A wedding veil -- whether it is cathedral, fingertip or birdcage length -- is an important piece of a bride's wedding attire. Most wedding veils use a simple headpiece, comb or tiara to attach the swath of fabric to the blushing bride's head. To secure your veil for all-day wear, you can use a variety of hair and beauty tools to keep the layers of tulle, chiffon or organza fabric firmly attached to your glamorous and gorgeous head of hair.
Comb
Choose a comb that complements the size and weight of the veil. A three-inch plastic or metal comb is suitable for most veil lengths. If your veil is fuller, voluminous or is cathedral length, attach the veil with a four- or five-inch metal comb.
Place the comb into your hair. If your hair is chin- or medium-length, add three or four tiny, two - to three-inch ponytails across the crown of your hair. Slide the small comb into the ponytails with the small teeth of the comb facing down. If you have long hair, create one large pin curl across the crown of the head. Secure the pin curl with large bobby pins that match your hair color. Slide the combs into the top of the pin curls and close to your scalp, to keep the veil from sliding out of your hair.
Attach the veil to a snood. If you are wearing your hair in a bun at the nape of the neck, slide a snood over the bun. Attach the veil with a comb underneath the snood.
Use three of four bobby pins to add another layer of security for the veil. Hairpins with crystal or pearl beads attached to the ends of the pins add a touch of elegance to your wedding veil. Use large-sized bobby pins to secure the small comb to your wedding hairstyle firmly.
Headband, Tiara or Barrette
Select a veil attached to a tiara. A tiara sits on top of the head, like a crown. The veil drapes behind the tiara, down the bride's back. A tiara has two small, two-inch plastic or metal combs on the ends of the half-crown pieces. Press these two combs down into your hair. Secure the combs with small bobby pins.
Wear a headband as a headpiece. A bridal headband sits in the middle of the head and features a birdcage or blusher veil that covers the bride's face. Chunky, crystal-embellished headbands flatter low-bun hairstyles. Skinny, simple versions look best on short hair and high knots. Choose a headband that is covered in fabric similar to your wedding dress or embellished with flowers, jewels or beading.
Secure the veil to your hair with a festive and jeweled barrette. Your wedding veil attaches to a straight barrette that fastens to your hair. Attach the barrette and veil to a high bun, sculpted curls or a low ponytail at the nape of the neck.
Tip
To further anchor your bridal veil and headpieces, coat a few bobby pins with hairspray, then insert them into your headpiece and hair.
If you want to detach the veil from the headpiece during the reception, opt for a breakaway veil attached to the headpiece or comb with Velcro.
If you have short hair and are wearing a birdcage veil, push a skinny one- to two-inch wide, metal headband forward, so that it lies an inch or two behind your hairline.
Warning
To prevent any wedding day hair mishaps, test your wedding veil, headpiece and bridal hairstyle with your hairstylist a minimum of one month before your wedding day.
References
Writer Bio
Mimi Abney is a lifestyle writer specializing in online content for women. Her work has appeared in NewsOK.com and "Keepsake Magazine," among other publications. With over 15 years of writing and editing experience for the web and print, Abney is also a contributor to online health, beauty and fashion publications. She holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from Spelman College.