The Modern Bride's Guide to Cathedral Wedding Veils
You stand at the top of the aisle in your wedding dress, framed by light and the most gorgeous cathedral veil. There's a collective intake of breath, and straight ahead your favorite person in the world is completely awe-struck. Few wedding accessories rival the breathtaking drama of a cathedral-length veil. This timeless piece transforms every step into a moment and infuses your wedding look with romance.
What is a Cathedral Veil Style?
This long bridal veil extends beyond your wedding gown's train to create a stunning visual effect. If your dress has a shorter train, a long cathedral veil is an excellent way to create the effect while maintaining your dress's style. Typically, cathedral-length wedding veils have a blusher that floats over your face as you glide down the aisle. However, if that's not your style, that's okay! Like everything else about your wedding day, you're not limited to tradition. We often create custom bridal veils tailored to a woman's unique style.
The beauty of this veil style lies not only in its dramatic length but also in its versatility. It can complement any wedding dress, from form-fitting to voluminous ball gowns. They also look S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G with a wedding headpiece. Your veil's soft tulle enhances your bridal headpiece's magical, light-catching effect. After you remove your veil, it dazzles!
To illustrate this versatile and wonderful accessory, we've included some of our fabulous brides with cathedral veils (and crystal wedding headpieces) throughout this post.
Cathedral Veil Styles
If more than one of these long veil types sound perfect for you, don’t feel you have to choose! You can often blend the elements. For instance, perhaps you’d like a cut-edge veil scattered with crystals and pearls that’s also two-tier. We’re happy to create the custom veil of your dreams.
Lace cathedral veil: Adorned with delicate lace, this veil exudes a timeless and romantic charm, and looks fabulous with a bridal hair vine. The lace can be any type and accenting it with pearls and crystals only makes the textile more beautiful! The intricate lacework can cascade gracefully down the length of the veil and stay to the edges, or it can flourish into the center and pool into a dramatic finish at the bottom. Many of our brides have used the same lace as their gowns to accent their veils or have even taken lace from their mothers’ dresses!
Crystal-and-pearl-encrusted cathedral veil: This long veil is a lovely choice for brides who desire a touch of luxury and glamour. The edges of the veil can be cut edge (without embellishment), or it can be edged or embroidered with crystals and pearls. Many of our brides choose pearl wedding jewelry and headpieces to complete the look.
Cut-edge cathedral veil: With its clean and minimalist design, this simple cathedral veil is characterized by its raw edge. The absence of embellishments or trimmings gives this veil a sleek and understated look. We love this veil with a statement bridal hair comb or vine.
Mantilla cathedral veil:
Originating from Spain, the mantilla veil is characterized by delicate lace that drapes over the bride's head and shoulders, creating a romantic and ethereal effect. The lace typically adorns the entire edge of the veil, adding an old-world heirloom feel. There are so many accessories that look lovely with a mantilla—particularly a crystal rose headpiece.
Embroidered cathedral veil:
This opulent long veil features intricate embroidery designs stitched onto the tulle. The designs embroidered on the veil can range from floral motifs to ornate patterns and can even incorporate your initials. You can choose to have your embroidery follow your veil's edge, accent the bottom, or even extend up its length and onto the crown of your head. Bridal headbands are a favorite among our embroidered veil brides.
Two-tier cathedral veil:
This bridal veil type consists of two separate tiers. The first, also known as the blusher layer, is shorter and meant to be worn over the face during the ceremony and then lifted to reveal the bride's face. The second extends to the desired cathedral length, creating a cascading effect.
Gathering: Though not a cathedral veil type, how it’s affixed to a comb affects how it falls. Perhaps you like the look of a full, cascading tulle. In that case, there should be more gathering on the comb. Prefer the tulle to lay flat on your head? The fabric can be attached in a way that creates little to no volume.
How to Wear a Cathedral Veil
Whether you want to wear your hair up or down, a cathedral veil looks fantastic. For instance, a sleek updo paired with a cathedral veil can create a look of timeless elegance, while loose, romantic waves can give off a more relaxed, bohemian feel.
The cathedral veil is typically removed after the ceremony and wedding day photos. This is great for ease of movement and lets your crystal headpiece and bridal jewelry really shine! However, some women wear the veil draped over an elbow or even bustled.
If you'd like to find the perfect veil for your big day, we're happy to help. We have all sorts of veil lengths and styles from which to choose, including single-layer and chapel-length veils. Or, if you'd like a custom veil, we can do that, too. Contact us to get started!
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