What kind of object is this - a veil?
This is a light blanket made of thin fabric that covers the head and goes down the shoulders to the waist . The accessory consists of two continuous panels, which can be in the form of silk, muslin, lace, or tulle pieces of fabric. In recent decades, tulle or organza has been used as material.
Description of the veil
The attribute remains unchanged for a very long time. Both in the Middle Ages and in modern times, girls get married in a veil, before - only of a certain length, now - from short to long, for which assistants are needed. The accessory always matches the dress .
Its style determines what length, shape, and what material the bride’s head covering should be made of. Modern wedding veils vary greatly in length. The veil can be of different types:
- short – up to 60 cm;
- medium – 70-110 cm;
- long – 110-350 cm.
This accessory is so beautiful that even the varieties of styles are represented by poetic names: veil, blusher, veil to the elbow, to the fingertips, fan, fountain, waltz, chapel, cathedral, mantilla. And the shape of the cover is round, cascading and in the shape of a cap - bridal cap.
Attribute assignment
The veil is used as an integral and one of the important accessories of the bride's wedding dress .
It should be noted that it has long ceased to fulfill its main function - to hide the appearance and figure of a girl getting married. However, no other attribute of a wedding dress can give the bride so much grace and beauty. It was not always just a wedding veil. At different times, among the peoples of Europe and Asia, including Russia, it could be used as a headdress for a girl or a married lady . Boyars walking down the street covered their faces, leaving only the eye area open.
Interpretation according to the Islamic dream book
There is a valuable gift in store for you. Most likely, they will hand it over without any particular reason. But you shouldn’t build sweet hopes, expecting a surprise from day to day. Oddly enough, it will turn out completely unexpected.
The sister is trying on the veil - an event that will unite the family is just around the corner. A chance to improve relationships if you haven’t communicated for a long time, but really need the support and approval of your relatives.
A short veil is a help on a difficult journey. If you decide to take an independent step into the frightening unknown, wait for the “permission signal.” It could be a song that is symbolic for you, a meeting with an idol, or a dream in which you show off in front of a mirror in a short veil.
Historical reference
The head covering has been used as an indispensable wedding attribute since antiquity.
In Ancient Greece, the newlywed was hidden under a yellow veil, and in Ancient Rome it was customary to protect the bride from the evil eye and evil spirits by covering her with a red cloth. According to tradition, it was necessary to hide not only the head, but also the entire torso under the cut. There were no transparent materials then; it was impossible to see the appearance and figure of the bride under the matte veil. It was believed that the veil would protect the newlywed from being kidnapped by evil spirits. In the Middle Ages, crusading knights brought from their campaigns the eastern custom of marrying off girls wearing a white veil.
In Rus', the bride’s head at a wedding was covered with an ordinary scarf, but boyar daughters were married in an outfit with a thin light veil, which was secured with a metal or leather hoop. Over time , the color of the veil changed to white, symbolizing the innocence and purity of the bride . Soon, instead of it, the cover began to be decorated with a wreath of flowers. At the end of the wedding feast, a custom was established to remove the bride’s veil in front of the guests; this served as the beginning of a new stage of life and indicated the transfer of power to the husband.
The history of the red ribbon: A symbol of purity or greetings from Zoroastrianism?
Traditions are something that lives in each of us, literally, absorbed with mother’s milk.
As Media.Az , traditions can be treated differently: follow them, deliberately ignore them, but the fact that they are part of history, and therefore a part of each of us, whatever one may say, cannot be denied.
A red ribbon on a snow-white wedding dress... Almost every Azerbaijani bride appears before guests in this outfit on her wedding day. But where did this tradition come from, and what is it connected with? The vast majority are confident that a red ribbon on a wedding dress symbolizes the girl’s innocence and purity. Is it really?
I would like to start from the very beginning - that stage when many centuries ago young people got to know each other. As it turns out, in most cases, the bride and groom did not know each other before the wedding. The parents selected a match for their son. The consent of the young people was not required at all, the main thing was that the choice satisfied the relatives...
