A Deep Dive Into the Most Popular Wedding Veil Alternatives for 2025

It’s the year of the anti-veil.

Photos: Nadia Manjarrez, Hera Couture, Jenny Yoo; Design: Tiana Crispino for The Knot

Updated Dec 17, 2024

There was once a time when a wedding veil felt like an essential part of a bridal look; It was the finishing touch that, even in a dressing room, could make fiancés feel like brides and moms and BFFs begin to cry. But with the number of veil alternatives that accompanied New York Bridal Fashion Week's fall 2025 wedding dress trends, it's safe to say the sheer layers of lace and tulle are officially taking a backseat to accessories that can provide the same effect in a more modern way.

Maybe you're having the veil or no veil debate, or maybe you're looking for an of-the-moment way to elevate your ceremony look. Whatever the case may be, the wedding veil alternatives that follow are sure to please any bride looking to go the nontraditional veil route. From minimal silk neck scarves to cascading capes, detachable trains and dramatic overskirts, we're doing a deep dive into the five most popular anti-veil trends straight from the NYBFW runways—plus inspo and ideas to nail the look yourself.

In this article:

The Anti-Veil Trend
Top Wedding Veil Alternatives for 2025

The Anti-Veil Trend

Among the flurry of trending bridal accessories seen at New York Bridal Fashion Week, the anti-veil and its many iterations easily left the most lasting impression on our editors. Kerre Jo Lattanzio, Social Media Senior Associate at The Knot, noted that the trend gained major traction on social media the moment she spotted it on the runways at NYBFW. "Veil alternatives drove the most interest on social and will be making a major appearance on brides come 2025," she says. While the trend graced the runways in a variety of forms, many of which one could argue would still pair well with a traditional veil, what they all had in common was that they didn't need one to feel complete. Nadia Manjarrez, for example, topped a strapless drop-waist dress from her seventh collection with a floral-embellished, floaty tulle scarf that pooled into an elegant train. At Pronovias, the anti-veil trend appeared in the form of a long, off-the-shoulder cape bordered with a row of bold, oversized blooms. Both of these looks were, without a doubt, wedding day worthy—even without veils.

While couture bridal trends can feel unapproachable for real to-be-weds, this one is anything but. Alternative bridal veils are rooted in practicality—not just because they eliminate the need to put a metal comb into your hair, but also because they seamlessly allow for two looks in one. They can take a single dress from dramatic to minimal, provide additional warmth during outdoor ceremonies and add modest coverage for religious ones. But the anti-veil trend isn't just wearable—it's fun. "It's exciting for brides-to-be because it inspires room to play for an accessory that has, more often than not, spoken for itself and stood the test of time," Lattanzio adds. To show you what we mean, we've rounded up a list of the top five takes on the trend, along with a few shoppable products and images of brides without veils to inspire your own look.

Top Wedding Veil Alternatives for 2025

And now, the top five alternatives to wedding veils you can expect to see all over your Instagram feed come 2025.

Scarves

While scarves have been trickling into the wedding fashion scene for the past few seasons now (AnnaSophia Robb's ethereal Danielle Frankel look is a memorable one), this is the year brides will really be embracing them. The trend made a major appearance at NYBFW in the fall 2025 collections of Lihi Hod, Mark Ingram, Nadia Manjarrez, Sassi Holford and more. From long tulle versions adorned with 3D florals to simple silk and gauze options, the neck scarf is one of the most approachable takes on the anti-veil trend—its effortless drape and flowing train feel just as bridal as a traditional veil but a little less fussy than the hair accessories and strategically placed bobby pins they require.

$550 | Katherine Tash

Capes

Pronovias, Marco & María and Hera Couture are just a few of the designers that showcased wedding dress capes on the fall 2025 bridal runways, and the style variations were endless. Whether ultra-sheer, off-the-shoulder, embellished with ribbon and lace appliqués à la Naomi Biden or topped with a hood à la Lily Collins, the elegant and sophisticated vibe they each share is undeniable. One of the best things about this veil alternative is its practicality, allowing for a bit of additional warmth and coverage for virtually any wedding dress silhouette—along with an easy way to transform your look post-ceremony.

$2,990 | Danielle Frankel Studio

Jackets & Dusters

A mainstay in the collections of Alexandra Grecco and Jenny Yoo, dusters and jackets that flow into long, floaty trains have the unique ability to add sleeves and the vibe of a veil to any bridal ensemble. This is an especially fitting veil alternative for the bride who's torn between an understated look and a dramatic one, as the easy-to-wear layer can seamlessly transform even the simplest of dresses into something bold and daring. You'll find ruffly, lingerie-inspired options that double as getting-ready robes at Grace Loves Lace, while Alexandra Grecco offers sheer, ultra-detailed overlays brilliantly designed to coordinate with brooches and other outfit-making accessories.

$850 | Grace Loves Lace

$1,100 | Jenny Yoo

Detachable Trains & Skirts

With each and every Bridal Fashion Week, convertible wedding gowns only seem to become more and more innovative. We saw countless dresses from the likes of Savage and Hunt, Tony Ward La Mariée and Justin Alexander Signature completely transform with the removal of a seemingly attached train or overskirt. Whether you want to add dramatic volume or a sheer layer of length, these alternatives to veils provide a seamless way to do so. And while they can certainly still be worn with a veil, they can just as easily replace one for brides who want to keep things less complicated.

Justin Alexander Signature detachable train

Bold Bows

We're no strangers to an oversized bow, but we're also well aware that it's a daring choice for those afraid of commitment. Luckily, designers showcased detachable bows in all kinds of innovative ways at NYBFW this season—Nadia Manjarrez and WONÀ Concept flaunted theirs at the back of the neckline, while Sareh Nouri and Anne Barge chose traditional placements at the waist. Julie Vino went for a more modern approach, demonstrating her take on the trend as a chic topper that delicately drapes off the arms. But each feels similar in the way it trails behind the gown, giving the effect of a traditional veil's full and glamorous train.