Why the Veil?

     So you're at a wedding, waiting for the alliance of your good friends or relatives to be blessed and deemed official. You're sitting in a church or restaurant, wherever it may be, socializing amongst the other wedding guests. Out of nowhere, music starts playing, chatter subsides, and heads turn towards whatever entrance the venue has. There, the beautiful bride begins her way down the aisle or hall. Hushed whispers and proud smiles dance around the room as you look the woman over. You notice her flowing dress or any other attire, her polished accessories, and usually, her long, sweeping viel.

   
     Now, veils are very common accents to the wedding attires of brides all over the world. You may be wondering, why are they so popular, so important? The tradition of wearing a wedding veil is very old, dating back to as far as the ancient times. Yellow in ancient Greece and red in ancient Rome, the traditional wedding veil came in many varied shapes, sizes, and styles. Even in present day, wedding veils are available in thousands of different colors, materials, ect. There are many stories of the wedding veil's true origin. Some say it was worn to protect the bride from evil spirits on her day of marriage, for it concealed her face and confused these spirits. Others say it was worn to protect the bride from 'the evil eye' and to symbolize purity, chastity, and modesty. No matter the wedding veil's origin or where, when, and by whom it was worn, it really only stood for, and continues to stand for, one thing and one thing only; a truly happy event in any couple's life.

By Julia Dankov