Fortunately, this tradition has almost become obsolete today; young people meet on their own, or at least see their other halves until the “X” moment, that is, before the wedding. However, in some regions, parents still choose a bride for their son. This happens extremely rarely, but the tradition has not completely disappeared into oblivion. Even if young modern Azerbaijanis get to know each other on their own, the parental blessing - “heyir dua” - has not been canceled, and it is very important. If the parents did not give the go-ahead to choosing a companion for their son or daughter, this does not mean at all that he will decide to go against the opinion of the family. This happens extremely rarely.
Further, if the blessing is nevertheless received, the next stage follows on the path to creating a “unit of society” - matchmaking.
The groom's parents and some of his relatives went to the bride's house, so to speak, “on reconnaissance.” This custom has survived to this day.
Here the oldest of the guests takes the initiative and informs the bride’s parents about the purpose of the visit.
The bride's parents do not give direct consent. The answer is given in a veiled way, more precisely through tea. The bride brings tea, and if it is sweet, it means the consent of the bride's parents.
After this comes the betrothal stage - “nishan”. It was held in the bride's house, now more and more often in restaurants and celebration houses.
This day is marked by the bride and groom exchanging rings. The groom gives the bride and her relatives valuable gifts. Gifts are laid out in a special way on trays - khoncha. There should be 7 such khoncha trays in total.
In ancient times, the main contents of khoncha were jewelry, expensive fabrics and sweets.
In modern Azerbaijan, the contents of khoncha are much more diverse. There are cosmetics for the bride, perfumes, sweets, underwear, and gold and jewelry remain unchanged.
After the bride receives these gifts, she is obliged to send return gifts to the groom on those same khoncha trays.
After the engagement stage, preparations for the wedding itself begin.
But here, before the wedding, one cannot help but mention two important traditional events in the life of the bride and groom. These are “hamam” and “khnayakhty”.
Hammam - a visit to the bathhouse by the groom and his male entourage. This tradition is a kind of prototype of the modern “bachelor party” - farewell to bachelor life.
Today this ritual is no longer relevant.
The girl performed the “khnayakhta” ceremony, which has survived to this day. A kind of prototype of a bachelorette party in Western countries, in our country this ceremony is shrouded in mystical beliefs. In ancient times, on this day an important stage in the bride’s life took place - farewell to her bridesmaids. The fact is that in the old days in Azerbaijan, after the wedding, the bride was forbidden to communicate with her friends. Thus, during the “khnayakhta” the girl could spend a few hours with her “girlish” entourage for the last time.
Today, of course, this is not the case, and after marriage a girl continues to communicate with her friends. And during the “khnayakhta” today, like many centuries ago, the future wife and her friends have patterns drawn on their hands.
Well, then naturally the main event happens - the wedding. Previously, 2 weddings were necessarily celebrated - “gyz toyu” and “oglan toyu”.
Today this is done extremely rarely, and most often young people arrange one magnificent wedding with a huge number of guests.
To the accompaniment of Azerbaijani national music, the groom and his retinue of guests arrive at the bride’s house, and to the music of “Vagzala” the girl leaves her father’s house.
Today, Azerbaijani brides get married in traditional white wedding dresses all over the world, but previously the Azerbaijani bride wore a red dress. From the red dress we only got a red ribbon, the purpose and meaning of which is still not fully understood.
Some historians claim that the red ribbon came to us from the Zoroastrians, who worshiped fire, and the red color, as you know, is the color of a fiery flame.
Others say that the red ribbon is a symbol of the bride’s purity; in addition, it is tied with two knots, which means the union of two families.
By the way, about the purity and innocence of the bride. This point is highly controversial. Many Azerbaijanis attended weddings when the bride was getting married for the second time, and a red ribbon was tied to her. The issue of innocence, naturally, fades into the background here and, most likely, today the red ribbon is just a tribute to tradition.
There is also an opinion that a red ribbon is a symbol of fertility, and it is tied to the bride’s belt so that she will give birth to many children.
Another opinion is that the red ribbon is a symbol of patience, which is so necessary in family life.
By the way, tying a red ribbon on a wedding dress is a ritual that, in addition to Azerbaijanis, has still not been forgotten by Turks and Tatars.
Then the bride's face is covered with a veil or veil and taken away from her parents' house. A large fire is lit in the yard, or a kerosene lamp is lit in the house. The bride is led around the lamp several times. This is done so that the house she enters is bright and its hearth is always hot. And so that the fire protects the new family from evil eyes.
