How to wear a veil

Historically, a veil was worn to protect the bride from evil spirits; nowadays it is simply considered a beautiful form of adornment.

Before choosing your veil, consider your dress. Assess where the key focal points occur on your dress.

Consider the style and the level of decoration on your dress. In general, if you have quite a simple dress, you can carry off a more elaborate veil. However, if your dress is very detailed, a simple veil often looks more flattering. Only the most formal of weddings tend to accommodate the combination of both an elaborate dress and veil.

Consider the different lengths

* Very short veils such as visor veils do not extend past the chin. If your dress has a high neck detail, this type of veil can work well. They are a good style to pair with sophisticated or eclectic style wedding dresses.

* Shoulder length veils are around 50 centimetres in length. They are perfectly suited to dresses that have bust, waist or lower back details. However, they are often too informal for classic or formal dresses.

* Elbow length veils are approximately 60 centimetres long, this veil falls to around the elbow. They can work well with romantic ballgown style dresses, because they end where the fullness in the skirt begins.

* Waist length veils are just slightly longer than an elbow length veil. They suit most dress styles that do not feature a train.

* Fingertip length veils are one of the most popular lengths; when you stretch your arm out it reaches around your fingertips. They also suit the majority of dress styles.

* Knee length veils are approximately 110 centimetres and reaches to around your knees. It looks good with mid-calf length wedding dresses.

* Floor length veils are often referred to as a ballet length veil, they just brush the floor. They are well suited to full length gowns that do not have a train.

* Chapel length veils are slightly shorter then cathedral length; these veils still drape onto the floor. They are typically around 220 centimetres long. They are best partnered with dresses that feature a train.

Think about the colour. Your veil needs to be a suitable colour match to your wedding dress. There are several white and ivory shades, pinks, beige and gold. You can also choose between a regular and a shimmer finish.

Shimmer veiling offers a distinct shine, which is especially evident under lighting. In contrast regular veiling is matte in appearance. If you want to ensure an exact match, make sure you can order veil swatches to match your dress.

Look at your face shape. A veil frames your face, so your face shape is an important denominator in choosing a veil.

Consider the following advice for your face shape

* A round face is virtually as wide as it is long and looks full in appearance. When choosing a veil, look for a style that will help make your face look longer and slimmer.

It is preferable for your veil to reach at least shoulder length and for it to have some volume on the top of the head. Avoid veils with too much fullness at the sides of the face.

* A square face is typically wide and angular looking. When choosing a veil, look for a style that will soften your face and add length. Your veil should reach at least shoulder length and have some volume on the top of the head. Circular and cascading styles can help soften the angular nature of your jawline.

* An oval face shape in slightly longer than it is wide, it is similar in appearance to an egg shape. As this face shape is well balanced, you are free to experiment with different veil styles. However, it is a good idea to avoid going extreme in either volume or width, to help maintain your proportions.

* A rectangle face is longer than it is wide, and it tends to appear narrow and angular. When choosing a veil look for a style that has width around the face, but no height at the top of the head.