Unveiling the Bridal Veil

Like most ancient traditions the explanation for its origin is multi-fold. One belief has it that when marriages were arranged, the groom could not see his bride’s face before the wedding so that if her looks displeased him, he could not back out of the marriage. Others say that the veil represents the blanket that was thrown over the bride when she was kidnapped by the groom to be his wife. The final theory is that the veil was used to confuse evil spirits and shield the bride.

Bride to the Left; Groom to the Right

The reason that the bride stands to the groom’s left dates back to ancient times when men would go to a neighboring town to capture a young woman away from the protection of her family. To ensure that if her family members tried to fight him, he would hold the bride with his left arm so that his right arm was free to sword fight for her.

The Best Man

In ancient times to ensure that the groom was able to kidnap his bride, he often brought his strongest friend (or best man) with him to help him achieve his goal. If his fear was great that he would have to fight many for his chosen woman, he would bring other males with him as well (ushers or groomsmen). It was not unheard of for the best man to stand sentry at the wedding chamber to guarantee that the marriage would be consummated so that the bride could not be returned to her family.

Carrying the Bride over the Threshold

When the future bride was being kidnapped, she would be carried off kicking and screaming. This tradition has evolved to a more loving meaning where the groom welcomes the bride to his/their home.

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