Tradition and etiquette are part of wedding; they start before the wedding day itself. On the wedding day, the bride's gown will attract a lot of attention. If she chooses to wear a veil, she should follow traditions regarding how she wears it during and after the wedding.
Veil Length
Flipping the veil up over the bride's head, revealing her face to the groom as part of the ceremony before the first kiss is a tradition, according to theknot.com. Choose a veil you can easily flip over your head for that kiss. This means the veil you choose must be long enough so it flips over the back of your head and does not fall over your face during the kiss, causing an awkward moment and ruining the photographic moment.
Symbolism
The etiquette for lifting the wedding veil during the ceremony is steeped in tradition and symbolism, according to the ourmarriage.com website. The groom lifting the veil indicates his dominance in the relationship. For a more modern approach, the bride lifts her own veil. It represents the bride's independence and the couple considering each other equal without the groom dominating the relationship.
When You Shouldn't Wear A Veil
According to the dummies.com website, traditional etiquette indicates situations where the bride should not wear a veil during the wedding. The first is if the wedding is the bride's second marriage, as she has already been presented to a husband. The second reason for not wearing the veil is if the bride is pregnant. The pregnancy removes the illusion of the bride being presented to her husband for the first time.
It's Not Required
Wearing a veil is not a requirement, instead it's a personal choice, according to theknot.com. If you have been living together before the wedding, the symbolism of removing the veil is not necessary for your wedding, but rather a personal decision. Considerations include the temperature, if it's an outdoor wedding; or if you want to keep the veil in place during the reception.