500 Wedding Ideas

What is the history on why brides do not let their husbands see them prior to ceremony?

Public Comments

1. I have always heard that it is bad luck.
2. I heard that it is bad luck. But that is a good question why is it bad luck??
3. It is traditionally said to be bad luck if the groom sees the bride before the wedding on the day of the wedding.
4. "Until relatively recently, brides were considered the property of their father. Their futures and husbands were arranged without their consent. The marriage of an unattractive woman was often arranged with a prospective groom from another town without either of them having ever seen their prospective spouse. In more than one instance, when the groom saw his future wife, usually dressed in white, for the first time on the day of the wedding, he changed his mind and left the bride at the altar. To prevent this from happening, it became "bad luck" for the groom to see the bride on the day of the wedding prior to the ceremony." - From http://www.weddings-and-honeymoons.net/wedding_dresses.htm
5. I was told it is bad luck but my fiancee wants to see my dress and see me try it on and all. I said don't you want to be in suspense and see me walk down that aisle to you and you be a little teary eyed seeing me for the first time that day and be amazed.
6. As Sharon said, it goes back to the old tradition of arranged marriages. Sometimes if the groom saw the bride before the wedding and thought she wasn't attractive, he wouldn't want to marry her.
7. Something about how, if the bride was ugly the groom couldn't back out....conveniently enough....we keep the veil on until the "big moment". I think it's all a conspiracy lol. I think these little traditions that we bend over backwards to follow are sometimes dated. For instance, my fiannce *will* see me in my dress...we're getting our pictures done before the ceremony lol. Good question :)
8. In ancient times, it was incredibly rare for people to be married unless it was arranged by their parents. The bride was hidden under a thick veil and presented to the groom. The veil was not removed until after they were pronounced married, so that he wouldn't have a chance to back out if he didn't find her attractive or whatever the case may be. That is where both the history of the veil and not seeing the groom before the wedding day come from.
9. That was so that Jacob could Leah, the oldest, before getting to marry her sister Rachel.