Bridal Veils, "Something Old, Something New"

EXCERPT of

"Bridal Accessories"

by Kristina Seleshanko

The Veil

Since biblical times, brides have worn veils; but, depending upon the bride’s religion, veils have represented many different things. In Judeo–Christian cultures, the bridal veil is a symbol of purity, and goes at least as far back as Jacob’s marriage to Leah (which explains why he didn’t recognize his bride until he woke up the following morning; see Gen. 29: 22–25).

In traditional Jewish ceremonies, the groom (escorted by his soon–to–be father–in–law), covers the bride with a veil before the ceremony. To all present, the veil is a reminder of the ideals women should strive for, including chastity and dignity. It’s also a reminder that inner beauty is of far more consequence than outer beauty, and that physical intimacy should only take place after marriage. Early Christians adopted the bridal veil from Jewish tradition.

A bride from the early 1900s.

White bridal veils were not the norm until recent generations. During the Renaissance, for example, any color might be worn; blue, which was widely recognized as a symbol of purity, was often favored by Christians. The ancient Greeks preferred veils of red and flaming yellows, which represented humbleness before Hymen, the goddess of marriage. After the wedding ceremony, Greek brides offered their veils as a gift to Hera, the goddess of marriage, who was supposed to protect women and ensure safe childbirth.

No one is exactly sure when the tradition of lifting the bridal veil during the wedding ceremony began, but some speculate it dates to at least the Medieval era. When the bridal party walked to the ceremony, the bride and her attendants traveled under a canopy, signifying that the bride was still under her father’s care. When the ceremony was complete, the bride walked out from under it—showing that she was no longer part of her father’s house. Somewhere along the line, the canopy disappeared, and instead, the bride’s veil was lifted at the ceremony’s end.

To show off wealth, lace was sometimes used instead of tulle (or near–transparent cloth). Lace, which could only be made by hand until the mid–nineteenth century, was considered a treasure, and was passed down from generation to generation as an inheritance. Therefore, until less expensive machine–made lace became available, only the wealthiest brides wore lace veils.

Tiaras, used to hold bridal veils in place, are also a long–standing tradition, dating to wealthy weddings in ancient times. Ancient Hebrew brides were crowned with floral wreaths. Later, crowns were reserved for married women; they were not supposed to be worn by maidens. Today, this tradition is sometimes still acknowledged, as when Sarah Ferguson wed Prince Andrew at Westminster Abby in 1986; the bride walked up the isle wearing a wreath of flowers in her hair, and came back up the isle as a Princess, wearing a tiara.

Modern brides have a wide variety of veils to choose from. Most are made of tulle, but can be attached to almost anything—from a modest hair comb to an elaborately jeweled crown. Today’s bride may also choose to cover her face for the ceremony (which dates back to biblical times), or allow the guests to see her face throughout the entire ceremony (which probably dates to the nineteenth century); either fashion reflects the heritage of the bridal veil.

A bride from the 1920s.

Something Old, Something New…

This familiar saying dates to at least the 1300s, and there’s a lot of speculation about just what it means.

The “something old” is generally thought to symbolize the bride’s old life; the “something new,” her new life with her husband. The “something borrowed” reminds the couple that they won’t have to face the world alone—they’ll have support from their friends and family. The “something blue” may harken back to biblical times, when blue was the symbol of purity and fidelity.

Some scholars give more superstitious reasons for the rhyme. The “something old,” they say, refers to the idea that wearing some happy item of your ancestor’s will supernaturally give you the same happiness. “Something new” goes back to the idea that it’s good to begin a household with new items, or you might have bad luck. “Something borrowed” again refers to the idea that if you wear something from a happily married woman, you, too, will be happy.

The last part of the rhyme (“and a silver sixpence in your shoe,” sometimes rephrased in the United States as “and a shiny penny in your shoe”) is thought to come from the practices of ancient Greece, where brides carried three silver coins on their wedding day, to ensure prosperity. The bride gave one coin to her mother–in–law, one to the first person she met on the road after the ceremony, and kept the last coin to carry into her new home.

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