I love the soft romantic feeling a veil can add to imagery. This soft lace trimmed veil from Rue De Seine bridal fit the bill perfectly.

It’s a question every bride faces. You might be thinking, “On one hand it’s feminine and pretty and symbolic, but on the other hand, what if it looks too old-fashioned or just gets in the way?”

Thoughts vary, but the bride’s opinion is really the only one that counts when it comes to donning a veil. As a Hawaii wedding photographer who’s witnessed a lot of gorgeous veil trends, I think it’s a a personal choice that you’ll make. For me, my family has a hand-sewn Irish Lace Cathedral length veil that my Great-Grand Mother, Grandmother, Mother and sisters have all worn. I also think it looks fabulous in the images I create but I’m a bit biased… can you tell?

Wearing your veil in modern times is a fabulous accessory as you jewelry. Pick one out that matches your personal style!

Why does a bride wear a veil?

Here are a few origins:

• In some ancient cultures, the veil served as a barrier to protect the bride from evil spirits who might attempt to enchant her. The Romans wore veils in bright orange hues (the color of flames) to scare of the ill-intentioned spirits and keep the bride focused on her task at hand — to profess her lifelong commitment to love, honor and serve her husband.
• In countries where arranged marriages are standard practice, the veil serves the practical purpose of keeping the bride’s appearance under wraps until the union is official — just in case the groom were have a less than positive reaction to his bride’s facial appearance and call off the nuptials.
• In Catholicism and Christianity, the bride wears a veil to humble herself before God, essentially as a sign of respect and reverence, and to acknowledge that the union comes second to devotion.
• In Victorian times, veils were crafted to indicate the bride’s status in society. The longer the veil and dress train, the higher up on the social hierarchy the bride’s family was at that time.
• In Jewish tradition, the veiling of the bride carries a deeper meaning of all-encompassing love. Essentially, it’s the groom’s acknowledgement that his adoration goes far beyond appearance, a declaration that his love and devotion is based on beauty that is more than skin deep.

Which Veil is Right for Me?

While most of us aren’t too worried about evil spirits corrupting the bride during the ceremony, the lifting of the veil after her walk down the aisle, or right before the “you may now kiss the bride” line, can be a beautiful way to symbolize the bride’s transition into marriage and her acceptance of the new role of “wife.” All symbolism aside, a well-paired veil can add that extra “wow” factor to the bride’s ensemble. From a wedding photographer’s perspective, wearing a veil adds a gorgeous ambiance to your bridal portraits. And not to worry about the ornate accessory adding another challenge to your wardrobe; many of today’s styles are designed to be detachable for easy removal.

Jessica chose to honor her mother and wear her veil to her own wedding. We recreated a similar image that they wanted as Merry’s mother adjusted her veil for her.

Many veils will come with a blusher, which is intended to cover the bride’s face as she walks down the aisle. Two popular ways to unveil are: 1) Have your escort (usually the father of the bride) lift the veil over your head as he gives you away to your new husband -to-be, or 2) Have your new husband lift it up right before you lean in for your first kiss.

Veils offer a lot of versatility of style and lengths — tea, shoulder, bird cage, fingertip, chapel, and cathedral — and most dressmakers will offer a number of designs for you to choose from, or even hand-make a custom one just for you. Online resources are in abundance now a days and we just love Rue De Seine   

One of the duties of your maid of honor is to ensure that you look your best after you make your trip down the aisle. Your MOH should be in charge of fixing your dress and your veil so you look nothing short of perfect when you say “I do.”

—Jeannemarie

Amanda chose to wear her mother’s veil to add to her something borrowed and we think it was absolutely stunning.

Jeannemarie is a wedding photographer based on the islands on Oahu and Maui. She is available to photograph your wedding or event on any of our beautiful Hawaiian islands. Contact her today about your Wedding Day!