How to Wear a Long Wedding Veil for your Outdoor Ceremony
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Can you safely wear a long wedding veil if you are getting married outside? Many brides who are tying the knot outdoors worry that it will be too windy to wear a long and flowy wedding veil. My cathedral veil might get dirty, I won't be able to move around freely etc. And the list of concerns goes on.
Some bridal industry experts will caution you against wearing a long veil for your outdoor ceremony. But I think that wearing a long and dramatic cathedral veil is totally possible if you plan in advance. The proof is in the hundreds of brides I have worked with who have worn long veils for their outdoor weddings.
Follow these Tips to Wear a Long Bridal Veil for your Outdoor Ceremony (No Veil Fails Here!)
Designate a "Wardrobe Helper"
Choose a bridesmaid, flower girl, or really just anyone who will be at the ceremony to be your designated "wardrobe and veil helper". They will be in charge of helping you arrange your long veil and making sure that you are situated properly for all those photos that will be taken. If your dress has a long train, then they can also help you with this. If you are walking on rocky ground, they can help carry your veil and the train of your dress so that you don't get caught on any sharp edges. Check out the photos below to see how these cute flower girls save the day for these outdoor rustic ceremonies.
Tuck and Hold
If it is windy, tuck the sides of the veil under your arms against your body so that it doesn't blow around. Or, you can gently hold the veil in your hands as you see in the photo below. If the weather really starts misbehaving, then you can also loop the veil over your arm.
Veil Weights
Magnetic veil weights are especially good for long veils that are super light and that may be at greater risk of blowing around. They can easily be attached to the edges of your veil, and they come in pretty designs such as pearls or rhinestones. So you add a bit of sparkle to your veil while ensuring that it behaves! Watch the video below to see how easy they are to attach to your veil.
Get 2 veils
You can have a shorter one that you wear all ceremony and reception, but you can dedicate a longer veil for some of those stunning long veil photos. A side benefit is that you basically get 2 different wedding day looks!
Bobby Pins
Secure the comb of your long veil to your hair with a few extra bobby pins to be safe. Your veil may need a bit of extra reinforcement depending on just how windy it gets. We don't want your veil to accidentally get pulled out if it gets a bit windy.
Common Concerns about wearing a long veil outside
It will get too dirty
Yes, your veil may get a bit dirty, but no more so than the train of your dress. You can have your veil cleaned in the same way that you clean your wedding dress, and some wedding dress cleaners will even throw this in for no extra charge if you are having your wedding dress preserved. So while you may end up with a random leaf or twig catching in your veil as you walk down the aisle, it is so worth it when you consider those wedding pics that you will treasure for a lifetime!
A long veil will be too hard to manage
Your long veil actually won't be any more difficult to manage than the train on your dress (especially if it only extends several inches past your train). Your veil will lay on top of your dress train as you walk, so it won't make walking or moving around more complicated.
However, I do have a caveat. if you have a dress without a train, then your veil won't have any fabric from your dress to "sit" on top of as you move around. So you will have to pick it up as you move around. But if all else fails, just loop your veil over your arm as you walk!
A long veil will fall out of my hair
Most veils come with a comb attached. Secure the comb into your hairstyle (updos, half-up, or loose styles). Since you will be exposed to more elements when outside, it is important to reinforce the veil with bobby pins around the comb to ensure it stays put. Doing a hairstyle with braids is a clever way of getting it to stay in place no matter what.
Don't sacrifice the magical veil of your dreams just because of some wind! If you want to find out if a long or short veil is better for your wedding dress, then make sure to check out the article here.
