Why Do Brides Wear A Wedding Veil?
Brides wear veils as part of their wedding attire, primarily to show purity.
Wedding veils are thought to have first appeared during the Greek and Roman classical periods. Veils during this time were brightly colored in red or yellow. Brides wore veils in pagan wedding ceremonies to protect the bride from evil spirits. Pagans believed that red and yellow were colors that could protect the bride. The veil also symbolized the tradition of protecting the bride from the eyes of the groom. It was considered bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. Wearing the veil of a happily married woman is considered a way to ensure a joyful marriage.
Brides around the world wear wedding veils, although they may be made out of different colors and come in a variety of shapes. In ancient China, brides often wear red, a lucky color, on their wedding day. In the west, white is considered a color of purity, and the veil mirrors this by representing modesty and chastity. Since bridal veils became popular in the west, starting during the Victorian period, they were reserved for first-time brides. However, the decision is left up to the modern bride. Many women choose to wear them, not as a guard against evil spirits, but as a way to accentuate their features and add another layer of tradition to their wedding outfit.
