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
🇮🇱 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
🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreAssyrian wedding
Marriage ceremonies blending ancient Assyrian rites with modern cultural practices among the Assyrian people.Rite · 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
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWhite wedding
A formal Western ceremony marked by a white bridal gown and traditional Christian rituals.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇶 Baghdad, IraqWedding traditions in Iraq
A structured sequence of arranged matches, religious vows, and family feasts across Iraqi communities.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBridesmaid
A female attendant who supports the bride during a Western wedding ceremony.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇨🇳 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
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
- Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
- Eastern Orthodox marriage: VitVit, CC BY 3.0, source
- Iranian wedding: Flickr.com user "avlxyz", CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Assyrian wedding: Yucalyptus, CC0, source
- Handfasting: Sander van der Wel, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bridesmaid: Photographer not credited; relative or work for hire of relative., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chinese pre-wedding customs: Anonymous ( China ) Unknown author, CC0, source