Bridal Veils, A Tradition Revealed!!
@danishcanadian (28954)
Canada
March 11, 2010 11:13pm CST
DID YOU KNOW That the bridal veil was originally worn as a show of female submission? It was said that along with the Bible verses about headcovering as a show of female submission, that the groom lifting the veil off of her face was a symbol of him taking posession of her. No kidding, I read this in the coure materials I'm currently studying on wedding traditions, as a part of the course I'm taking to become a bridal consultant. I had heard rumours of this fact before my own wedding and decided that I would NOT wear a veil. I am glad I made that decision. I wore a big glittery tiara instead.
Anyone else familliar with this tradition, or does this come as a surprise?
8 people like this
16 responses
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
12 Mar 10
When I got married I picked tradition to bits, to make sure that I wasn't doing anything that symbolized anything opressive.
No veil
Kept my name
Walked in with a friend (no aisle)
Husband and I had matching rings of equal size
Ms. not Mrs.
Red dress instead of a white one (who gives a flip about my virginity or lack thereof?)
Did not vow to obey
No bible readings that had anything sexist in them
No "who gives this woman?"
When we lit our Unity Candles we did not blow out the family candles
No one announced us "man and wife"
Egad! When you look at that list above, there sure are a lot of sexist traditions to pick at. Our wedding was one big feminist political statement, and we woudln't have had it any other way! :)
1 person likes this
@idowrite72 (2213)
• United States
12 Mar 10
I think I might have heard that before and doesn't it go along with asking who gives permission for the bride to be married when the father walks the daughter down the aisle? I might understand that if she wasn't "of age" to be married, as might have been done more often "back in the day". My parents had to return a second time because my mother wasn't old enough and needed my grandfather's signature......she was 20 and needed to be 21. I think they were trying to elope!!
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
12 Mar 10
OK I don't know if my comment posted or not. My computer just did something weird, so I'll do it again.
Have times changed, or are things just different from place to place? My sister was 19 when she got married. In Canada 18 is legal age for everything but drinking, and drinking is legal at 19.
2 people like this
@idowrite72 (2213)
• United States
12 Mar 10
I was talking about 1948!! It is legal at 18, but drinking is still 21 here.
1 person likes this
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
12 Mar 10
I had heard of this hun, one of the reasons why I won't be wearing a veil for my wedding soon LOL I will be wearing a circlet of mayblossom instead
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
12 Mar 10
I would have worn a circlet of flowers, too, but I got married in January. I did, however, have one red rose pinned to my hat.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
12 Mar 10
It is quite logical. I have seen this in many church weddings and I myself experienced wearing the white veil on my wedding and being lifted up. At that material time I have no idea what it meant. Should I have known the real reasons I would not consent to wearing a veil as I don't believe in submitting myself to anyone. Marriage is only a formality as we are still individual being having our own mind.
2 people like this
@bhanusb (5709)
• India
12 Mar 10
Hi, congratulation. You broke the tradition of wearing bridal veil. Now girls are breaking many old traditions. Religions are made by man. So the rules of religions are in favor of men. Religions say God has no gender. But when we imagine God's image then a man's picture comes in our mind. In India Hindus have many goddess. They call them as "Mother". But in India women become victims of torture. I wish
women should break all the superstitions against them. But at the same time I believe all the traditions are not bad.Carry on your flag.
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
25 Aug 10
I have heard this one before and think this is why some cultures and religions still do this even yet today. It is interesting when you think about it, but personally this is not something I would want in my life and Relationship. I still feel it needs to be a 50-50 thing, and the veil thing could be used as a control issue for some giving the woman no freedom in saying as she wishes.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
13 Mar 10
It doesn't come as a surprise to me at all.I see marriage as ownership anyway. Didn't a veil help a father switch daughters in a Bible story?
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
2 Apr 10
Hi danishcanadian. I didn't know that. However, it doesn't matter much as I didn't wear a veil or anything else on the top of my head the day I got married. Heck, as it is I didn't even wear a traditional wedding gown. LOL
Happy mylotting!
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
12 Mar 10
I honestly don't care what the old customs are because I believe in womens rights in doing as they so please regardless how they marry or don't marry. When I married my husband, I had a veil and the piece covering my face because it was pretty. I bet your tiara was beautiful too! These days it's a "to each his own thing" anymore but back in those days, yes, women were subjected to obeying their spouses which is so wrong because women can "think" too.
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
12 Mar 10
I heard about this a while back and thats why I got married without a veil!! To even think that a woman should be submissive to a man.....
Sorry but its not my type at all. I think those women should be slapped on the back of the head haha!!
I guess now you know how I feel about muslim women hiding under a veil or whatever they call it. We've come a long way to try and be equal to men.....lets not go back because I'll be fighting and kicking all the way LOL.
Sorry but its not my type at all. I think those women should be slapped on the back of the head haha!!
I guess now you know how I feel about muslim women hiding under a veil or whatever they call it. We've come a long way to try and be equal to men.....lets not go back because I'll be fighting and kicking all the way LOL.
@Professor2010 (20156)
• India
16 Mar 10
Hello Danish here our brides' veil is raised by the husband on the honey moon night, the bride is shy, she submits her body to the soulmate, lol you reminded me of my honeymoon in 1966
Here all married women cover their head with veil, i am talking of hindu brides, this is sort of respect for the elders in the family
Bhuwan
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
12 Mar 10
That sounds about right... hide the goods until the last possible moment.
I wore a crocheted Juliet cap that matched my shawl. My mother made both.
My older sister and youngest sister both wore veils, but not covering their faces.
My middle sister wore a white straw hat.
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
12 Mar 10
Actually I wasn't familiar with it, but suddenly I'm glad that I wore a hat!
