Does a modern bride need a veil? Try asking your own grandmother from a distant village about this, and most likely you will receive a storm of indignation in response: “But of course! What a bride without a veil!” But my mother will react more restrainedly, since in Soviet times this accessory was not always mandatory at Komsomol weddings. But how are things going in our time? Can a newlywed get along without this detail, and how can this decoration be replaced if “the soul doesn’t belong to it”?
What are superstitions?
Since ancient times, the ritual of connecting two hearts has been accompanied by rituals and superstitions that are associated with them.
They were not formed on their own, but as a result of human observation. People noticed the causes and consequences of certain events, drew conclusions about the connection between health, luck and prosperity with the appearance of the bride and her attire.
Signs unobtrusively dictate the manner of behavior, outline the boundaries of what is permitted and prohibited on the day of the celebration. The interpretation of beliefs about happiness is traditionally built on the opposite principle. For example, broken dishes are a harbinger of the absence of loud quarrels. That’s why young people break their glasses when leaving the registry office.
Also, compliance with certain conventions morally reassures the bride and gives her confidence that her union with her lover has a great chance of longevity.
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Sometimes this feature of the girl led to unpleasant consequences. This happened if the man’s chosen one had premarital affairs. Then her gaze could cause crop failure, natural disasters, and epidemics among livestock. To prevent trouble, the bride's face was covered with a cloth.
What does the veil symbolize?
It is generally believed that it symbolizes devotion and purity, so it is recommended to maintain the correct proportions. You shouldn't shorten it to pay tribute to fashion, or make it too long to get confused.
A woman is obliged to look after this accessory as if it were her own marriage, because she is the keeper of the hearth. Let's look at examples about a wedding veil:
- The greater its length, the longer the young people will be together.
- If the veil accidentally falls or is torn off, the marriage will break up.
- A hole has formed in it - strangers will interfere in your married life.
- A girl's uncovered head will lead to disappointment and lies.
- If the veil catches fire, there will be violent passions and a turbulent future in the family.
- Wearing a hat instead means dooming yourself to divorce, because all the bad wishes of those present and their unclean thoughts will affect the fate of the newlyweds.
If a girl puts on a veil, but the wedding is postponed to another day or does not take place, only a man who is not related to her by blood can remove this attribute from her. Otherwise, it will cause her loneliness.
Knowing the wedding signs about the veil related to the wedding veil will ensure the safety of you and your loved ones and protect you from bad intentions and ill-wishers.
Options are possible!
If you absolutely don’t like the idea of a veil for various reasons, then there are many other wedding decorations that can easily replace it.
Some of them can be used even if the bride has short hair, on which it will be quite difficult to fit the veil so that it does not fall off the newlywed’s head at the most unexpected moment.
Hats and bonnets
They can be either wide-brimmed or tiny, purely symbolic.
The option with a hat is best suited for a themed wedding (for example, in retro style), for a beach ceremony or for a second wedding - in this case, many brides and their relatives consider a veil not very appropriate, especially if the bride is no longer 20 years old.
Hairpins with ribbons and rhinestones
Wedding hair jewelry has become very popular in recent years, mainly due to the fashion for minimalism.
Lush headdresses have now become a sign of bad taste, so more and more brides are choosing elegant and sparkling hairpins - it looks great, and it’s difficult to overdo it with hair decoration.
By the way, you can easily find similar handmade accessories on the Internet if you want something unique, created in a single copy, to adorn your head.
Bridal scarf
It will definitely come in handy during a wedding, but even if the newlyweds are not planning a ceremony in a church, some models of such scarves will look great in the registry office, at a regular wedding.
In essence, the bride's scarf is the same veil, but in a slightly more original design. Lace, volume and delicate transparency are welcome!
Flowers
Another example of luxurious wedding minimalism. It would seem that a flower hairpin or a floral wreath are quite simple accessories, but in a bride's hairstyle they can look absolutely amazing!
This decoration is best suited for a young bride, whose purity and impeccability is itself associated with a delicate flower. This accessory is also useful for a themed wedding - in boho, country style, etc.
Or you can weave flowers into a complex braid, and then do without a veil or other hair decorations, because such a hairstyle in itself looks like a work of art.
Bandage
After the release of the film “The Great Gatsby,” there was a wave of weddings decorated “based on” the film, using elements of fashion from the beginning of the last century.
And although the movie has already become a little forgotten, the headbands and ribbons on the brides’ heads still adorn themselves. And it’s not surprising, because this is a very original solution, and also incredibly beautiful.
Common superstitions and their meaning
The ancients believed that the Cloud Maidens (creatures that live on the clouds, protectors from evil rock) sew a shirt from heavenly lambs for newborns. Marriage is a kind of birth of a new thing - the birth of a family.
