Wedding celebrations are a series of traditional rituals that are designed to give the holiday a sacred meaning. The decision of young people to spend their lives together is a very serious one. This radically changes the usual order of things not only for them, but also for their family members. Removing the veil at a wedding is one of the most revealing wedding rituals. It is widespread, with minor modifications, in Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria and other countries.
The history of the ritual of removing the veil from the bride
There is a version that this action is associated with the ritual of unbraiding the bride’s braids. On the eve of the wedding, the girl's braids were undone by her girlfriends or brother. Thus, she said goodbye to her family and girlish freedom. After the braids were unbraided, a scarf was put on the bride’s head, which was then worn by all married women. Hair was believed to attract the attention of other men. Now the young woman was moving on to the next stage of her life. 
The ritual of removing the veil has the same meaning. A veil is an attribute of a wedding celebration, where the bride is just about to become a married woman. While the girl’s head is decorated with a veil, she is still a bride, but as soon as the veil is removed, she turns into a married woman. 
In addition to the significance that this action has only for the bride, there is a symbolic meaning that it represents for members of the young family. The bride's family says goodbye to her, and the groom's relatives and he himself accept her. 
Previously, a girl thus left the control of her parents, but came under the control of her husband and his family. Therefore, the script often assumes that the bride's veil is removed by the groom, mother-in-law or his father. Nowadays her mother does it sometimes. There is also an option in which the bride takes off the veil herself. So she tried to make it clear to guests and relatives that she was not going to be subordinate to her husband. In ancient times, this could have ended badly for her. 
Rules for the ritual of removing the veil
Three ritual scenario options
Today, at weddings in Russia, it is customary to carry out this ceremony according to one of three scenarios. Music accompanies ritual actions.
Next comes the continuation of the ritual. Those girlfriends who have not yet gotten married stand in a round dance. The bride, accompanied by music, approaches each girl from the round dance and dances next to her, holding a veil over her head. The main thing is that the friend does not touch the veil, so as not to take away the happiness of the bride. The bride can dance longer with that friend whose personal life is not going well. The entire ceremony is accompanied by the words of the leader. 
After completing the ceremony of removing the veil
In order to avoid a sad mood after the ceremony, you need to pay attention to some important details.
Now you can choose interesting musical accompaniment for a popular ritual. If a suitable song is played during it, it will make an even greater impression on the participants of the ceremony and guests of the celebration. 
It is worth thinking about the headdress that the bride will wear after removing the veil. Now there is no strict requirement that it be a simple scarf. It could be some kind of silk scarf or hat. This dress must be selected in advance so that it does not discord with the bride’s outfit. He must be smart. Changing a veil to another accessory should not make you think about the severity of marriage. It’s just the beginning of a new life stage for a woman. 
This is a touching ceremony that often brings tears to guests. Corresponding verses are often selected for it. It must be carried out carefully so as not to overshadow the holiday. Usually they organize a ritual of removing the veil at the end of the celebration, just before the departure of the newlyweds. But under no circumstances should you leave the veil. It is usually taken by the bride to be kept as a family heirloom. Sometimes the veil is given to the mother as a symbol of her daughter’s past youth. 
Every little girl has one big dream: a carriage, a prince and a beautiful white dress, like a real princess. Time makes its own adjustments to the image of both the prince and the carriage, but the dress remains a cherished dream. Lush or laconic, white, pink, sometimes even red - in the modern world, standards change so quickly that you don’t have time to keep up with the latest wedding fashion, and the bride already has a lot of worries during the preparation and planning of the celebration.
And in the pre-wedding bustle, more and more brides are turning to long-standing traditions that are not subject to daily changes. This applies to both the organization of the celebration and the conduct of folk wedding ceremonies. One of these is, in particular, the ritual of removing the veil from the bride.
Is a veil necessary?
Nowadays, many brides choose dresses without a veil, considering it an extra unnecessary detail that also hides festive makeup. The desire to create a luxurious hairstyle, the fear of not finding a model that matches the color and style - there are many reasons for refusing a veil.
The tradition of covering the bride’s face is not originally Slavic; it came to us from Europe, where people believed that the bride needed a veil to protect her from the evil eye of ill-wishers and envious people. And the burqa, which women of the East still wear, serves the same purpose - to hide beauty and youth from the eyes of strangers.
As for the veil, initially it was made completely opaque, but over the years, obstinate fashionable brides have won the right to a veil made of airy and light materials. And the girl hiding her face behind thin elegant lace looks mysterious and beautiful.
What did our ancestors do?
