Wedding traditions with the veil

The veil hides and reveals.

The veil hides and reveals. It has been a sign of modesty, of protection, of a bride's transformation and of a thing about to be unwrapped. Many cultures have a moment when it is lifted, and that moment is among the most emotional of the day.

Lifting and covering

Roman brides wore a flame-coloured veil, and Greek brides lifted theirs in the anakalypteria. In Jewish weddings the groom covers the bride's face in the bedeken to show he chooses the right bride, a custom linked to Jacob and Leah. In North India the ghunghat is a veil over the face, and in Iran the bride sits at the sofreh aghd under a canopy of silk held by unmarried women. In Western weddings the father may lift it, or the groom after the vows.

Modern choices

Veils are now often worn only for the entrance, or are skipped. In Muslim weddings some brides wear a hijab with the dress, and others do not. Whether to wear one is the bride's decision, and the many styles, from the short blusher to the cathedral veil, reflect a long fashion history.

About this page

Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on The veil (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

🇪🇹 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaWedding customs in Ethiopia A collection of diverse marriage rites across Ethiopian tribes and the Orthodox Christian community.Rite · Finding a match

🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreMantilla A lace or silk veil worn over the head and shoulders by women in Spain and Latin AmericaAttire · The weeks before

🇬🇪 Tbilisi, GeorgiaKartuliქართული ცეკვა A romantic Georgian wedding dance where the couple dances apart without touching.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts 🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreLa víbora de la mar A wedding game where the couple stands on chairs while guests form a snake to test their unity.Play · Reception, dance and gifts 🇺🇦 UkraineSong about the RushnykПісня про рушник (Pisnia pro rushnyk) A Ukrainian song that celebrates the embroidered cloth used in weddings and family life.Performance · The ceremony

🇰🇿 KazakhstanBetasharбеташар The lifting of the bride's veil by the groom's mother during a Kazakh wedding ceremonyRite · The ceremony

🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyWeddings in ancient Rome The religious ceremonies and attire that marked a union in the city of Rome before the rise of Christianity.Rite · The weeks before

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMaithil Vivahमैथिल विवाह The arranged Hindu marriage of Maithils in the Mithila region, guided by Vedic texts and local customs.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇷🇺 RussiaEastern Orthodox marriage The Byzantine Rite ceremony where a priest crowns the couple to seal their union in Christ.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl The bodice, skirt and apron dress worn by brides in the German-speaking Alps.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 3 moreJewish wedding The ceremony and laws that bind a couple in Jewish marriage, from the canopy to the glass.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreHandfastingceangal na lámh (Irish); pòsadh-bliadhna (Scottish Gaelic) A pledge ceremony where a couple joins hands to make a binding marriage contract or engagement.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇸🇩 Khartoum, SudanJirtigالجَرْتِقْ (Arabic) A Sudanese inauguration ritual where the groom is symbolically crowned as a king.Rite · The weeks before

🇺🇸 United StatesWedding cake topper A small figurine placed on top of a wedding cake to represent the couple.Adornment · Reception, dance and gifts

🇨🇳 ChinaHonggaitou紅蓋頭 The red bridal veil worn by Han Chinese brides to cover their faces before the wedding night.Attire · Procession and arrival

🇩🇪 Hanover, Germany and 5 moreBridal crownBrautkrone A headdress worn by brides in Central and Northern Europe to symbolize purity and status.Attire · The ceremony

🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreNude wedding A ceremony where the couple or guests participate without clothing.Modern · The ceremony

🇫🇷 Paris, FranceGlobe de mariée A glass bell jar used in France to hold the bride's bouquet and preserve family memories.Adornment · The weeks before

🇺🇸 United StatesNavajo wedding ceremony A Navajo marriage ritual centred on harmony, family union, and nature inside a Hogan.Rite · The eve

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWhite wedding A formal Western ceremony marked by a white bridal gown and traditional Christian rituals.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWedding superstitions Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across culturesAttire · The weeks before

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBridesmaid A female attendant who supports the bride during a Western wedding ceremony.Family role · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaIndian wedding invitationsNimantraṇa patra (निमन्त्रण पत्र) Decorated cards sent to announce a marriage and invite guests to the celebration.Betrothal · The weeks before

🇮🇱 Israel and 3 moreChuppahחֻפָּה (ḥuppā) The four-poster canopy that marks the Jewish wedding ceremony and symbolizes the couple's new home.Setting · The ceremony

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreChinese pre-wedding customs三書六禮 (sàam syù luhk láih) The traditional betrothal rituals of the Book of Rites that prepare a Chinese marriage.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇮🇷 Tehran, Iran and 1 moreIranian weddingمراسم عروسی در ایران A multi-stage ceremony rooted in Zoroastrianism and Islam that binds families through courtship, feasts, and sacred vowsRite · Finding a match

🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreAssyrian wedding Marriage ceremonies blending ancient Assyrian rites with modern cultural practices among the Assyrian people.Rite · Finding a match

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreWedding veil A cloth covering the head or face worn by brides and grooms to mark marriage.Attire · The ceremony

🇺🇦 UkraineWax wedding head wreathвосковий вінок A paraffin and paper bridal crown worn in parts of Ukraine until the late twentieth century.Attire · The ceremony

🇷🇴 Ieud, RomaniaNunta mortului A symbolic Romanian rite that dresses an unmarried dead person as a bride or groom to complete their life cycle.Rite · The weeks before

🇵🇱 Poland and 3 moreEaster palmPolish: palma wielkanocna; Lithuanian: verba A decorated willow or juniper bundle blessed on Palm Sunday to protect homes and crops.Blessing · The weeks before 🇷🇴 Romania and 1 morePerinița A Romanian circle dance where a pillow marks the last partner dance for unmarried youth before a wedding.Performance · The eve

🇰🇷 Gwangju, South KoreaGeommu검무 (Geommu) A graceful Korean sword dance performed with dual short swords and traditional musicPerformance

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Jewish wedding: Jozef Israëls, Public domain, source
Mantilla: Museu Valencià d'Etnologia, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Bridal crown: Daderot, CC0, source
Indian wedding invitations: Onef9day, CC BY 3.0, source
Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Betashar: Steve Evans, CC BY 2.0, source
Globe de mariée: Alain Amet, CC BY 4.0, source
Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
Handfasting: Sander van der Wel, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Chinese pre-wedding customs: Anonymous ( China ) Unknown author, CC0, source
Wax wedding head wreath: Sofo, GFDL, source
Nunta mortului: Iosif Berman, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Nude wedding: Peter Paul Rubens, Public domain, source
Wedding cake topper: Andy Mabbett, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Honggaitou: kanegen, CC BY 2.0, source
Geommu: Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Easter palm: Evaldas Liutkus, CC BY 2.0, source
Kartuli: Mostafameraji, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Chuppah: me, Public domain, source
Eastern Orthodox marriage: VitVit, CC BY 3.0, source
Maithil Vivah: Sntshkumar750, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Iranian wedding: Flickr.com user "avlxyz", CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Assyrian wedding: Yucalyptus, CC0, source
Weddings in ancient Rome: Meister der Aldobrandinischen Hochzeit, Public domain, source
Jirtig: Alzain Mohammed, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Navajo wedding ceremony: Neeta Lind, CC BY 2.0, source
Bridesmaid: Photographer not credited; relative or work for hire of relative., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wedding veil: David Ring, CC0, source
Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source