White, Diamond White, and Ivory, Oh My!
The bridal industry can present many confusing options to the newly engaged bride. Once the dress had been chosen, a bride might wish to purchase a veil somewhere other than the bridal salon to save money. But what color to order? With the many color names and veil fabric options, ordering a veil online can seem intimidating. These guidelines will allow a bride to navigate the confusing terminology of bridal accessories and find the perfect match.
White Wedding Veils
White seems pretty simple, right? Not really. Only choose a white veil if the wedding gown is made from a synthetic material. If the gown is silk, a true white veil, made from synthetic bridal illusion (the most common veil material), will not match. Real silks, like real pearls, don’t come in true white. Instead, it’s a slightly warmer, more natural color. It may look like pure white to the eye—until it’s held up next to the true white of a white bridal illusion veil.
Any silk tulle wedding veil will be either silk white/diamond white (even if it is just labeled “white”), or ivory. It is impossible to buy a true white silk bridal veil.
Diamond White Bridal Veils
The color of bridal illusion called “diamond white” was created to match the slightly warmer color of real silk gowns. If the wedding gown is made from real silk and the designer calls the color “white,” then diamond white is the color of veil needed to match the gown. If the wedding gown color is called “candlelight,” “warm white,” “oyster,” or “silk white,” regardless of what fabric the gown is made from, the appropriate veil color is diamond white.
Ivory Wedding Veils
Ivory is pretty straightforward. If the dress designer calls the color of the gown “ivory,” an ivory veil should be bought to match the gown. Here’s where it gets tricky. Some ivory gown is such a very light ivory color, that brides fool themselves into thinking that an ivory veil will look too yellow against their light ivory gowns. Not so. Stick to ivory, no matter how pale the ivory of the gown is. Ivory bridal illusion is typically very light ivory, and the fabric is extremely sheer, but any ivory gown needs the warmth of true ivory tulle to look right.
These days, wedding dresses are available in a much larger range of colors than in past decades. Shell pink, dark ivory, and even bold colors like red are available. In these cases, it is best to consult with a custom veil maker to determine what veil color will look best with the rest of the ensemble.
Request a Tulle Sample
If there’s any doubt or confusion, request a tulle sample. Many veil manufacturers, especially those who specialize in quality, handcrafted veils, are happy to provide fabric samples so brides can be certain that the fabric will match the gown. This is especially important when dealing with high-end fabrics like silk tulle, which aren’t available from most veil designers, and typically can’t be seen in person at the bridal salon.
