.
The family gasps and the bride tears up. Ok, maybe it’s a bit overdramatic. But I’ll be the first to admit - a veil is the perfect finishing touch.
When you’re choosing your own, different wedding veil lengths, styles and embellishments can get confusing. If you don’t have Randy to help you out, start by thinking about the overall look you want for your wedding day.
Please note: this article contains affiliate links. That means that I may earn a commission if you decide to buy something.
Soft Cathedral Length Wedding Veil. By: LordandGreyBridal
How Do You Choose a Wedding Veil Length?
When you’re deciding on your wedding veil length, you’ll want to consider your personal style, your height, and the hairstyle you’ll be wearing. You can also make sure the veil matches, or coordinates with your wedding dress. Lastly, choose a veil to match the formality and style of your wedding ceremony and reception.
Choose a Wedding Veil That Suits Your Personal Style
Just like the rest of your accessories, your veil will look best if it matches your proportions. If you’re tall or plus size, choose a veil with some length or fullness. If you’re short or petite, look at lighter or thinner veils.
No matter what your size, if the veil doesn’t end where you want it to, you can order a longer version and have it hemmed to the perfect length.
Next, think about the hairstyle you’ll be wearing on your wedding day. The veil is usually attached at the crown, over your hair. If you’re wearing a high hairstyle, the veil can also be attached underneath your hair.
Soft Cathedral or Chapel Length Wedding Veil. By: LTCoutureAtelier
Shape and Cut For Wedding Veils
The shape and cut for a wedding veil will make a big difference in the amount of fullness it has. If you’re looking for a slim, elegant veil, look for one with a drop cut. If you’d like a full, fluffy veil, look for a standard or circle cut veil:
Drop Cut Veil
With a drop cut veil, the edge, or edges of the tulle are attached to the comb without gathering the fabric. The veil will hang straight and close to the body.
Standard Cut Veil
A standard cut veil can be square or oval shaped fabric. The edge, or edges for a double layer, are gathered and attached to the comb.
Circle Cut Veil
With a circle cut veil, a round piece of fabric is folded in half for a double layer. The center of the circle is gathered and attached to the comb. This gives the edges a pretty, tiered look.
Adding a Blusher Veil
Another way to add fullness is by adding a blusher to your veil. A blusher is the top layer of a two tier veil. Traditionally, this is the piece that would fold over and cover the bride’s face, on her way up the aisle. If you’d like to carry on the tradition, choose a veil with a blusher.
You can also wear one without covering your face. The blusher adds a pretty, fluffy layer to a wedding veil. If you like the look, you can leave the blusher layer hanging down the back for a light, airy style.
Fingertip Length Wedding Veil With Blusher. By: DarethColburnDesigns
Wedding Veil Length Chart
When you’re choosing your veil, there’s lots of different styles and lengths to choose from. The names, and exact measurements will vary between different designers. Once you choose your length, double check the designers veil length chart, to be sure of the dimensions.
If you’re looking at two tier veils, some designers will list the total length of both tiers. For example, a cathedral veil with a length of 108 inches with a 30 inch blusher will be listed as a 138 inch veil. If you’re ordering online, make sure to check the length of the veil and any extra tiers.
Popular Wedding Veil Lengths
Blusher length: 30 inches
Flyaway veil: 20 inches
Shoulder length veil: 20 inches
Elbow length veil: 25 inches
Hip length veil: 36 inches
Fingertip length veil: 40 inches
Knee length veil: 48 inches
Ballet length veil: 60 inches
Waltz length veil: 72 inches
Chapel length veil: 90 inches
Cathedral length veil: 108 inches
Royal cathedral veil: 115 inches
Full Cathedral Length Wedding Veil. By: SarafinaLauren
Does Your Veil Have to Match Your Wedding Dress?
If you bought your dress from a salon, you were probably offered a matching veil. Depending on where you shopped, the matching veils can get a little expensive. Or maybe you just didn’t like the look.
Your veil doesn’t have to match exactly, but it’s best if it does coordinate with your wedding gown. If your dress has beading, a beaded veil would look great. If your dress is silk, a silk ribbon edge would be a nice match. Or you can choose plain tulle, with raw edges, to match any style of dress.
If you find a veil you love and it doesn’t match exactly, it’s ok to wear it with your wedding dress. If you think it looks pretty, your guests will probably agree.
The only real “rule” that you should try to follow, is to make sure your whites match. Before I planned my first wedding I had no idea there were so many shades of white.
Once you’re in the thick of it - you can tell a diamond white from an off white at a single glance! Especially if you’re holding them next to each other. When you’re choosing your veil you really need to make sure the whites match. Otherwise, one of them will look a little bit dirty, or off.
Wedding Veil Color Swatches. By: BlissWeddingVeil
See more wedding veils, color swatches and veil weights on my Etsy Favorites List: Wedding Veils, Styles, Lengths and Colors.
Best Veil Lengths For a Wedding Dress With a Train
If you’re wearing a classic wedding gown with a train, you can choose any length of veil that matches your style. An elbow length or fingertip veil will give you the perfect amount of bridal flair without feeling too heavy.
If you want a classic and elegant wedding day look, choose a chapel length or cathedral length veil. Longer veils traditionally extend 12 to 18 inches past the train of the wedding dress.
Best Veil Lengths For a Wedding Dress Without a Train
If you’ve chosen a wedding dress without a train, an elbow length or fingertip veil would look perfect. Another great choice is a waltz length veil. A waltz veil is floor length, and would be a good match for a wedding dress with no train.
Choose a silhouette that matches the dress. If you’re wearing a sleek dress, look for slim elegant veils. If you’re wearing an a line or ball gown, look for a full or fluffy veil.
Some brides choose a dress without a train in order to avoid bustling it later. If you’d like to add some romance or drama, without the heavy material of a train, consider adding a long or extravagant top veil.
A long cathedral veil will look fabulous for the ceremony and photos. But it’s still light and easy to move around while you’re wearing it. You can bustle the veil, or remove it, before you head to your wedding reception.
Best Veil Lengths For a Short Wedding Dress
Long veils look beautiful with a wedding dress of any length. If you’re looking for a romantic style, you can wear a hip length, floor length or even a cathedral length veil with a short wedding dress.
If you’d rather keep it simple, a shorter veil will add bridal flair without overpowering your look. Consider wearing an elbow length or shoulder length veil with your short wedding dress. Or choose a light flyaway veil, for a pretty wedding day style.
Full Fingertip Length Wedding Veil. By: LordandGreyBridal
Choose a Veil That Highlights Your Dress
If your dress has a focal point on the back, like a big bow or appliqué, avoid picking a veil that ends in the same spot. You can choose a short veil that ends above the focal point. Or choose a long, sheer veil that will allow the focal point to show through.
Consider Your Wedding Venue and Style
Before you make your final decision, think about the style of your wedding venues. If your ceremony is at a church, temple or place of worship, a long veil would look fabulous in wedding photos. If your ceremony is outdoors, a shorter veil might be easier to wear down the aisle.
If your wedding is outdoors, look for a veil with some weight, like crystals or pearls. Or you can have veil weights added to it, to help keep it from blowing around too much.
When you’re choosing your wedding veil lengths and style, there’s lots to think about. Pick the length that suits you, and the style that makes you feel happy. Even without Randy - you can find a fabulous wedding veil that’s perfect for you!
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A bride wearing a hip length veil.
