The icing on the cake

September 19, 2006 in Brides,Hairstyles with 10 Comments

Pretty as a princess, without the veil

The traditional image of the western bride has her decked out like a princess and topped with a long, flowing veil. But not every modern bride opts for a veil. It’s a choice like any other. Today’s women no longer feel the pressured to express their subordination to men through their choice of matrimonial headgear (as they would have in ancient Greece and Rome, where yellow and red were the hot bridal hues). In fact, veils only gained popularity in the U.S. in the 1700s, after a certain Miss Nelly Curtis donned one at her wedding to Major Lawrence Lewis, one of George Washington’s nephews.

Silver-tone leaves and freshwater pearls will knock your socks off.

So how can brides who choose to eschew veils top themselves off? With headbands, tiaras, and hair jewels, of course! I’m a fan of the Rosa Bella tiara from Isabelle Tiaras, which combines delicate silver-tone leaves with ivory freshwater pearl flowers. It’s less ‘in your face’ than a veil but still beautiful and feminine. And it’s great for brides with almost any length of hair!

About Christa Terry: Christa Terry is a writer and wedding and lifestyle expert whose book iDo: Planning Your Wedding with Nothing But ‘Net is a one-stop planning resource for modern, free-thinking brides and grooms. With one husband, one toddler, and more on the way – kids, not husbands – Christa somehow manages to stay on top of the tricks and trends that make getting married and living life stylish and fun.

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10 Responses to “The icing on the cake”

  1. Vis Major September 20, 2006 at 11:29 am #

    My husband had a custom tiara created for me a few years prior to our wedding (because he’s very sweet) from Chloe’s Crown.

    Brides interested in wearing a tiara but looking for a personalized style can work with the designer, Katie Schmidt Feder, to create a one-of-a-kind piece. She also has “standard” tiaras available in a range of prices and styles.

  2. Never teh Bride September 20, 2006 at 1:42 pm #

    Wow, that’s awesome, Vis. Only the coolest of guys would get his sweetheart a custom tiara!

  3. Vis Major September 20, 2006 at 2:33 pm #

    Thanks! I think he’s pretty cool. :)

  4. jenny September 21, 2006 at 12:25 pm #

    These tiara’s are a gorgeous choice—jewelery for your hair! The fresh-flowers-and-tulle creation I had to wear for my wedding (the florist and I had a code-red “communication problem” that was discovered only as I arrived to get dressed) made me look like I was either a.) on my way to the Junior Prom, with my wrist corsage strapped snugly to my head, or b.) ready to welcome summer with a frenzied jig ’round the Maypole.

  5. jenny September 21, 2006 at 12:26 pm #

    I apologize for the misplaced apostrophe above. My bad. And I only just finished reading, “Eats, Shoots & Leaves”…

  6. jenny September 21, 2006 at 12:27 pm #

    Oh no: now I’ve put a comma in the wrong place. Or did I? I think that I’m going to be permanently punctuation-paranoid from now on.

  7. Twistie September 21, 2006 at 12:52 pm #

    Damn. I’m not getting married again anytime soon (still delighted with the original model, thanks) and I never go anywhere a tiara would be appropriate, but I WANT ONE!!! Pretty!

  8. MNT September 22, 2006 at 10:57 am #

    Another classic alternative to a veil is to pin flowers in your hair. I did a single white orchid pinned in a 1940s-ish sort of way, and it looked really cool, if I do say so myself. Cheap and chic!

  9. wedding crasher poster September 26, 2006 at 11:38 pm #

    You certainly are on a drum roll. Keep drumming!

  10. Sarah June 26, 2010 at 10:53 pm #

    Agreed, the flower and pin is still elegant and very cost efficient(cheap).
    Tiaras will be around for a while and they do look fabulous when matched to the dress