Among the myriad of wedding jewelry available, bridal tiaras are perhaps the most interesting and ancient. A tiara is simply a feminized version of the word crown, a marketing word to make it roll of your tongue and sound more romantic. Try rolling your tongue when you say it. Tiarrrrra….

Why should a bride where a crown? In Jewish tradition at least, which is the oldest living tradition in the Western world and much of the east as well, the bride and groom are likened to a king and queen. This is one of the reasons that the groom is accompanied everywhere during the day of and week following his wedding. His guests are the equivalent of his royal escort. In Yemenite tradition, which is the most well preserved and oldest Jewish sect, the bride actually dresses up in full royal gear, wearing royal wedding jewels from head to toe.

Then why doesn’t the man where a groomal tiara? Probably because no king today still actually wears a crown, and the best known monarch for the past several decades, the Queen of England, is a woman. At least we think so. The King of Jordan wears a suit, the king of Saudi Arabia wears a Kefia, and the king of Albania – nobody knows what he wears because nobody cares about him. But the queen of England wears a crown.

Hence, tiaras are only worn by women. Everyone gets to be queen once in their life. What more appropriate time than when you are a bride?