How did the veil become such an indispensable part of weddings? There are many theories on the origin of the veil and various reasons for wearing one. We decided to share a few.
– Evil Spirits
Ancient Greeks & Romans believed that there were evil spirits whose mission was to bring the bride bad luck. In order to protect the bride, they made her wear a wedding veil. The Roman brides wore a red veil while the Greek brides wore a yellow veil. A veil called “flammeum” was the most prominent feature of the costume worn by the bride at Roman weddings. This was said to fight off evil spirits. Some brides would wear a flame shaped veil in order to scare away any evil entities.
– Medieval Times
During Medieval times, the veil was a symbol of chastity, purity, obedience & modesty.
– Arranged Marriages
If someone had an arranged marriage, veils were used to hide the bride’s face. Superstition had it that if the groom laid eyes on the bride before the vows were said—it would bring them both bad luck.
– Not Just for Women
To this day, sometimes, men wear a “sehra” on their wedding day. This is a tradition in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The sehra is a veil covering the whole face and neck and is made from either beads, flowers, dry leaves, coconuts or tinsel. The most common is made from marigolds. The groom wears the veil throughout the day, concealing his face even during the wedding. Today, in Northern India you can see the groom arriving on a horse with a sehra wrapped around his head.
– Modern Day
Now there is a little superstitious affiliation with the veil. While some still carry out a family or religious tradition, wedding veils are predominantly used as a fashion statement. Veils come in a variety of shapes, colors, and materials – from bird cages, flyaways, chapel, blush, cathedral, etc.
The veil is still considered a fundamental part of the wedding. It’s one tradition that stuck and we don’t see this fad phasing out any time soon. Feel free to choose a veil that coordinates with your dress and personal style on your special day – a day that will be remembered forever!
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