Selecting the perfect bridal hairstyle that elegantly incorporates a veil can be a more intricate decision than many brides anticipate. A veil is a distinctive accessory, often unfamiliar in daily wear, requiring careful consideration of how it will drape and blend with your hair. While many opt for an updo to elegantly sweep hair away from the face and create a polished aesthetic, others may prefer to celebrate their hair's natural flow, positioning the veil atop their crown as their tresses gracefully fall over their shoulders.
Discovering Your Perfect Veil-Adorned Bridal Look
For brides seeking inspiration to flawlessly style this essential wedding accessory, the celebrated weddings featured in Vogue offer a wealth of ideas. Numerous brides have beautifully demonstrated how to integrate veils into a variety of hairstyles, accommodating nearly every hair length and fashion preference. Here, we delve into diverse veil-embellished coiffures to inspire your special day.
1. The Refined Low Chignon with a Central Part
For a sleek and impeccably smooth updo that pairs seamlessly with a veil, draw inspiration from Sofia Richie’s wedding day look. The bride showcased a neat low chignon, with her hair precisely parted down the center and meticulously pulled back. This bun design provides a stable base for a veil’s comb to be discreetly and securely tucked in.
2. The Voluminous Sock Bun
For those blessed with abundant hair, leverage your thick strands to create a grand, voluminous sock bun at the back of your head. We particularly admire how this chignon, while concealed, adds structure to the placement of a bride's mantilla veil at her Montecito wedding. Moreover, it can stand alone as a striking statement once the veil is removed.
3. The Flowing Back Braid
At fashion designer Sandy Liang’s New York City nuptials, the bride chose a thick braid cascading down her back, accompanied by her veil, as she made her way to the after-party. This style is a charming choice for a bohemian bride desiring her hair to subtly peek through a sheer tulle veil.
4. The Elegant Twisted Chignon
A twisted chignon offers a versatile coiffure that can beautifully transition through your wedding day, much like it did for bride Rhiannon at her Lisbon celebration. It serves as an excellent anchor for a long veil secured with a comb, later transforming into a chic, refined style for the reception.
5. Chignon with Delicately Framing Tendrils
If you desire an updo with your veil but prefer not to have your hair entirely slicked back, consider Mari Fonseca’s approach at her beach wedding. She allowed a few face-framing pieces to softly fall forward. Achieve a polished finish by first blowing out your hair, then using a curling wand on these front sections.
6. Down with Gently Brushed-Out Curls
An updo isn't a prerequisite for wearing a veil. If you adore wearing your long hair down, you can still effortlessly incorporate a flowing piece of tulle. To infuse your look with romance, style your hair in loose curls and gently brush them out to create soft, voluminous waves.
7. Loose Updo Showcasing Natural Curls
Bride Megan Thomas let her natural curls add captivating movement and volume to her wedding day appearance, allowing them to flow from her updo. Positioning her veil comb at the base of the style ensured her curls remained visible throughout the ceremony.
8. The Sculptural Layered Chignon
Brides with lengthy hair have the opportunity to create sculptural updos beneath their veils. At Sara Worth Mullally’s wedding, her hair was elegantly twisted into two layered chignons along the crown of her head. This layered design provided a perfect foundation for her ruffled veil to cascade gracefully to the ground.
9. Down with a Dramatic Deep Side Part
At Venus Williams’s Florida wedding, she opted for a Hollywood wave style with a deep side part, neatly tucked behind her ear. This look keeps her locks sleek, smooth, and off her face, while providing an exquisite frame for a veil positioned at the crown of her head.
10. The Wrapped Chignon
Your chosen hairstyle doesn't always have to be hidden by your veil. At Josephine Skriver’s celebration, her updo—a bun intricately wrapped with twisted hair—took center stage, with her veil pinned beneath the chignon for added attention.
11. French Twist with Soft Face-Framing Bangs
Seeking an alternative to the classic chignon? Consider a French twist beneath your veil. Bride Lillian Myer wore her hair rolled into this sophisticated style for her wedding day, with her veil pinned atop. She left a few loose bang pieces in the front to softly frame her face.
12. Long and Naturally Textured
Bride Tish Weinstock adopted a gothic aesthetic for her wedding day ensemble, featuring a Juliette cap veil with a blusher that enveloped her head. Instead of elaborate styling, she allowed her long hair to retain its natural texture and fullness beneath.
13. Long, Straight Blowout
For a more refined feel, look to Olivia Culpo’s wedding hairstyle. The bride’s hair was meticulously blown out to be long and straight, with subtle movement at the ends. Starting the day with a blowout and her veil allowed for effortless transitions to a half-up look at the reception and a ponytail later in the evening.
14. The Low Braided Updo
Infuse a classic chignon with intrigue by first braiding your strands. We admire how Juno Wheeler styled a wrapped braid at the base of her head, with bangs gently framing her face during her celebration. Although this bride did not wear a veil, such a style would easily accommodate one above the braided chignon.
