Why do so many brides continue to wear veils at their wedding?

[Houseplantmad]

Seems a bit weird and antiquated in this day and age ie being “revealed” to a prospective husband at the alter, having been “given away” by your father. Why do so many women continue with it?
in fact, so much of traditional wedding rites are just plain odd in this day and age.

I borrowed my mother's veil as it was beautiful and happened to suited my dress.

We'd lived together for years, but as well as formalising legalities through a wedding ceremony, we wanted a big day pulling all our loved ones together, and celebrating us. Being "given away" by my brother was about involving family in the same way that DH's siblings doing readings was. It filled a gap of bereavement too.

Until my teen years weddings were either church or registry office before the choice to civil venues opened. I'm glad that choice exists. We chose more traditional as that felt right to us. It's good that people can pick and choose what elements of tradition or modernity work for them. I find many traditions are grounding and connecting and enrich life beyond the day to day functions.

Big white dresses and veils weren't about playing at Disney Princess, it was about a special day celebrating DH and I committing to each other and surrounded by the vast majority of people we love and care about and taking a step aside from mundane life.

I had no intention of wearing one but tried one on in a shop and I loved it, so I bought it.

In many other ways we didn’t conform to tradition. We chose the traditions we wanted and abandoned those we didn’t.

I am saying fine wear what the hell you like, but don't do it unthinkingly.

Unthinkingly? In my experience brides who go full big white dress and veil style spend months or even years planning, choosing, altering, accessorizing, and trying on their garb, matching it with complementary bridesmaids dresses, etc. They think about their wedding outfit A LOT. They may not think or make the same conclusions as you do, but you know, different folks...

The whole look is a bit too high maintenance for me on a daily basis, I'm afraid 😉but aesthetically, I love it and it looked great for my wedding.

Ooh look at you, you're sooo not like all the other women! So unique. So enlightened. Unlike all of us vacuous, brainwashed princesses 🥺

Now seriously, ODFOD.

it's the same reason the little phone icon on your phone is a phone shape rather than a smartphone shape. People are set in their ways and the ways of everyone before them.

Because they want to and Because some people like tradition,.

I had one but it was fastened in quite far back so didn’t cover my face at all. It was just a bit of draping to me which I felt completed my dress. There was something missing without it for me personally.

While we asked for the formal giving away part of the ceremony words to be removed, there was no way I was telling my dad I was walking down the aisle alone in the name of feminism. I do consider myself a (strident) feminist but my dad really loved “walking me down the aisle” and the photo I have of him all welled up looking at me as we do so was worth anyone finding it a bit outdated. My husband walked down with his mum too before me so we’re equal! 😁 I also did a speech.

People should have the wedding they want.

People should have the wedding they want.

It really boils down to this, doesn't it?

A veil with a tiara is so pretty. I've never seen a bride have the veil over her face, always down her back.

No it doesn't ,I had a very simple wedding dress that was made for me which was my style
but if someone wants to go.all out with a huge wedding dress in a Cinderella coach ect ,so what?

Just scrolling through the thread. Why is it okay to criticise someone for wanting to look like a princess for one (hopefully - but even if they want to do it more than once in different weddings, mind your own business…) day of their life but it wouldn’t be okay to criticise someone for wanting to wear a trouser suit instead of a dress when a bride?

Not at all.My dad gave me away because it was traditional and I wanted him to nothing to " property"
it's all.to do with personal choice ,you do you as they say
and accept others views will differ from your own.

I didn't wear a veil, and my DH and I walked into the chapel together. However, I presume brides who wear a veil are doing so because they want to, and the same with their Dad walking them up the aisle. Does there need to be any other reason? I don't see that wedding rites are any more ridiculous than any other traditional ways to doing things.

I had a veil but kept my own name.

I had a veil because it perfectly matched my dress - if it hadn't I wouldn't have bothered with a veil.

I kept my own name because it's mine - even if his surname name perfectly matched my first name I wouldn't have taken it.

Some of us just do what we want because that's what we want to do & is that not the whole point - being able to make our own choices?

why do people wear white or similar colours I don’t know any virgin brides.
people like the pomp and tradition

Because total shock - different people like different things.
Your views don’t speak for everyone, you do you and let other people do them.

With some of the views of marriage on here, I don't know why some of the posters bother getting married at all.
I would have thought that being completely independent with a fuck buddy on speed dial would have been more suitable with their feminist views.

My dad walked me down the aisle, which was a flight of stairs. I don't let my husband forget that as he was walking me down the same stairs later for the first dance, I fell over.

Something to be said for fatherly support...

I'm not a big follower of traditions, but I'm also not remotely hung up on picking and choosing those I like. Feels like a far freer choice than limiting myself to rejecting tradition.

As someone getting married imminently, there are many traditions I've embraced and others I've dropped. That's the joy of organising your wedding.

I'm not wearing a veil but I am wearing a tiara.

I'm not wearing a conventional wedding dress but I am wearing white/cream.

I'm not marrying in a church but my brother will be walking me to the service.

Taking or not taking your partner's name - a favourite stick to beat MN posters - is also a personal choice.

None of the choices I've made are about me being subservient. They are just about the ritual and traditions we've decided to embrace symbolically as we take our vows to each other.

Well, my big veil embroidered with my new marital name (Mrs C) would have had many of the posters here choking on their glass of fizz.

I personally find the judgemental attitude towards what other adult women choose to wear antifeminist.

I did say I'd step away from this thread, but which traditions is your husband to be embracing?

What's that got to do with you? How difficult is it to grasp that people are entitled to use whatever traditions, or not, at their own wedding? It has nothing to do with anyone else.

Goodness people do seem very angry about this....

Why does it matter?
Why can't you just accept that some people enjoy traditions just because ?