What is a Veil?
In between finding your wedding dress and choosing your wedding shoes, you might be thinking about which other bridal accessories you'll want for your big day, including your options for wearing a veil. But, what is a veil exactly?
Here we look at the origins and meanings behind the veil and unpick the different types of wedding veils that modern brides can choose from.
What is a Veil?
In its most simple form, a veil is a piece of fabric that is used to cover an object or a person. Across history and throughout world cultures, veils have been used mostly for religious purposes and are most often used to cover or dress women, particularly during a wedding ceremony.
Modern brides, however, know that a veil is more than just a piece of fabric. Contemporary veils are stylish accessories that not only acknowledge the tradition behind them, but that also allow brides to complete their bridal look with luxurious lengths of tulle, silk, or lace.
What Does a Veil Represent?
Historically the wedding veil represented the purity of the bride wearing it. The lifting of the veil was seen as a symbolic gesture to show the bride's commitment to her new husband and also the loss of her innocence.
Nowadays, most modern brides choose a veil based on their own personal preferences. The veil represents their freedom to choose a gorgeous bridal accessory that will add long elegant lines to a traditional bridal look, or help to balance the shape of a cute vintage style bridal gown.
What's the Purpose of a Veil?
In the past, it was believed the veil served the purpose of protecting the bride from evil spirits or protecting the bride's father from a failed business deal by hiding the bride's face until an arranged marriage was completed.
Today, the purpose of a veil is to look fabulous and to make the bride wearing it feel even more fabulous. From the flowing length of a cathedral veil to the retro chic of a bandeau veil, modern brides can choose a veil that suits their personal style so that they're comfortable and confident on their wedding day.
Choosing a Veil
With roots in tradition, contemporary veils are fashionable and are an opportunity to wear an item that you wouldn't ordinarily wear. Although, it would certainly be a talking point if you wore a veil to your next board meeting or visit to the supermarket.
Channel your inner royal or fairy tale princess, or live out the bridal look you've been planning since you were a little girl, with a stunning veil of your very own. From simple single tier barely there wedding veils to full lace wedding veils, there is a veil to suit each bride's personality and the dress of her dreams.
Check out our ultimate veil guide to explore the different lengths, styles, and fabrics of veils available to help you make your choice.
The easiest way to answer the question 'what is a veil?' is to explore the exquisite selection of bridal veils available at Britten Weddings online, where you'll find an outstanding range of veils in a choice of fabrics, lengths, and designs to suit every type of bride.