BRIDAL VEILS AND WREATHS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume V, Issue 41, 11 October 1890, Page 15

BRIDAL VEILS AND WREATHS.

The veil is as old a part of the marriage ceremony as any known to civilization. Its origin has not been definitely ascertained. According to one theory, the veil, like other female head coverings, is worn ‘ because of the angels ’; according to another it survives from the age when a husband was forbidden to see the face of his wife an odd state of matters truly. Some enrious customs are even now associated with the bridal veil. . In Turkey a bride is always covered eight days before her marriage, and no one, not even the relations of her intended husband, may have permission to see her otherwise during that time. , . , In Poland the bride s eyes are covered with a veil, and she is led blindfolded to all the doors of her new home. In foimer times the Polish damsel about to be married went to the church preceded by lady friends attired in long red veils. . , . , After the wedding ceremony her lips were anointed with honey, and her eyes blindfolded with her veil. In this way she was led to her home, her friends throwing rice or wheat over her as a symbol that she would not lack for any good thing if she did her duty. In Russia wreaths of wormwood are sometimes placed on the heads of both bride and bridegroom ; and at the wedding feast the bride occasionally wears a veil, and is separated from her busband at the table by a curtain. In Greece it used to be the custom for the bride to wear a long veil which entirely concealed her features. The veil was removed when she reached the house of the bridegroom, and she was led into the lattei's presence accompanied by her lady friends, who meantime occupied themselves with dancing and singing. In Japan the bride is presented with a long white veil ■which will cover her whole body. After the wedding ceremony she puts this carefully away, for on her death it is destined to be her shroud. A young man in Persia sends a horse to his sweetheart’s house. She mounts, closely veiled, and rides to her future home holding a looking-glass before her all the way, to impress upon her that she therein beholds herself for the last time single. The Christian Church of Abyssinia gives sanction to some very peculiar marriage customs. The bride and bridegroom are shut, up for a month after the ceremony and the wife is required to wear a black veil for six weeks. In Egypt the bride is never seen by the bridegroom till after the ceremony, and she is always veiled. The day before the wedding she goes in state to her bath, earlier! by slaves under a splendid canopy of silk, and from head to foot a large shawl encircles her, resembling somewhat in size the Jewish veil.

Sir Henry Layard describes a curious marriage ceremony near Nimroud. The bride, entirely covered by a thick veil, ■was escorted to the bridegroom’s bouse, where she was placed behind a curtain in a darkened room for three days, while the guests feasted and made merry. < Inly after three days had elapsed was the husband allowed to approach his newly-made wife. In an old book on London the author narrates that in 1560 three daughters of a certain Mr Atkinson were married on the same day, but they wore no veils. ‘ They went to church, all three one after another, with three goodly caps, garnished with laces, gilt, and fine flowers, and rosemary strewed for their coming home.’ The Roman bridal-wreath was of verbena, plucked by the bride herself. Holly wreaths were sent as tokens of congratulations, and wreaths of parsley and rue were given under the idea that they were the best preventives against evil spirits. The wreaths of Athenian brides were formed of hawthorn. At the present day the bridal-wreath is almost entirely composed of orange-blossoms, but why this particular blossom no one seems to know. Perhaps it was at first adopted as an emblem. According to a correspondent the practice was derived from the Saracens, among whom the orange blossom was regarded as a symbol of a prosperous marriage, a circumstance which is partly to be accounted for by the fact that in the East the orange-tree beais ripe fruit and blossoms at the same time. It has also been suggested that the flower was introduced into the wedding customs by French milliners, having been selected for its beauty rather than any symbolical reason. A lady correspondent writing from Paris not long ago announced that at a wedding in that city the bride’s veil fell to below the waist, and the orange-blossoms, instead of being placed inside, were on the outside of the veil. The effect is described as much of an improvement. The veil can be gathered around the face closely, and gives an air of modesty and reverie suitable to a woman on the most important day of her life. The difference does not seem to be very great, but we know that if Paris gives the mandate, all well-dressed ladies bow.