A Wedding Woods Look at The Evolution of the Bridal Veil

Posted by Tricia Spencer Nov 8, 2009

It's natural to wonder where certain wedding tradtions originated, and though some can never be pinpointed exactly, legends survive from century to century.

Nearly every bride wears a bridal veil, and the veil can be short or long, simple or adorned, single layer or as fluffy as can be. But it may be surprising to learn that the bridal veil has some not so pleasant intents lurking about in its history.

Long, long ago, during the reign of the Roman Empire, bridal veils were carefully measured to cover the bride from head to foot. Why? So she could be buried in it, of course. Indeed, bridal veils doubled as burial shrouds, and no bride wanted to wind up with a too-short veil that would leave her toes exposed when she was laid to rest. It may not have been a very happy thought for a wedding day, but it must have been a frugal cost saver.

In some cultures, the bridal veil was required to be so thick and opaque that it completely obscured the bride's face. The groom had never seen his intended, and it was thought prudent to keep his "surprise" under wraps. Early knowledge that his bride might not be his cup of tea could make a groom flee before the deed was done. And while the groom may have been in for a shock, imagine the poor bride peering out between gossamer threads to discover that her soon-to-be husband was three times her age and sporting two whole teeth and a nose that could lovingly be called the Horn of Plenty. Yet no one draped a concealing veil over the groom's eagle-beaked head. Women simply had no say in the matter.

Fortunately times and attitudes have changed, and bridal veils have changed with them. Now those lovely veils are not about concealing anyone's face, looking ahead to one's deathbed, or any other non-elegant reason. Today, bridal veils are all about beauty and a bride's personal expression--just as they should be.

Thanks for visiting the "Wedding Woods." If planning your own wedding, be sure to check out my latest wedding planning articles. I hope you find them helpful.

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