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.

Yep.

Is anyone saying that women have to follow the tradition of wearing a veil, though, @Gettingbysomehow?

Yes, wearing a veil is a tradition, but no-one is saying women have to follow it - some want to wear a veil, some don’t, but no-one is being compelled!

Thank you @DejaVoodoo and @Neurodiversitydoctor He is.a keeper and yes, I hope we have a good marriage too.

Oh here we go ....... It wasn't a "tradition", but then, as now, there were some horrible men. There were also many more decent, loving men, but people like you conveniently leave that out of the narrative!

@sukiwh - do give up, you are very boring.

My sister said to me, "when in your life will you EVER get the chance again to wear a veil?"

So I did. And it looked beautiful with my dress.

I wore a veil because I bloody well wanted to. I also wore a tiara.

Cos it's a fucking tiara. And it was pretty and shiny and Princess-like.

Huh? I haven’t responded to anyone in hours and hours! Please don’t @ me once the conversation is over 😀

Well obviously 🙄. What a fatuous reply. Insinuating that nobody needs to justify their choices to anyone else, as though “because I want to” is a feminist statement.

This is a chat forum, for chatting. The question was “why do some women do this thing?”, not “please justify, with your most burnished feminist credentials, why a woman should wear a veil as a bride”.

See this all the time on here. So inane. Grrr.

But nobody does have to justify their choices to anyone else.

We do what we want to do in life, we make our own choices - not just when it comes to wearing a veil or not. The answer to “why some women do this thing” IS because they want to 🙄 It’s that simple & nothing to do with anyone else. Or anything to do with being a feminist.

Funny who triggered you sound though. Why care so much about other people’s choices?

I've had a bespoke veil made for my wedding, as I'll never have the opportunity to wear one again! One day in my entire life! I can't wait to wear it!

It’s a chat forum! For chatting. If nobody ever expressed curiosity or interest in other people and their choices, or talked about things that aren’t to do with them personally, there would be no chat. It’s not that deep. Nobody is asking anyone to justify anything. Do you ever talk to people in your real life? About anything that isn’t to do with you personally? I do hope so.

You want people to justify theirs choices as though they have to do it and all i’ve done is point out we don’t need to. I wore a veil because i wanted to. Same reason i wore a white dress and chose red bridesmaids dresses. Same reason i chose to get married in the first place.

Of course i talk to people in real life but i don’t go around questioning all of their choices in life. Theres “discussion” then there is expecting people to justify decisions when simply “because they wanted to” is the answer and nothing deeper. By implying thats not a good enough reason you just come across a bit odd. Again, why be so concerned by what other people want to do?

Do you feel judged in real life? Do you seek validation from people? I honestly couldn’t care what anyone else thinks about the choices i make or the reasons why i made them because i chose to make them for me. No one else. I do things because i want to so to answer the op post (again) some brides wear veils because they want to. The might like how it looks with their dress or feel like a princess in it or they might even chose to cover their faces with it & then “reveal” themselves to their husbands as they like the “tradition” but ultimately they want to. Thats the only reason needed & i’m not sure why you are struggling with the concept of personal choice.

Good grief. I don’t think any of the posts I’ve read have sought or provided justification. The OP was seeking an explanation or reasons or thoughts or ideas in a forum designed for exactly that. Many have been provided - including by you in your last post! Those are all very different from justification. I haven’t expressed anything about anything other than that “because I want to” is an inane answer to someone asking “why do
some people do xyz”.

It’s. Not. That. Deep. There’s no philosophical or metaphysical explanation required. Just what people have been saying (beyond I want to - it’s given that nobody held a gun to a bride’s head and forced her to wear a veil, of course she wanted to 🙄)

Whatever. This is so utterly boring. Sorry to derail.

I don’t think that “because I want to” is necessarily an inane answer - doesn’t it suggest that the person knows their own mind, knows what they like, and so was able to make a quick decision?

And a wedding would seem to involve a lot of decisions on things that aren’t world shatteringly important, but that will be about what will make the bride and groom happy - and for those decisions, saying “it’s what I want” seems like as much rationale as is needed.

I also think that there can be a lot of decisions and details that need to be sorted out for a wedding, so some decisions do just need to be quick ones, to maintain a certain amount of sanity.

as though “because I want to” is a feminist statement.

Maybe it can be though. Especially when it’s about what women choose to wear.

“Why do you wear white?” - implying everyone knows they’re not a virgin
“Why do you wear a short skirt?” “Why do you wear high heels?” - seen by some as for the attention of men or power dressing, especially in a “man’s world”, playing into patriarchy etc
“Why do you wear makeup?” - Saw an article recently that said not wearing it is a more feminist statement than burning a bra. 🙄
“Why do you wear pink?”
“Why do you wear trousers?”

All these can be answered with “Because I bloody well want to.” Men can piss off commenting on our appearance and what we choose to wear. In the name of equality, so can women too if you ask me.

“Because I want to” is an expression of personal liberty and autonomy. Of course some women feel confined by societal/male expectation and/or the male gaze. This phrase applies equally to any subjugated or oppressed or minority peoples. It’s not an expression of feminism. It’s an expression of human free will. It’s as obvious as breathing for the luckiest amongst us.

I wear a veil every time I'm in a church, so receiving a sacrament was also an appropriate time to wear one.

Why do people still marry in church, but have no belief.
Why do brides wear white, but aren't virgins.

It's all a sham, so a veil should make little difference.

I loved my veil. I wore it because I wanted to and I wanted to look like a bride. It balanced my dress out.

I haven't worn it since but I could wear it while I watch the antiques roadshow, or while I'm at work, or for going to the supermarket if I want to!

Nobody has forced me either way, for which I know I'm very fortunate.