15. The Loose Curled Updo
Actress Sarah Hyland embraced an effortlessly chic look for her wedding day. Loose, styled curls gracefully flowed from the front section of her crown, while a relaxed chignon was tucked beneath her veil. This style is perfect for adding whimsical romance to a bridal look.
16. The Braided Bun
If you adore a full bun but wish to add a unique touch, consider a braided bun. Bride Carly Cucco chose this style for her wedding day, securing her veil comb just above the wrapped braids to ensure it remained perfectly in place throughout the evening.
17. The Extra-Low Chignon
Another option for a wedding day chignon is to create volume and depth at the nape of your neck. Bride Oleema Miller gathered her locks into a neat, yet not overly tight, chignon that kept her hair off her face. Pinning her veil above this style created a breathtaking photograph as it billowed in the wind.
18. The Twisted Back Chignon
The twists within a chignon needn't be confined solely to the knot itself. Vogue contributing editor Eaddy Kiernan added visual interest by twisting her hair back along the sides of her head, lending a dynamic feel to the style. This coiffure peeked through a blusher veil during her ceremony.
19. The Elegant Curled Ponytail
If you prefer your hair long and loose, but also desire it to be swept back for your wedding day, consider a styled ponytail with your veil. Model Kate Bock wore this elegant style for her New York City wedding. Curling the strands that flowed from the ponytail added a refined touch to the overall look.
20. The Loose Half-Up Style
Lauren Rothberg also embraced a relaxed aesthetic at her California nuptials. The bride wore a half-up, half-down style to keep her hair partially off her face, while allowing loose, blown-out front pieces to cascade gracefully in front of her veil.
21. Half-Up with Delicately Framing Strands
For a look that is polished yet not overly rigid, take inspiration from Taylor Hill. She pulled her hair back behind her veil while allowing two strands to delicately frame her face. A clean central parting also contributed to the balanced aesthetic.
22. Naturally Curly Chignon Adorned with Baby's Breath
Incorporating hair accessories alongside your veil is a wonderful idea. Bride Adriana Diaz enhanced a chignon crafted from her natural texture with sprigs of baby's breath. By pinning her veil beneath the knot, she ensured that both adornments were beautifully showcased without overlapping.
23. Half-Up, Half-Down with Bangs and Baby's Breath
Singer Carly Rae Jepsen also wore baby's breath in her hair at her New York wedding. She integrated it into a half-up, half-down hairstyle that allowed her bangs to fall forward, with her veil securely fastened with a comb where her hair was gathered.
24. Messy Half-Back Bouffant
At her Halloween wedding, Rainey Qualley infused her bridal hairstyle with drama and ease by pulling her naturally wavy hair half-back. She teased the crown to create a subtle bouffant, adding extra volume and a touch of vintage charm.
25. Twisted Chignon with a Deep Side Part
For her nuptials, Huma Abedin chose a sophisticated low chignon, featuring intricate twists that complemented her veil. The embroidered tulle accessory was placed at the top of her crown, while a deep side part with ample volume elegantly framed her face.
26. Natural Wave with a Side Part
At Serena Marron’s farm wedding, she wore her hair close to its natural texture. Her hair was styled with a defined side part, flowing in soft waves behind her veil. A touch of frizz-eliminating product can perfect this effortlessly elegant look.
27. Glamorous Hollywood Waves
Singer Demi Lovato embraced a glamorous aesthetic with her Hollywood waves hairstyle at her Los Angeles wedding. A deep side part and bouncy waves with smooth volume gave this look a timeless and polished appeal.
28. Low Voluminous Bun with a Barrette
A jeweled barrette is another stunning accessory to pair with a veil. At Madison Utendahl’s wedding, she attached a veil to a decorative clip specifically for her walk down the aisle. The delicate tulle was later removed to reveal her exquisite pearl-accented barrette.
29. Natural Curls
Diotima designer Rachel Scott wore her hair down, showcasing her natural texture, on her wedding day. A delicate, woven veil allowed her defined curls to shine through and softly frame her face.
30. Braided Half-Up, Half-Down Hair
At her Sicily wedding, bride Luisa Beccaria had her curly hair tied back with two rows of braids that converged into a single braid down her back. This bohemian-inspired look was later tucked beneath a hooded veil for her walk down the aisle, to be fully revealed at the wedding reception.
Preparing for your wedding day involves countless decisions, and your hairstyle, especially when paired with a veil, is a pivotal one. The insights shared from these real brides provide a fantastic starting point for envisioning your own perfect look. Whether you lean towards a classic updo, a romantic cascade of curls, or a bohemian braid, remember that the goal is to enhance your natural beauty and complement your chosen veil. Experiment with different styles during your hair trials, and don’t be afraid to mix and match elements. The key is to find a style that makes you feel comfortable, confident, and utterly radiant on your special day. Ultimately, your wedding day is a celebration of your unique love story, and your bridal look should reflect your personal style and bring you joy.