History of the Bridal Veil
Since ancient times, veils have been symbols of high status. Bridal veils specifically protected the bride from evil spirits and signaled innocence. During the Renaissance, veils indicated social standing and marital status. Most brides in
Europe and the New World wore yellow or gold veils (Friese, 2001:61). This tradition likely stemmed from antiquity when Roman brides wore yellow veils imitating the color of fire, to bring warmth and hospitality to their homes (Brennan, 2017). Coincidentally, during the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, sumptuary laws dictated that courtesans wear yellow (Paulicelli, 2011:47).
The rise of lighter fabrics perhaps can be traced to Queen Victoria of England, who wore a white wedding dress and bridal veil adorned with an orange blossom wreath (instead of a jeweled crown) when she married Prince Albert in 1840. White was considered the color of wealth (not purity) because it was difficult to maintain pristine before modern bleaching techniques. Victoria chose white for her wedding day due to a combination of nationalism and practicality as she displayed England’s lace to the world.
In the early 1900s, the bridal veil/headdress continued to evolve as a fashion accessory.
The website aboves provides some vivid examples of wedding fashion trends over the past 100 years.
Brennan (2017) notes that the rise of photography coincided with the prevalence of white wedding dresses. White contrasting with sepia and dark backgrounds allowed the bride to be the center of the wedding tableau. For many brides who chose to be photographed, the veil added more dimension, texture, and the suggestion of motion in a still photograph.
Many brides wear "something old" including a family wedding dress or veil. The care of vintage dresses and veils has become an important part of fashion and historic preservation. This article from the Victoria and Albert Museum provides a chronology of how to clean a wedding gown, and tips for caring for veils.