Gorgeous Wedding Veils Through The Years

By Jorie Nicole McDonald
Pool/Samir Hussein

Classic wedding veils vary in length and style, but they are always an elegant addition to a blushing bride in a beautiful white gown. The history of wedding veils traditions may surprise you. The Greeks wore a wedding veil as a method of protecting themselves from unwanted evil sprits. In Ancient Rome, the veil was used to conceal the bride’s identity until she was presented to her future husband at the alter, and in the Middle Ages, the veil was worn as a symbol of virtue. Today, wedding veils are simply a formal accessory and opportunity for a wife-to-be to express her personal style! How does a bride choose her wedding veil style you may ask? For some, it's tradition. For others, it's inspiration. Take a look at the iconic wedding veil trends through the years.

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1910's Wedding Veil

Getty Images / Hulton Archive

At the turn of the 20th century, wedding veil trends shifted toward less fabric; this created the desirable airy and flowing veil of the 1910’s.

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1920's Wedding Veil

Getty Images / Hulton Archive

The wedding veils of the 1920’s reflected the changing head ware of the time. Brides often wore lacy hats with the veils attached to the back.

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1930's Wedding Veil

Getty Images / Universal History Archive

The majority of the bridal veils of the 1930’s stayed consistent with the previous decade. This style may seem out of date, but iconic brides such as Grace Kelly later adapted the trend from the 1920’s and 30’s to create a vintage look!

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1940's Wedding Veil

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 The 1940’s wedding veil trend was all about simplicity. This was mostly due to fabric shortages from the war!

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1950's Wedding Veil

Getty Images / Hulton Archive

The fashion of the 1950’s is something to be envied even today! Classy collars, full skirts, and statement accessories dominated the decade. Wedding veil styles mirrored the modest and chic trends of the day. Skullcaps and birdcage veils were incredibly popular.

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1960's Wedding Veil

Getty Images / Hulton Archive

When someone mentions the 1960’s, you may think of bright colors, go-go boots, and miniskirts, but wedding veil traditions remained elegant and proper. Veils attached to pillbox hats were very common!

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1970's Wedding Veil

Getty Images / Hulton Archive

A more relaxed style dominated the wedding veil trends of the 1970’s! With “flower power” in mind, brides often wore floral crowns with veils draped on top.

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1980's Wedding Veil

Getty Images / Terry O'Neill

When it came to fashion in the 1980’s, more was more. This was also true of bridal veil trends; the bigger the better!

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1990's Wedding Veil

Getty Images / Rose Hartman

The 1990’s mark a shift in wedding veil style history because bride-to-be’s stopped following a trend and started to follow their heart. Bridal fashion was a free-for-all!

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Modern Wedding Veil

Pool/Samir Hussein

Today, wedding veil fashion has a strong emphasis on romantically detailed veils that often drape over the bride’s head! Although, some bride’s decide to focus on the dress and not have a veil or they draw inspiration from the wedding veils of the past!

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