Veil is one of the most ancient symbols of a wedding. Many superstitions are associated with it. For example, that the veil acts as a kind of amulet for family and marriage.
Ancient wedding traditions
Until two thousand years ago, the brides of Rome wore a veil. This element of the wedding dress performed a protective function, protected the bride from envious glances and damage, saved from evil spirits. Initially, the veil was made of an opaque dense fabric, and completely covered the bride's face even from her future husband. Later, the veil was sewn from translucent luxurious fabrics to demonstrate the wealth of the family and add grace and charm to the bride.
In the old days, a veil was a kind of demonstration of the power of a husband over his wife. A veil down to her heels, beautiful, but constraining her movements, preventing her from moving, spoke of the wife's complete submission and dependence on her husband. Most European peoples attached the same meaning to the veil, but its appearance was different in different cities and countries.
Roman women wore a traditional red veil, Greek women - yellow, Ukrainian women - characteristic wreaths with ribbons. In Russia, a wedding veil made of fabric, which served as a veil, was decorated with beautiful hoops made of leather or metal. During early Jewish ceremonies, the bride, wrapped from head to toe in a thin white veil, was presented to the groom practically as a gift, and the veil could not be removed until the end of the wedding ceremony.
Tradition and Symbolism
In many countries, it was believed that after the wedding, the wife should keep the veil for life as a talisman for marriage. That is why a veil cannot be rented, because it is rather strange on a symbolic level to get married under the yoke of someone else's fate. In Eastern Europe, it is customary for some families to marry in a mother's veil if her marriage is successful. There is a sign that the longer and richer the veil, the longer the spouses will live together and the happier their marriage will be.
In some countries, it is customary to cover the cradle with the baby with a veil, protecting it from the evil eye and disease. A veil thrown over a cradle is credited with the ability to soothe and lull a small child.
Of course, all these signs are of no practical value, since they have not been confirmed by anything. However, there is a lot of sense in the tradition of keeping a veil after the wedding. In today's world, many brides rent dresses or sell them after the wedding. In this case, the veil remains the only "feminine" reminder of the wedding day. A reminder like this can be very helpful during difficult days of marriage.
