Our daughter, Caroline, was married at Marble House in Newport, Rhode Island. This vision of her with her father makes my heart flutter! Her white orchid bouquet complemented the flowers on her wedding dress, along with the few additional flowers that the designer had sewn onto the veil, per the request of my daughter.
With June approaching, weddings are in the air! Do you know why June is traditionally the most popular month to marry? June is derived from Juno, the goddess of marriage, and the protector of women. A wedding in June is considered auspicious, so the couple will be blessed with happiness forever!
Brides traditionally wear white and a veil. The tradition of the wedding veil is thought to have begun during the Roman Empire. Back then, the bride was considered an object of desire for evil spirits, so the veil, or blusher veil, served to protect her until she reached the altar. Then, the groom lifted it to expose her face to him first. The custom of a bride wearing white began in 1840 when Queen Victoria wore a white wedding gown and veil. White continues to relay the purity associated with brides, and the veil adds to this aura.
I was honored to be the guest speaker in Houston, Texas, at the River Oaks Garden Club, where I was spoiled royally by the most gracious ladies! While at the Houston Country Club for lunch with my two hosts, Carroll Goodman and Risse Knight, I heard a sweet story about Risse’s daughter’s wedding in the oval ballroom there. She had a few requests of her darling daughter: to wear a blusher veil (which covers the bride’s face until presented to the groom) and to keep her bridal veil on for the first dance and for the cake cutting ceremony. Why? She said, “Some of the important highlights and memories are captured during the reception moments and the photographs would not have been the same if she took the veil off… she needed to be in full bridal gear!” Love those Southern gals!
Risse’s beautiful daughter, Mary Alex, is seen here cutting the cake with her new husband, Carter. What a stunning vision all around! Her veil was a circular cathedral veil with a wide Chantilly lace border.
I had never thought about taking my veil off as a young bride. My veil simply stayed on until I changed into my get-away outfit, ready to depart the reception and begin my new married life with my husband, Stuart. After the ceremonial toss of my wedding bouquet to my bridesmaids on the brick terrace, we boarded the Bell helicopter which twirled onto the putting green at the Country Club of Virginia, ready to whisk us away. With the main rotor spinning, how glad I was that my veil had been removed!
Our daughter, Alexandra, was married to Maximilian in the monumental Berlin Dom, Germany. She wore a cathedral-length Brussels lace veil and carried pale pink peonies in her bouquet. Her veil remained on during the first reception after the wedding ceremony but was removed for the ball, which was held later that evening.
Today's brides tend to remove their veils after the photographs have been taken at the church. Either way is correct. What do you think is best? I really never gave this much thought until now. I tend to agree with Risse. Seeing a blusher veil on a bride walking down the aisle is magically romantic. And when a veil remains on the bride during the reception, it adds to the sense of tradition and grace of the celebratory occasion. So, if you are a mother-of-the-bride or a bride-to-be, you too can contemplate the pros and cons of how long to wear a wedding veil… and think twice before stripping it off too fast!
I cannot imagine Mummy taking her veil off during the wedding reception because back then, it was just not done!
XX,
Holly
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