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Many Ceylonese Tamil brides to-be, some relatives, their friends from a different race, have this question on their minds, "Why do ceylonese brides wear a veil".
I have even heard some passing on remarks during a Ceylonese wedding, "These Ceylonese people are so Westernized". I just smile to myself as I know people should not pass on remarks without knowing the actual reason behind it.
In normal Indian Tamil weddings, the groom is bought in to have a "Manavarai Nallungu" performed by ladies of the house at the hall where the wedding is taking place. He is then given his wedding attire by the priest and whisked away to the dressing room and the the bride is brought in for the same process. During this time, they do not see each other until the bride and groom wears their wedding attire and garlands before being seated together to complete the thali tying and other ceremonies.
This is not the same for a Ceylonese Tamil wedding. The groom comes to the hall in his wedding attire and is seated throughout the wedding ceremony. The bride is brought in after the "Rakshabhandanam" of the groom. This is when the veil plays its part; the bride and groom are not supposed to see each other during the ceremony until the bride goes in to change her koorai, which is handed by the groom himself to her.
There is another question, "Why the ceremony is held at the girl's side". The explanation in Ceylonese Tamil tradition is simple on this, the groom comes over to the bride's place to marry her in front of relatives and friends and ceremoniously takes her away. He sits, passes the koorai to her, telling her to tie the saree which he has gifted and when she comes back to the manavarai, he stands, respecting her and giving her the status of a wife, by tying the kodi and Thirumangalyam around her neck. This is when the veil is removed and he sees his glowing bride, now his wife. She then stands, and garlands her husband, in a symbol of respect and he while seated, garlands her to symbolize unity.