At one time brides were thought to be particularly vulnerable to the actions of evil spirits. Many of the customs and traditions which evolved were designed to afford protection from the workings of these evil spirits. In fact, many of the customs we still follow began as superstitions.
The Wedding Dress
Most brides today marry in white to symbolize purity. The tradition was begun by the wealthy in the 16th century. The tradition was given a boost by Queen Victoria who chose to marry in white instead of silver, the usual choice of Royal brides. Most brides simply wore their best dress, so it could be any colour, though a green dress was thought to be unlucky unless the bride was Irish. In fact, the old expression ‘she has a green gown' implied promiscuity, the green staining the result of rolling in grassy fields.
Other superstitions include:
It’s unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding dress.
It’s unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before until she arrives at the ceremony.
The bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. In some cultures, the bride leaves a final stitch on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony when the final stitch is added by someone other than the bride.

The Veil
The veil was originally worn by Roman brides. It was actually designed to trick the evil spirits by disguising the bride and hiding her face.
In some Eastern ceremonies the bride is veiled and the groom is not allowed to see the bride's face until after the wedding ceremony.
In Orthodox Jewish weddings, there is a ritual where the groom actually sees the bride to ensure she is his intended, before the veil covers her face.

En Route
When the bride is ready to home for the wedding ceremony, a last peek in the mirror is thought to bring her good luck. However, returning to the mirror once she has begun her journey has the opposite effect and is considered very bad luck.
Brides should keep a sharp eye out for lambs, toads, spiders, black cats and rainbows – all of which are good luck omens if spotted on the way to the ceremony.
On the other hand, seeing an open grave, a pig, a lizard, or hearing a cockerel crow after dawn are all thought to be bad omens.
Curiously, seeing a monk or a nun is thought to foretell poverty for the newlyweds. This may be because monks and nuns are associated with poverty.
Bad weather can be good and bad. Rain on the way to the wedding is thought to herald an unhappy marriage in some cultures, while in others, rain is considered auspicious. Cloudy skies and wind portend a stormy marriage. But a snowstorm is good – snow is associated with fertility and wealth.
In England, many brides pay a chimney sweep to come to the house and kiss her en route to the ceremony. Kissing a sweep on this auspicious day is considered lucky.