Here the role of a talisman is played by the veil, which together with the dress is combined into a single symphony. It is advisable that a thin fabric cover from head to toe, so that the entire body is hidden from prying eyes. Beliefs associated with the veil are divided into several categories.
Period before the holiday
You can build a happy relationship if you show foresight when handling this accessory.
While preparations are underway for the significant date, no one should touch the veil except the bride herself or her mother. Only mom can attach it to her head. If she is no longer alive, the right is transferred to the eldest female relative.
Popular wisdom says that it is advisable to purchase a veil on Wednesday. This is the most favorable day of the week for this occasion.
Fortune Teller
You cannot give, sell or allow anyone to temporarily wear your wedding accessory. Keep it in your home as a family amulet against the evil eye and bad luck. Tamara Solntseva
You cannot borrow this accessory from friends, sisters, or rent, otherwise you risk dooming both yourself and the owner of the veil to family troubles.
Trying on a full set of wedding jewelry, a dress and a veil at the same time is prohibited, otherwise you will predict misfortune.
Until the marriage is registered, the girl’s face remains covered, and only during the marriage does the groom pull the fabric back. You can’t do this before, so as not to jinx it. There are more lucky signs for the bride and groom here.
After the celebration
The veil can only be removed at the end of the feast. The spouse does this with his own hands. The ritual of the husband removing the veil signifies the transition of the wife under his protection. Now he will be her protector.
If a wedding ceremony was performed, this attribute plays a significant role:
- for a successful conception, the veil is hung over the marital bed, where it remains for a month or more;
- as soon as the baby is born, they cover the cradle and baby carriage with it to protect the baby from evil spirits;
- if the baby is sick, it is used as a blanket for a speedy recovery.
Why don't they cover the bride's face now?
Nowadays, a veil is not a mandatory attribute of a wedding dress. Young people believe in the equality of the sexes, and their views on preserving chastity before marriage are liberal.
With the decreasing role of religion in society and the growth of general education, people believe less in evil spirits, slander and the evil eye.
But if the wedding takes place in a church, then wearing a veil during the ceremony will be mandatory.
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Should we keep traditions?
Previously, a thin fabric covering the face played the role of a kind of shroud. This symbolized farewell to girlhood. The girl passed from one world to another, ending up in the clan of her husband. Nowadays, the veil is more associated with purity and purity, which is passed on to the husband.
Now there is no need to completely repeat everything that our ancestors did, but we shouldn’t ignore ancient traditions either. By the way, many superstitions concern witnesses.
Stick to the golden mean by following these tips:
- It is still necessary to get married in a veil; it is not only a tribute to superstitions, but also a beautiful accessory that adds tenderness to the bride’s image.
- Do not let anyone touch it with your hands; it is not only unsafe, but also unhygienic.
- For the same reason, take a new accessory or sew it yourself.
- Don’t be afraid to drop or damage the fabric, and don’t create an aura of nervousness around yourself.
- Just trust that everything will go well.
- Choose the length at your discretion so that it is comfortable for you.
- It is better to leave the color traditionally white, because it represents innocence.
- Leave your husband the right to remove your wedding paraphernalia at home. By doing this you will show respect for him and will not break the custom.
Interesting! There are signs associated with a wedding loaf and even gifts to the newlyweds.
Can it be stored or not?
The bad news is that when stored for a long time, snow-white fabric inevitably turns yellow, gray, and becomes covered with dust. Agree, it would be strange to periodically wash and bleach your veil, in which you once got married, over the course of a long family life. Even the most careful dry cleaning will eventually lead to damage to the veil, especially decorative elements, beads, flowers, and embroidery.
According to signs, the fabric turns yellow or gray as a result of a spouse’s betrayal. But in fact, any fabric loses its whiteness when stored for a long time. Why do you need unnecessary doubts?
In any case, storing a veil will cause mixed emotions. If you have your own home, you can act like a Victorian bride - tell the servants to put away your wedding dress and never think about it again, let it gather dust somewhere in the back dressing room, which your children or grandchildren will later stumble upon. In your memory, the veil will remain as a lovely white train that enveloped your girl’s head on the happiest and most joyful day.
In the modern world, when a young family often changes housing, rents an apartment, when the compactness of luggage is one of the important factors of comfort, carefully preserving the veil and transporting the wedding dress will require too much trouble and will cause irritation. Nothing terrible will happen if you forget your wedding dresses during your next move.
It is believed that a woman should keep her wedding veil all her life and under no circumstances throw it away, give it away, sell it or let her friends, sisters and unmarried daughters try it on, otherwise the marriage will be unsuccessful and will soon fall apart.
But there is an exception to this rule - if the mother had a happy and long marriage, then she can give her veil to her daughter who is getting married, as if passing on to her a piece of her family happiness.
It is considered a bad omen if a friend took your veil for some purpose, this means that in the future she may take your husband away too.
