Bridal Prep
Veils, Hair Accessories, and Heirloom Pieces: How to Choose Yours
From cathedral veils to a grandmother's comb, the right accessory finishes a bridal look. How to choose pieces that feel like you — and carry meaning.
Some of my favorite moments in the chair have nothing to do with hair. They happen when a bride unwraps her grandmother's comb, or lifts a cathedral veil out of its box for the first time, and the whole room goes quiet. Accessories are small things, but they carry the most weight — tradition, family, personality — and they deserve as much thought as the hairstyle itself.
The veil: an old tradition, worn your way
Veils are one of the oldest pieces of wedding attire we still wear. In ancient traditions they symbolized protection and modesty, concealing the bride until the moment of marriage. Today the meaning has softened into something more personal: a veil is romance, drama, movement in photographs. A cathedral-length veil turns a simple gown into something cinematic. A birdcage veil brings a chic, vintage sensibility. Lace edges, beading, and floral appliqués can echo details from your dress. And choosing no veil at all is just as valid — plenty of modern brides let the hair and the gown speak for themselves, and it reads as confident, not incomplete.
Accessories beyond the veil
- Hairpins and jeweled combs — the easiest way to add sparkle to an updo without overwhelming it.
- Hair vines — flexible, delicate, and beautiful woven through braids and half-up styles.
- Headbands and tiaras — a statement choice that works best when the rest of the look stays soft.
- Fresh or silk florals — romantic for garden and coastal weddings, and easy to personalize with your bouquet.
The heirloom touch
If your family has a piece — a comb, a pin, a veil worn by your mother — consider building it into your look, even in a small way. Heirloom accessories add something no boutique can sell: a thread of family history woven literally into your hair. I have tucked heirloom combs into modern low buns and re-wired vintage pins to sit securely in soft waves. Almost anything can be made to work if I see it in advance.
Whatever you choose, bring it to your bridal preview. The style, the veil placement, and the accessories should be designed together, not assembled on the morning of. When the pieces are chosen with intention, the finished look feels less like decoration and more like you — with a little history pinned in.