Wedding Tradition ~ Veils

Wedding veils have been worn by brides for thousands of years. In Roman times they were worn to disguise the bride so that evil spirits would not bestow bad luck on her as she would be hidden from view.

Many celebrants at religious ceremonies will ask that when a bride reaches the front of the church, that her veil is lifted from her face. The reason for this is so that the grrom can see who he is marrying and cannot be tricked into marrying someone else.

The basis for this is in the biblical story of Jacob (father of Joseph (technicolour dreamcoat))

The story goes that Jacob left his home town and began to travel. One day he came to a well where he mat a beautiful woman called Rachael and fell in love with her. He did not tell anyone of this but began to work for her Father as he was a realtive. One day Rachael's father said to him "I must pay you for the work", but Jacob replied "I will work for you for seven years and then you can give rachel to me in marriage" The father agreed. Jacob continued to work for seven years and when the time came for the wedding, the father looked at Rachel and her older sister Leah. leah was not married and it would bring shame on the family if rachael married before her sister, so the crafty Father veiled Leah and led her out to the ceremony. When the marriage had been consumated, Jacob discovered the deception. he was angry, but the father said, work for another seven years and I shall give you Rachael also. Jacob worked for a further seven years and then received Rachael as his second wife.