First comes love, then comes marriage. Third comes the wedding dress, and fourth comes the veil.

OK, maybe it’s not quite that order, but pretty close. As soon as a would-be bride start shopping for that gown, decisions about veils will follow suit. Do we go with the veil? What length? Do I even want one?

The history of the veil is pretty straightforward: As most traditions go, it is rooted it modesty. The initial use was to keep the groom from seeing the bride prior to the ceremony, as it was the superstition at the time (and is still a tradition followed by many couples). Even though traditions are evolving and now first looks are a commonplace, the veil is still a fashion choice chosen to be a part of many wedding day details. 

This post isn’t to explain the pros and cons of a veil; with my clients, it is about 50/50. To each her own.What I want to discuss today is how to get veil shots like this:

Or like this:

Not all veils are created equal. They come in a variety of lengths:

• Birdcage + Visor: 4-6 inches
• Shoulder: 20 inches
• Elbow: 25 inches
• Waist: 30 inches
• Hip/Fingertip: 36 inches
• Knee: 45 inches
• Floor: 72 inches
• Chapel: 90-108 inches
• Cathedral: 120-144 inches (information courtesy of Love and Lavender)

Not every veil will do the same job. If someone is interested in having a flyaway veil wedding portraits, I would recommend having at least a hip length veil. Shorter ones might float with the wind, but they are not long enough to fly. They would also be too short to stage the photograph, as there would not be enough time for an assistant to lift it and get out of the frame. Fingertip would be even a little better, and floor would be ideal. 

Interested in the veil portraits but not in having a veil attached to your head all night? There is nothing wrong with pulling the veil after the ceremony and portraits before the reception. It’s your party, you can have your hair however you want to. 

On Mondays we educate! Check out the blog every Monday for a new post to help you plan your wedding your way! Find past posts here!