In Rus', girls before marriage were allowed to walk with their hair down and their heads uncovered. At the wedding, a wreath was braided into the bride’s hair, and at the end of the holiday, the hair was loosened, the wreath was taken out, and the hair was braided into two braids, then put back into a hairstyle, symbolizing the transition from girls to women. This ritual was completed by covering the head with a scarf as a sign of submission to the husband. Now this transition symbolizes the removal of the veil.
Plan a ritual
If you decide that you will definitely perform this beautiful ritual at your wedding, then you should plan in advance how it will take place. There are several ways to remove a veil, and each of them involves not only the bride, but also the parents of both future spouses. Be sure to discuss all the details so that an annoying oversight or accidental mistake by one of the characters does not become a reason for the bride’s upset! It’s even worth rehearsing this action several times.
Situation
Whichever option you choose, remember that you first need to create the right environment. This is a sad tradition, but sadness has no place at a wedding, so everything should go fairly quickly so that no one has time to get bored. There are many songs about this ritual, and it would be ideal to keep it to a few minutes while the music plays.
If you have an experienced presenter, he will tell you the time suitable for removing the veil. This usually happens towards the end of the wedding, when the bouquet and garter have already been thrown to the single girlfriends and friends of the newlyweds, but before the first dance of the newlyweds and before cutting the cake, because they must perform these actions, already considered husband and wife.
A chair is placed in the center of the hall, you can put a soft, beautiful pillow on it, and only then seat the bride. Everyone present stands in a circle near the chair. The light should be dimmed or turned off completely, giving guests candles in their hands, but be careful with the fire.
How does the ritual work?
So, the first option is that the groom removes the veil from the bride, gently removing the jewelry from the bride’s hair and kissing her on the cheek each time until the veil is removed. Kisses can be replaced with compliments, or they can be combined, but do not overdo it with the number of hairpins and barrettes: not all grooms are able to show eloquence and long endurance in such a situation.
The second option is for the mother of the bride to remove the veil. In some parts of our country, it is believed that the bride should not immediately succumb to the hands of her mother, but must evade and resist, agreeing to sit quietly only on the third attempt. In some places it is allowed that the mother places banknotes on the bride’s head, and the third should be the largest. This action symbolizes the daughter’s reluctance to leave her home and become a married housewife.
The third option, which is also the most common, is that the groom’s mother takes off the veil, thus demonstrating that she agrees to accept the bride into her home. In this case, there is no longer any need to resist, since it is clearly not worth quarreling with future relatives. At this moment, the future mother-in-law remembers how she herself was part of someone else’s family, which should have a positive impact on the relationship with her son’s future wife. Who will understand a woman better than a woman!
End of the ceremony
So, you have finally taken off the veil. But the ritual does not end there - now you need to cover your head with a scarf. A scarf is more of a general name; it is not necessary to take just a colorful, lurid scarf. You can replace it with a silk cut in the color of the dress and wedding, or look for a suitable option in wedding stores - the industry is meeting the wishes of clients, and the tradition of removing the veil and putting on a scarf is becoming more and more popular.
The mother-in-law must put a scarf on her head, since now the bride comes under her protection. It is not necessary to tie the scarf completely; you can simply drape the ends over your shoulders so that it does not fall off.
It is at this moment that the mother-in-law should show sensitivity and attentiveness, since one awkward movement can cause irreparable damage to both the bride’s makeup and hairstyle. But if you do everything carefully and slowly, the new look with a scarf will be no worse than the old one with a veil.
Dancing
Perhaps it is not worth saying that this is being done so that they too will soon be lucky enough to be in her place. If one of the girls needs luck more than others, if someone’s young man hesitates, not daring to propose, then the bride can linger near her, but in no case should you put a veil on someone else’s head, this is considered a bad omen - after all, the veil is only yours.
What to do next?
Many people are interested in the question, what to do next with the veil? Opinions differ: some believe that it should be given to the bride’s mother for safekeeping, others believe that it should be kept by the bride as a talisman that has collected all the positive, happy energy of the wedding celebration. In any case, we must hope that you will no longer need it - after all, you should get married only once in your life and for love.
The ritual of removing the veil is a very gentle and lyrical ritual, and this must be taken into account when drawing up the holiday program. Fireworks, jokes and loud cheerful music will not be the best accompaniment, but a gentle melody, candles, rain of rose petals will be very welcome. Think through all the details of the future holiday, and then you won’t have to worry about the little things that spoil the impression of what’s happening.
How many different rituals are associated with the wedding ceremony! And all these rituals came to us from our great-grandparents.
