Historical Bridal Wear Veils

Many hundreds of years ago, weddings were not so focused on wedding gowns as they are in today's times; rather, it was the wedding veil that held a huge significance in any wedding ceremony. Different cultures have had different styles and relevance for covering a bride's face over the years.

A Roman bride of ancient times wore a flame colored veil called the flammeum which was a symbol of intent to remain wedded for life. The bride's hair was also styled to ward off evil spirits; for this purpose, hair was bound with a spear head and set into six locks- sign of being a respectable wife. That the veil was a critical element in Roman weddings can be realized from the fact that the word 'nuptial' is derived from 'nubo', which means 'I veil myself'.

 It was a strongly held belief in most Eastern countries that women attracted evil spirits, and veils were a means to protect them. A Chinese bride walked under an umbrella for similar reasons. This custom continued  over centuries and evolved to represent a woman's modesty and purity.

In a traditional Christian wedding, the bride wore their hair long and flowing at the back as a symbol of their virginity. The concept of veils was introduced to the European culture much later by the Crusaders who invaded the the Far East. As part of earlier European custom, the bride was bargained for through the father and was masked under a veil; the veil was removed only after the marriage ceremony was over.

Another tradition of early European weddings was placing a cloth over both bride and groom during the wedding ceremony. It is a popular belief that the  wearing a wedding veil is a remnant of an ancient custom wherein a groom would throw a blanket over a women he chooses to marry and then take her hand.

A wedding veil has a presence in Judaism too and dates back to biblical times. When Rebekah went to meet her betrothed Isaac, she drew a veil over her face just before he approached her. By this gesture Rebekah, known for her self assured nature, conveyed to Isaac her modesty and her desire to maintain her individuality even post marriage.

In a Judaism wedding, just prior to the actual ceremony, a custom of Badken is held wherein the groom places a veil over the bride's face and later helps her take it off once the ceremony is over. Badken found its way into Jewish weddings from an incident where Jacob, who goes to marry his lover Rachel is tricked into marrying her sister. It is believed that when the groom places the veil over his bride, he makes a commitment to protect and support her.

The wedding veil of today has evolved from the long covering headpieces to a smaller and more stylish one. Nowadays, wearing a veil is not a part of tradition as much as it has become a style statement.