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.
🇬🇪 Tbilisi, GeorgiaKartuliქართული ცეკვა
A romantic Georgian wedding dance where the couple dances apart without touching.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇪🇹 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaWedding customs in Ethiopia
A collection of diverse marriage rites across Ethiopian tribes and the Orthodox Christian community.Rite · Finding a match
🇲🇽 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
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWedding superstitions
Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across culturesAttire · The weeks before
🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreAssyrian wedding
Marriage ceremonies blending ancient Assyrian rites with modern cultural practices among the Assyrian people.Rite · 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
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreBridesmaid
A female attendant who supports the bride during a Western wedding ceremony.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇷 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 StatesWedding cake topper
A small figurine placed on top of a wedding cake to represent the couple.Adornment · Reception, dance and gifts
🇮🇱 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
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
- Wedding cake topper: Andy Mabbett, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kartuli: Mostafameraji, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chuppah: me, Public domain, source
- Iranian wedding: Flickr.com user "avlxyz", CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Assyrian wedding: Yucalyptus, CC0, source
- Bridesmaid: Photographer not credited; relative or work for hire of relative., CC BY-SA 4.0, source