Wedding veils have evolved into a bit of a fashion item for brides in recent times. However, as you try to choose your wedding veil from elegant blusher veils, long and sweeping cathedral veils or cute little birdcage veils, have you ever wondered why brides wear veils on their wedding day? Read on below for an insight into this wedding tradition.
Why Brides Wear Veils On Their Wedding Day?
Veils have had many different associations since ancient times. In some Asian cultures, they are associated with modesty especially in religious places. In ancient Rome and Greece, it was a symbol of subordination of a man to a woman and in the cases of courtesans, it was a symbol of mystery and sensuality. How then did veils feature in a wedding?
Marriage in olden times was usually arranged and often, the groom never saw his bride till the wedding night! As it was considered bad luck for the bride to be seen by the groom before the wedding ceremony, brides were always veiled in long veils which usually totally covered their faces.
In many ancient cultures, evil spirits were always thought to be jealous of marriages as it was a happy occasion. Hence, the veil acted as a form of protection for the bride. By covering her face, evil spirits will not recognise her and will not be able to wreck her married life.
The lifting of the veil by the groom symbolized male dominance or the groom taking possession of his bride. Interestingly, if the bride chose to lift her veil herself to present herself to the groom, it showed that she was a lot more independent! Point to note for modern brides!
Are Wedding Veils Always White?
Wedding veils today are usually white in Western weddings to match the wedding gown and to symbolise purity and virginity. However, in other cultures, veils have always been brightly coloured, usually red, to symbolise the happy occasion.
Chinese brides who wear the traditional Chinese qun kwa often top it off with the traditional Chinese veil which features a thick red square cloth which covers their faces. Luckily most veils today are see-through otherwise brides might have some nasty accidents!
There are a myriad of wedding veils to choose from today to suit your wedding gown and theme. Veils add elegance, grace and a touch of mystery to the beautiful bride and make wonderful potrait shots!
With Love,
Elle
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