The Story Behind a Bride’s Veil: Are veils outdated?

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Brides have been wearing veils on their wedding day for centuries. As a wedding coordinator, I have seen my fair share of veils. 

Over 50% of brides still wear veils on their wedding day. The history of the veil dates back to Europe, Asia, and Africa between 1400 and 1100 BC. A veil is a fabric that covers a bride’s head and face and originated as a sign of respect and protection. 

Want to know more about a veil? Here is helpful information you may have always wondered about so you can make a decision.

What Was the Original Purpose of a Wedding Veil?

Elite women in the Greek and Persian empires wore veils to signify their high social status and respect. Depending on the woman’s class in society, this determined if a veil would be worn. 

Historians believe the practice of a bride wearing a veil at a wedding ceremony was to cast away evil spirits.

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Note: Wearing a black veil at a funeral symbolizes death and the loss of a loved one. The veil also helps shield sadness.  

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Why is the Bride on the Left & the Groom on the Right?

I used to get this question a lot from couples and their families. The theory dates back to when men carried swords during the Renaissance period. A groom would have a sword fastened on his right side and keep his right hand free (note: being left-handed during the Middle Ages was not accepted). Therefore, a man could draw his sword and protect his bride from danger. 

What Does Wedding Veil Mean in the Bible?

The bridal veil is a sign of purity and devotion to God and the church. Removing the veil is a reminder of Christ dying on the cross for our sins and the separation from God.

Survey Chart

I took a survey with 50 brides on what kind of veil they wore on their wedding day in 2021, and these were the results:

What Does Lifting the Veil Symbolize?

A blusher veil is a layer of sheer fabric covering the bride’s face before being given away to the groom. The symbolic act of lifting the veil consummates the marriage and the vows between a couple.

Story Time Wedding

In 2018, I coordinated a wedding during the summer where both the ceremony and the reception were held outside. The bride wore a beautiful veil that was elbow length. After the ceremony, the couple took photos on the golf course while guests enjoyed cocktail hour.

The photographer had the couple pose near a lake, but it wasn’t sunset yet. I was standing about eight feet away, observing and waiting patiently for my orders from the photographer since he didn’t come with an assistant.

As I watched the photographer continue taking shots of the couple, I noticed something buzzing around the bride’s head. The groom also saw this, then waved his hand and swatted toward the little pest with wings. It seemed to do the trick, but seconds later, the bride shrieked!

Next, the bride shook her body like one of those inflatable tube men you might see in a parking lot sale. Keep in mind, a bride crying or screaming is in my top 25 most dreaded experiences (right after nails on a chalkboard and a brain freeze).

The flying insect was actually a bee and flew right up inside the bride’s veil and was now trapped there. We managed to contain the bride for about 5 seconds while the photographer, groom, and myself removed the veil from the bride’s head while keeping the bee enclosed inside the veil. Fortunately, no one was stung, the crisis was diverted, and the wedding photos continued as scheduled.

Conclusion

When considering a veil or no veil, think about how you want to wear your hair. This will help you decide on which direction to go. In addition, if the ceremony is outside, this can make wearing a veil a bit tricky, depending on the wind level. However, photo images with a veil can enhance your wedding pictures.

Veils are not outdated since over 50% of brides still opt to wear one on their wedding day.

~ Happy planning and enjoy your wedding day steps ~