While wedding veils are specifically worn for the ceremony, you will choose at which point in the day you want to remove it. Historically, wedding veils were used for religious ceremonies to represent modesty & purity. With the evolution of fashion, veils are now an accessory that highlight the personal style and femininity of each bride. Deciding which photos you want taken with a veil determine how long it is worn. Here are the 3 popular times to remove your veil:

immediately after ceremony

Have your veil carefully removed immediately after the ceremony, before you take photos. Some brides prefer this option when they already wore the veil during first-look photos or they want immediate family portraits without the veil. A variation is to also remove it ½ through portraits of you and your husband. For those who don’t do a first look, this allows you to have a few romantic veil shots but not every portrait wearing one.

before reception entrance

After taking all of your post-ceremony photos (and formal portraits). Your group photos are taken during the cocktail hour. The veil can be removed when your dress is bustled— right before the grand entrance into the reception.

after newlywed first dance

Your veil would be worn from before the ceremony all the way through the newlywed dance. For shorter veils this works perfectly fine. For longer veils, draped over your arm. Your first dance would have to be a simple sway or 2-step. A choreographed dance or one in which the bride is spun is not ideal with this selection.

In conclusion, there are several points on your wedding day to remove your veil. There is no “wrong time”. Choosing when is entirely up to the bride.

Cover Photo: Duke Photography