To wear a veil

The history and reasons behind wearing a veil is a varied and colourful one, dating back to the Greeks. They believed that a veil would protect a bride from evil spirits. Brides – being especially beautiful – was seen as a temptation for evil. In the Middle Ages, women covered their heads as a sign of modesty and to be valued for their minds and character and not their looks.

This then lead to a veil being a status symbol for the nobility. Only a refined and civilized person would wear one to protect their skin from the sun and elements. The veil was also a sign of meekness as the bride would bow her head in prayer. So as the wedding turned from a pagan ceremony to a religious one, the veil became a symbol of modesty and obedience.

In arranged marriages it was not considered good luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony – he might get a fright and run away. So the bride was unveiled at the altar as soon as the vows were said – sorry buddy you are in it now!

The veil and bouquet became part of wedding attire and until recently wedding attire was not complete without one.  Then brides realized that there was a lot of thought and money in a veil and it was only worn for a very short period in the wedding: down the aisle and then the unveiling is done. Many brides opted to go without a veil as they saw it as old-fashioned.

I still love a veil for a very different reason: photography. Nothing adds more mystery, softness and a feeling of the ethereal than a veil flowing around the bride. The pictures have a feeling of movement to a photo. It is a very good prop to use and does not need to stay attached to your hair: you can hold it in your hands or wear it around you.

There are many types of veils to choose from. Firstly it should complement your dress style, so it works best if your dress has already been chosen before deciding on your veil style. Then you can decide what will suit your personal style and the theme or style of your wedding. There are long cathedral style 3.6m) or chapel (2.7m) veils longer than the train, loose simple veils that are floor length (sweep veil) or finger length, and shoulder length (flyaways). Veils can have lots of embroidery and lace all over or just along the edges. It can be attached with combs, pins, hairclips or decorative bands.

A few daring brides may like a homage to the 90s styled huge veils as worn by Princess Diana at her wedding, or a bohemian bride will go for a skullcap or cloche type veil.  The more modern veils are birdcages and facinators with a short piece over the face or eyebrow.

Whichever style you may consider, a veil adds a bridal touch to a dress and forms part of the total picture. Happy veil hunting!