Veil Terminology: the 4th in our series of expert Veil advice from Lead Designer Justine M

If you are veil shopping then you know a girl can become a tiny bit overwhelmed by all the various terms being thrown around: butterfly, waterfall, cascade, fingertip and more.

Veils have been around for a very long time with many centuries of style changes and additions so here's a little Veil 101 cheat sheet for you to help you along...

Butterfly: Oval-shaped and folded in half. Ribbon edging follows a crescent shape rather than a straight line.

Cage: A small veil that just wraps around the head, often ending at the chin and usually made from Russian tulle which has a very wide aperture

Cascade: Two or more layers of various lengths.Can do double duty as a blusher. Bottom layer(s) can act as "petticoat(s)", fluffing out top veil. The more layers the less translucent [or opaque] the effect.

Cathedral: Falls 3-1/2 yards from the headpiece (that's 11 1/2 dramatic feet of length!)

Chapel: A yard shorter than a cathedral veil. Often worn with a sweep train to give the illusion of a longer train.

Elbow: A blusher that goes to your elbows.

Fingertip: The veil touches the tips of your fingers, a length that often works with ball gowns.

Flyaway: Touches or just covers shoulders. 

Mantilla: A long, Spanish-style, circular piece of lace that frames the face. Can be attached to a high metal armature and is usually secured with a comb. The fabric is often lace or lace-edged tulle. 

For more beautiful veils take a look at our best selling Justine M Couture veils.