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.
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.
🇷🇺 RussiaEastern Orthodox marriage
The Byzantine Rite ceremony where a priest crowns the couple to seal their union in Christ.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇪🇸 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
🇺🇦 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
🇮🇹 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
🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl
The bodice, skirt and apron dress worn by brides in the German-speaking Alps.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇪 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
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWhite wedding
A formal Western ceremony marked by a white bridal gown and traditional Christian rituals.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇩🇪 Hanover, Germany and 5 moreBridal crownBrautkrone
A headdress worn by brides in Central and Northern Europe to symbolize purity and status.Attire · 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 Kingdom and 5 moreWedding superstitions
Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across culturesAttire · 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
🇺🇦 UkraineWax wedding head wreathвосковий вінок
A paraffin and paper bridal crown worn in parts of Ukraine until the late twentieth century.Attire · The ceremony
🇷🇴 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
🇷🇴 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
🇬🇧 United KingdomDebutante dress
The strict white gown and feathered headdress worn by young women at their debutante cotillion.Attire · The weeks before
🇳🇱 NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
The legal right for same-sex couples to marry in the Caribbean constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.Modern · The ceremony
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Bridal crown: Daderot, CC0, source
- Debutante dress: State Library of Queensland, Australia, No restrictions, source
- Globe de mariée: Alain Amet, CC BY 4.0, source
- Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
- Wax wedding head wreath: Sofo, GFDL, source
- Easter palm: Evaldas Liutkus, CC BY 2.0, source
- Eastern Orthodox marriage: VitVit, CC BY 3.0, source
- Handfasting: Sander van der Wel, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Weddings in ancient Rome: Meister der Aldobrandinischen Hochzeit, Public domain, source
- Mantilla: Museu Valencià d'Etnologia, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Nunta mortului: Iosif Berman, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source