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Do You Wear Your Wedding Veil At the Reception?

Of all the wedding planning tasks, the wedding veil is one that many brides needlessly stress over. Which one to wear, over the face or not, when it take it off, etc.

So do you wear your wedding veil at the reception? The answer is simple, if you want to wear it, then wear it. If you don’t want to wear it, don’t. Some brides take it off after the ceremony, others keep it on until after the first dance. It’s completely up to you and what you are comfortable wearing.

Making decisions about your wedding veil doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple do what ever you like and are comfortable with.


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When Do You Take Off Your Wedding Veil?

There are times during the happy day when you could take off your wedding veil, if you want too.

Many brides have complained of wearing the veil for the whole day. Probably one of the biggest complaints that I’ve seen is people unintentionally pulling on the veil when they give the bride a hug. This usually makes them take the veil off even if they intended wearing it longer.

Immediately following the ceremony. Once the official ceremony is done, you may prefer be free from the additional piece so that you can enjoy the rest of the day without it getting in your way. At some point between the ceremony and reception, slip away with a helper to remove it from your hair.

After pictures. Some couples wait to have their pictures taken after the ceremony. You’ll likely want to have your veil on in the pictures so you will wait until after your pictures are done.

After your reception entrance. All eyes will be on you and your new husband when the DJ introduces you and the rest of the wedding party. Therefore, you’ll want to look your best and most beautiful. You may want to keep your veil on for the reception entrance and then, maybe while everyone is getting food, sneak off with someone to help you remove the veil.

After the first dance. The first dance is an important part of the wedding reception and one that many look forward. Just imagine how beautiful your dance would look with you and your husband looking amazing and your beautiful veil streaming down your back and setting off your lovely gown. The pictures will look amazing too!

Don’t take it off. If you’re veil is comfortable to wear and doesn’t annoy you by getting in the way, don’t take it off. Again, wearing your wedding veil is completely based on preference so if you love it so much, just wear it and don’t worry about removing it.

Do You Wear Your Veil For the First Dance?

Some women love the idea of having their veil on during the first dance, others wouldn’t dare attempt it. Why? There are many different types of veils and some would be more cumbersome than others.

For example, anyone wearing a cathedral veil, which extends seven to twelve feet past your train would never even consider wearing it during the first dance an option. Talk about a hazard! 🙂 However, someone who has a shorter veil that only extends down the back might find it very pretty and comfortable to wear.

Also, the weight of the veil and how it fits in the hair makes a difference. If it feels like your head it being weighed down by all the extra material.

Do You Have to Wear a Veil on Your Wedding Day?

There is no set rule that says you have to wear a veil on your wedding day. There are various reasons why brides choose to wear one and even more reasons why they choose not to wear a veil.

Even if you think you don’t want a veil, you should try one on with your dress anyway. You never know what you might like once you see it on yourself.

Reasons to Skip the Veil

Outdoor wedding. It can be a little awkward to have your veil flying around in the wind and pictures will all look weird.

Added expense. A lot of brides don’t like the idea of spending up to $100 or more for a piece of fabric that you’ll wear for 30 minutes and never again.

Doesn’t go with the dress. Some brides try on different veil styles with their dress and simply can find one that looks good.

Playing dress up. Many brides have commented that they felt like they were playing dress up when they tried veils on. They felt like it was more of a costume piece than an actual bridal accessory. Therefore, they opted to go without.

Reasons to Wear the Veil

Tradition. A lot of brides like the tradition of their father lifting the veil when he gives her away to her new husband.

They always imagined it. A lot of brides spent years imagining what they would wear and how they’d look on their wedding day and a veil was just always part of the ensemble.

It’s an heirloom piece. Some families have pieces that are passed from generation to generation. The wedding veil is commonly one of these heirloom items and a lot of brides who didn’t intend on wearing a veil end up wearing one anyway because it’s a family tradition.

Added elegance. Sometimes, the veil is that extra piece that just sets the whole dress off! There have been many brides who didn’t think they wanted a veil but once they tried one on with their dress, they saw how beautiful it was and got it.

Tradition Behind the Wedding Veil

There are a lot of different theories behind where the wedding veil tradition came from.

One story is that the Greeks and Romans feared evil spirits and though that the bride wearing a veil and brightly colored clothing would scare them away.

Another theory is that in the times of arranged marriages, they wanted to shield the brides face so that the groom couldn’t see her until after the marriage was final.

Some people also believe that it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. Therefore, they covered their faces until the time was appropriate.

Additionally, there is a religious tradition of the bride putting a veil over her face and wearing white to symbolize chastity and purity. The father lifts the veil to symbolize that he is transferring his daughter to her new husband.

Alternatives to Wearing a Veil


Flowers

Sometimes instead of a veil, the addition of a few simple flowers is exactly what you need to set off your beautiful gown and hair style. It doesn’t take away from your hair makeup and beautiful


Flower Crown

This is a style that is becoming more and more popular for brides. It has a natural and slightly more casual feel and its less intrusive than a long veil. Plus, you can get the flowers to match your entire wedding theme.


Tiara

Nothing will make you feel more like a princess that a gorgeous tiara to wear with your wedding gown. The nice thing about tiaras is you can wear it with or without a veil.


No Hairpiece

To be completely honest, sometimes the most gorgeous look is the one where you do your hair really nice and don’t worry about any hairpiece at all.

Related Questions

Do brides still wear veils over their faces? While it’s traditional for brides to wear a veil over their face for the ceremony most brides no longer keep this part of the tradition. While may still wear a veil, they don’t often cover their face.

Can the groom see the veil before the wedding? The main part of the tradition is that the groom doesn’t see the bride in her dress. However, original tradition showed that the veil was meant to keep the groom from seeing the bride.

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kristin-the-wedding-blogger-2020-300x300.png

Hi, I’m Kristin. While I haven’t found my Prince Charming yet, I’ve been dreaming of getting married for a long long time. I started this site as a place to record all the things I’ve found and researched in preparation for my own wedding someday. I can’t wait to share it all with you!

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