Veils and Flowercrowns and Tiaras-Oh My!

Veils, flowercrowns, headbands, combs, tiaras......who knew there were so many choices for decorating your head? There are many options, including forgoing it altogether. I want to give you a quick lesson on whats what in the world of veils so that you have an idea of what you are looking for.

FAST FACTS

Veil types:

Flyaway: to your shoulders Elbow: as stated, elbow length Fingertip: yep, you guessed it, to your finger tips Sweep or Ballet: anywhere from your knees to ankles Chapel: to the floor Cathedral: well past your dress or train Blusher: worn over your face as you walk down the aisle in addition to the veil going behind you Birdcage: a cute little side veil worn in your hair and just barely covers your eyebrows or eyes

Each veil can be multi-tiered depending on how full you like it, and the material varies quite a bit. There can be no edging, edging that goes all around the entirety of the veil, or just on the bottom.
You can expect to spend $100-$500 bucks on a veil, or you can have your seamstress friend throw a simple one together for you for $5. (Yep, that's what I did. It was simple, cathedral length, had no frills-perfect for me!)
Many bridal salons will try to up sell a veil to you when you buy your dress, which can be great, however if you are on a tighter budget consider getting yours at a bridal consignment store like Bride-to-Be Consignment.

How and When:

Usually you wear them for the ceremony and take them out for the reception. If doing a receiving line, i recommend taking it out before then since you'll be hugging so many folks and the pulling could mess up your hair. There really are no rules-if you love your veil and want to wear it all night, go right ahead!
You can wear it on top of your head, in the back, underneath an updo, or anywhere really! Just figure out how you want it to land over your shoulders, and then if you want it to cover your hair or be more hidden underneath. It's helpful to pick out your wedding day hairstyle first, then figure out the veil. Bring it with when you do your hair trial as well.

Skipping the veil altogether? Here are some alternatives:

Flower crown (your florist can make this for you!)
Headband
Comb or clip
Ribbon
Beads or decorative hair pins
Tiara
Vintage piece repurposed, like this bride I worked with last year: (it used to be a front facing crown with a veil attached!)

There are many places to search for these items. Obviously bridal stores have them, but also check out pretty Etsy shops, vintage and antique stores, or consider crafting one together yourself. I've seen brides take brooches and glue them to a clip, fashion a necklace into a headband, or weave ribbon into their updo. Sometimes you can find what you are looking for by revisiting your 6th grade self and humbly walking into Claire's at the mall. It's true....(or to release yourself from the desire to buy glitter eyeshadow and scrunchies, just shop online for the perfect hair accessory.)