Photo: Sylvie Gil Photography
More and more brides-to-be are ditching a once sacred wedding day tradition — wearing a veil on their wedding day. So, is wearing a veil right for you? First, let’s look back at how this accessory came to be an integral part of the bridal ensemble.
Wearing a veil is a custom that goes back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who believed a wedding veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Other old-school uses of the veil — revealing the bride’s face to her groom, who had likely never seen her before in the case of some arranged marriages. It has also helped with one of our favorite superstitions — the groom must not see the bride before the wedding day. Of course, today the white wedding veil has become a symbol of the bride’s style — usually making a classic, traditional statement.
But if you’re not interested in upholding the ancient custom of wearing a veil on your wedding day or wearing one simply, yet most importantly, messes up your entire wedding day look, it’s completely okay to do away with wearing one.
Many modern brides have traded in wearing a veil for wearing a flower crown or jeweled hair accessory instead, doing something that fits in better with the overall vibe and theme of their wedding. Plus, the benefit of these options, is that they won’t blow in your face when you walk down the aisle or even rub against your make-up right before you’re about to kiss your groom — sticky lipgloss and tulle are not a match made in heaven.
If your wedding day look won’t feel complete without a veil, you still have options to best suit your style. The first thing to do is pick your wedding dress , then find a veil that compliments the look, be it birdcage, shoulder, elbow, hip, or even floor length. You’ll find that there are plenty of veil options out there to make your look stand out.
See More: Wedding Veils 101: A Veil Length for Every Bridal Style
Jen Glantz is a “Professional Bridesmaid” and the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire. She’s the author of All My Friends Are Engaged and frequently wears old bridesmaid dresses to the grocery store and on first dates.