One of the biggest parts of planning your wedding is deciding what to wear. Beyond the gown itself, brides need all the right accessories, including headpieces, sets of pearl bridal jewelry, and shoes. The most iconic bridal accessory of all is the veil. Once a given, now many brides are unsure about whether or not to wear one for their wedding day. This article answers the question: Why wear a bridal veil?

Tradition. You may not think of yourself as a particularly traditional person, but the fact is that many, many of the things which are done in most weddings are there because of long-standing customs. The long white gowns, the pearl bridal jewelry sets, the exchanging of wedding rings, the ringing of church bells, and the cutting of the wedding cake are just a few of the many parts of a wedding which are rich with tradition. For many women, this is reason enough to wear a bridal veil. Besides, think of how happy it will make your mother!

Religion. In certain religious wedding ceremonies, such as an Orthodox Jewish wedding, a veil is a required part of the bridal attire. Other religions may not officially require that a bride be veiled, but it is generally expected as part of a formal church service. Keep in mind that unless specifically required by your religion, a bride can choose to wear a veil in the back without the blusher. In many cases, it is the feeling of the tulle right in front of her eyes that makes a veil feel uncomfortable to a bride, whereas a simple veil in the back can be so light that you barely even feel it. A veil can also make a strapless wedding gown feel a bit more covered up, which is nice for a wedding in a house of worship, even when bare shoulders are permitted.

It Screams “Bride”. Even more than the long white gown, a veil simply says “bride”. Putting one on can mean the difference between feeling like a woman in a beautiful dress and truly feeling like a bride. If you ever watch any of the wedding gown shopping shows on television, time and time again you will hear brides-to-be say, “Now I feel like a bride” when they try on a veil for the first time. So if you are even remotely considering wearing one, go ahead and do it for the ceremony. You can always remove it for the reception.

Style. A veil is another accessory that you can use to make your entire bridal ensemble more beautiful. You can dress up a simple wedding gown by adding a veil with crystal or lace accents. Or you may wish to select a veil with embroidery that coordinates with the embellishments on your gown to create a very rich effect. A little shortie veil can be worn to play up the vintage flavor of a 1950s inspired wedding dress. There are so many styles, lengths, and details available that you can really change up your whole look depending on which one you pair with your wedding gown.

You only get one chance to be a bride and wear a veil (they are really only supposed to be worn by first time brides, after all). Why not go all in by wearing a lovely veil on your wedding day? Your groom will delight in seeing you walk down the aisle looking every bit the radiant bride on that special day. Besides that, a soft layer of tulle framing the face always makes a woman look extra beautiful, which in my book is reason enough to add a bridal veil to your list of “must have” wedding accessories.