It is traditional to see the bride come down the aisle wearing a veil. Over the centuries, the character of the veil has changed. Frequently it has nothing to do with religious practices or faith. Instead, it usually has everything to do with fashion. An unveiled wedding event is a statement to fits own kind. What it is saying may depend upon a fad in fashion, or a revolt against tradition and/or superstition.

Veils as Symbols

A wedding veil has come to mean more than a piece of delicate and frothy lace or tulle. It is a symbol of a variety of characteristics. A bride who dons a veil has traditionally been perceived as being:

• A virgin


• Pure


• Innocent


• Untouched by any form of worldliness - not simply sexually
• Unknown

All of these traits are centuries old. They date back to early Christianity but are also found in Judaism and Islam. The Victorians are responsible for entrenching the veil as a symbol of these qualities. They also made sure that many of the superstitions remained relatively intact and were passed on with glorious style to successive generations.

Veils, Traditions and Superstitions

The earliest superstition or religious belief regarding wedding veils may be attributed to the Romans. A bride wore a veil to protect herself and her family from malevolent intent. It was felt that the Gods looking down upon the couple would become jealous and send ill fortune their way. Some equate this with the belief that the Romans feared evil spirits on this particular day.

Wearing the veil, over the centuries has come to act as a protective device against:

• Evil spirits


• The evil eye


• The devil


• Jealousy of rival spinsters


• Jealousy of witches (sometimes interchangeable with spinsters)

These were solid reasons why an unveiled wedding event was not common.

Other superstitions have arisen concerning the wearing of the veil. The groom was not to see the bride before the wedding date and even then, the wedding veil would protect him from viewing her. If he managed to do so, the legacy would be bad luck for the couple. This is a relatively new attribution that may relate to times past when a marriage was arranged. Women and men did not often see one another until the day of marriage. When the groom lifted the veil to kiss or honor the bride, he did view her for the first time. It also indicated the passing over of the female - often as property.

An exception to this rule/superstition was a second marriage. The wife-to-be was no longer a virgin. She was hardly considered innocent. Moreover, her husband-to-be would probably have met her before he proposed.

Today - Veiled or unveiled wedding event

Today, brides may wear a veil. They can also have an unveiled wedding event. The Gods are no longer said to have a say in how the marriage is to proceed. Tradition is still followed by many, but for some, they throw superstition to the wind and opt for an unveiled wedding event.