Many Rebecca Anne brides have made the exciting decision to get married abroad, and I have the joy of creating bespoke veil designs for weddings all across our beautiful world. If you are heading to your destination wedding and wondering about the safest way to travel with your wedding veil (and all-important outfit, of course), I’ve got you covered. Together with The Stars Inside’s Valentina Ring, I have put together a guide to ensuring your veil looks as enchanting on your wedding day as it does when it leaves my studio.
As an international wedding planner who values big dreams and intentional experiences, Valentina is an expert in destination weddings that defy the everyday. She knows that the little details are where the true magic lies, so she was the perfect person to ask about travelling with your wedding veil. We explore:
“Wedding veils are much more resistant to international travel than one might expect!”
-Valentina
Packing To Travel With Your Wedding Veil
When you receive your veil you’ll get a keepsake box for aftercare, veil bag, clip hook hanger and garment hanger, and you can use all these things to help you safely transport your tailor made accessory safely to your wedding.
Your veil arrives carefully folded in tissue within the keepsake box. I highly recommend that you take it out, unfold it and thoroughly enjoy the moment of laying eyes on your design in real life for the first time! Once you’ve spent some time basking in the grand unveiling, you have a couple of options for packing it away again.
One option is to carefully fold your veil long-ways to hang over the bar of the hanger I provided. Just ensure you go slowly and carefully when looping it through, as your veil is made of soft, delicate tulle. When folding, ensure each fold is nice and flat. Any scrunches within the folds make it far more likely to crease. You can then safely hide it away in your Rebecca Anne Designs garment bag, which has a loop on the bottom for gently folding it up in half.
You can also choose to hang your veil with your dress in the same bag, which will mean it develops a few more creases - but worry not, we’ll tell you how to get those out in the final section of the blog!
Real bride Natalie in Brazil. Photography by Gaby Bolivar Weddings
“If you opt for this solution”, says Valentina, “just make sure the veil is in a plastic bag (like a drycleaning wrap for example) or wrapped in something that will protect it from snagging on any beading from your dress.”.
Finally, making use of your Rebecca Anne Designs keepsake box is another great option for safe travel with your wedding veil. Valentina’s advice is: “I suggest wrapping it in white tissue paper, and folding it gently along its length, and then along the width, as many times as needed. If you have a solid box for it, that works very well in preventing it getting crushed.”
Travelling With Your Wedding Veil On A Plane
Some of the world’s most incredible, soul-lighting destinations can only be reached by plane, and it might feel daunting preparing to travel with your wedding veil by air.
The first thing both Valentina and I wholeheartedly agree on is this: do not be tempted to check in your wedding dress and veil as hold luggage! It just provides extra peace of mind, allowing you to keep a close eye on your precious cargo and removing any danger of lost-luggage drama to start your wedding trip.
Real bride Aigerim in Italy. Photography by Alex Wysocki
Talk to your airline about their hand luggage policies, making sure you have a plan for storing your veil once on board. There may be room to lie it flat in an overhead compartment, and sometimes long-haul flights even have closet space. It’s always worth notifying your airline ahead of time and then mentioning again that you’re travelling with your wedding outfit on the day, as the crew are often able to assist you. I have known some air stewards to kindly hang garments in the staff area of the plane for my brides!
It’s not unheard of for brides to purchase an extra seat for their dress, though it’s just as safe to carefully roll it into a small suitcase for your hand luggage - you won’t break your veil, promise.
How To Prepare Your Veil For Wearing On Arrival
Now the excitement is starting to fizz, and as Valentina says on her website “it’s time to explore, it’s kisses in the sunlight, it’s permission to go barefoot…it’s that magic that happens when you’re somewhere new, when you’re not wearing your watch.” - the last thing you need to be worrying about is whether your veil is in good condition or not!
We have to be realistic, and the nature of fabric means your veil will likely crease at least a little on its travels. Have a think in advance about your end destination so you feel calm and organised. Does the place you’re staying or getting ready have a steamer? Could your wedding planner suggest a local dry cleaners or even a boutique that could be asked to steam it for you? You could even pack your own steamer - there are so many good handheld ones available now. Look out for a powerful one with a long lead to give you plenty of space to move around.
Real bride Paige in Marrakech. Photography by Courtney Marie Photography
Valentina: “Once you arrive at your wedding destination, I suggest unpacking the veil as soon as you can to give it a chance to unfold and drop its creases naturally. If possible, I'd recommend using a clothes hanger (a velvet or soft padded one if possible!) and hanging it from a door frame, window frame, or curtain pole with enough height to keep the train off the floor. If you can hang it safely in or near a bathroom, the steam from your hot shower will help loosen wrinkles even further.”
How to safely steam a veil:
If you have time before you travel with your wedding veil, have a practise run at home first to alleviate any pressure of the unknown. Hang the comb end of your veil over the hanger, or use the small silver clip hook I gave you. Then simply run the steamer from edge to edge all over, leaving the veil out to cool once you’re finished.
Valentina: “When steaming it, drape it gently over one or two clothes hangers, and make your way from bottom to top slowly. If the veil has any appliques, decorative materials (like pearls), or dye, make sure that you don't use your steamer too close to the fabric, or on too hot a setting, as that can melt any glue that has been used and discolour the delicate fabric.”
Another great reminder from Valentina is that your veil will move with you once you are wearing it, meaning that any remaining creases are actually quite hard to see.
“The most important wrinkles to tackle are the ones near your face, and near the edges of the hem, as those will be the most visible in photographs. Generally speaking, veils are very quick and easy to steam!”
Real bride Jactina in Australia. Photography by Alana Taylor.
Final reminders:
Despite being made of delicate fabric with precise bespoke detailing, your veil is more resilient than you think. Following our guidelines for packing and steaming should ensure no problems!
If you have one of my Organza, Pearl or Pleat veil designs or a bow or ribbon in duchess satin, take care with your steamer around the areas of detailing. Feel free to ask me for specific advice on these styles!
To travel with your wedding veil is to wear a one-of-a-kind heirloom accessory on one of your most special days so, if you’re worrying about the practicalities, remember to focus on the bigger picture
Don’t forget to send me your destination wedding pictures - I love to see my growing collection of globetrotting veils!
If you’re eloping, you might want to take a look at these 12 wanderlust veil designs that are perfect for overseas weddings. When you’re ready to start designing your dream wedding accessory, I’ll be thrilled to hear from you.
With huge thanks to Valentina Ring | The Stars Inside
Comments