They always throw a stone after the bride so that the house she goes to will always be strong. They also pour water after the girl so that it is easy for her to integrate into the new way of life.
In the courtyard of the bride's new house, a sacrificial ram is slaughtered. A drop of his blood is smeared on the forehead and on the bride’s dress so that she quickly gets used to the new home and makes friends with new relatives. Today this tradition remains more in the memories of Azerbaijanis, although in some regions of the country it is still alive.
After this, the bride is showered with coins, sweets, and wheat. This symbolizes prosperity and abundance in the home.
Advantages and disadvantages of a veil in a wedding look
Not every modern bride decorates her outfit with a veil. Sometimes the wedding attribute is replaced with a beautiful hat, veil, flowers in the hair, or a tiara . If a girl can’t decide whether to wear a veil for a celebration or not, then it’s worth considering the pros and cons of using it in a wedding dress.
Some difficulties in use can be considered as disadvantages:
- inconvenience when moving caused by a long veil;
- limited selection of hairstyles suitable for attaching the accessory;
- the impossibility of demonstrating the interesting cut of the dress, embroidery, open shoulders, graceful figure hidden under the cover.
Any girl in a wedding dress looks like a princess, and with a veil the magic only intensifies. The wedding attribute has undeniable strengths. It is necessary if you need:
- follow ancient traditions;
- gain confidence and calmness under the veil that hides the face during the most exciting moments of the celebration;
- hide imperfections in the cut of the dress, imperfect figure or skin;
- create many different images and scenes using veils in photographs from the celebration.
Important! It is not customary to wear a white veil - a symbol of innocence for brides in an interesting position or those getting married not for the first time.
Features of choosing a veil
Wedding salons and shops present a huge variety of models and styles. Here you can choose a veil of absolutely any length from different fabrics. But in the selection, its combination with the dress will play a decisive role .
For a lush outfit with flashy trim, you need to choose a modest cover. If the cut of the dress is simple, then an embroidered multi-layered accessory will be a wonderful addition to it. You need to choose a long veil for a long dress, and a short accessory for a short outfit . The most universal length for a wedding veil is medium, in which the upper tier covers the face, and the lower one ends on the back. Short girls should avoid wearing a veil that is too fluffy - the upper part of the figure may visually appear disproportionately wide. Brides with curvy figures should not weigh down their look with accessories with satin trim, embroidery, and other decorations - a simple veil without any frills will not emphasize what you want to hide on your special day.
Important! When choosing, pay attention to the method of attaching the cover: it should be securely attached to the hairstyle and not create discomfort.
Version of Freud's dream book
The veil symbolizes a whirlwind romance. The intensity of passions will be so great that an emotional “explosion” will not be far away. Slow down to catch your breath. Try to soberly assess the situation and stabilize the relationship. Emotional swings are very exhausting.
A long fitting leads to an informed decision. You have assessed the pros and cons, set your priorities and are finally ready to announce your verdict. A work of thought deserves a successful presentation. Everything will work out.
The veil is lost - the relationship has survived the storm, time is needed to restore resources. Don't try to be tricky by using cunning. Abstract yourself by looking at the situation from the outside.
Where else is the veil used?
In modern times, a new tradition has emerged - wearing a veil to a bachelorette party . Of course, this is not a white wedding accessory, but a short, light fabric of bright color, which only indicates the girl as a bride.
And one more custom with a veil - this accessory can be present in the outfit of the bridesmaids, for whom outfits are sewn in the same color . At the request of the girl getting married, her closest friends should be her retinue, dressed in outfits that match the style of her wedding dress. Fabric, color, style, cut - all this is a figment of the imagination and the embodiment of the wishes of the newlywed.
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Pros:
OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLY WITH TRADITIONS, if this is important for you and your future husband.
With a veil, YOU CAN FEEL LIKE A REAL PRINCESS ON THIS DAY. So that everything would be like in your childhood dreams, when you imagined yourself as a bride, proudly walking around with a tulle curtain secured on your head with a lace ribbon. When the veil is especially long, small children can carry its train during the ceremony, then your wedding will definitely look like a royal or fairy tale.