But today, most of these rituals are only symbolic in nature, they are carried out simply “for beauty”, and not many people think about the true meaning of such rituals.
Here, for example, is the ritual of removal veils.
Brides have different attitudes to this action. Some find it touching and beautiful and happily include it in the wedding evening program. Others, on the contrary, consider this tradition a relic of the past and do not want to part with the veil on their holiday.
The ritual of removing the veil symbolizes the bride's farewell to girlhood and the transition to a new role - the role of a wife, and soon a mother.
In the old days, only an unmarried young girl could wear her hair loose, not covered with a scarf. And as soon as she got married, her braids were hidden under a scarf. And never again could she walk with her head uncovered. For a married woman this was considered indecent.
Today, removing the veil is carried out in different ways. The scenario of this ceremony depends on the wishes of the newlyweds, on national traditions and simply from what he advises leading.
Here are some options.
1. The veil is removed by the groom's mother.
This ritual means that the mother-in-law accepts the daughter-in-law into her home and agrees that the girl will become a full-fledged mistress of it. The mother-in-law takes off the veil and puts a beautiful scarf on the bride’s head - the wife’s headdress. Women attending the wedding sing songs. Although today the song is usually replaced by the words of the presenter. Then all the unmarried girls at the wedding gather in a circle, with the bride in the center. Music sounds, the bride dances with all the girls in turn and they put on a veil for each of them.
2. The groom takes off the veil.
He takes out bride hairstyles hairpins. And each hairpin is “accompanied” with a compliment. And then he exchanges the veil for a scarf. At the same time he says: “Garna hustka, garni kintsi - garna will be my wife!”
3. The veil is removed by the mother of the bride.
The mother approaches her daughter and tries to take off her veil. The girl pretends to resist and pulls her mother’s hand away three times. In the end, the bride agrees. And the young husband puts the scarf on his wife. It turns out that the mother hands her daughter into the hands of her lover.
However, many girls do not agree to perform this ritual for many reasons.
Firstly, they believe that a scarf will not decorate them. And they want to remain dazzling until the very end of the celebration.
Secondly, some brides do their hair in such a way that removing the veil can destroy this masterpiece of hairdressing. By the way, in this case it is recommended to attach the veil with Velcro. It will be much easier to remove it.
Thirdly, many find this ritual sad. After all, a scarf symbolizes a woman’s difficult lot, and a veil symbolizes celebration and beauty.
Be that as it may, whether this ritual should be at the wedding or not is decided by the bride and groom themselves.
And here is a list of poems and songs performed during the removal of the veil.
Ukrainian folk song
Am E Am G
The pine tree was burning
With G
Am E Am G
The little girl stood there
With G
The pine tree was burning, the girl was standing near
Am E Am
The little girl stood there
Before the young girl stood | (2)
Rusyava was scratching her braid | (2)
Oh mow, mow you moi | (2)
Have served you for a long time | (2)
You will no longer serve | (2)
You will walk under the white velion | (2)
Under the white vellon, under the hustka | (2)
You won’t marry your friend again | (2)
Under white vellon, with ends | (2)
You won’t go with the boys anymore | (2)
Under the white veil, under the crown | (2)
You won’t go to the end again | (2)
Under the white veil, at the tank | (2)
You won't go near the girls anymore | (2)
"Removing the Veil"
The wedding was having fun, evening was coming
And the sad ceremony awaited the young woman.
Who invented it, argue and guess,
At midnight the candles are lit and her veil is removed.
Chorus:
The bride is in tears, leaving forever
Her colorful childhood, the veil is removed,
Saying goodbye to your youth, always be happy,
Now you are not the bride, the veil is removed - 2 rubles.
Together with her today, I want to be sad
The wedding for the bride, no, cannot be repeated.
They won't call her that anymore.
At midnight the candles are lit, she takes off her veil
Chorus.
Mother's words
Remember: a house in itself is a power.
Everything is its own there: it has its own law and its own rules and rights.
From now on you must tend the hearth every hour.
Let it burn like a light in your eyes,
So as not to go out forever.
Be able to light a big fire, warm your dear souls.
Manage to preserve warmth in the family,
So as not to disturb the comfort forever.
Well, my daughter, you are going to your husband,
After all, there are their own paths from the threshold.
Now you will see life without embellishment,
And choose where to put your foot.
There are kind words, words-rays,
Be more generous with your kind words.
And there are words that sound harsh,
Don’t waste your word, it’s better to remain silent!
Well, my daughter, you are going to your husband.
Let him become dear and beloved to you.
But everything that will appear before you
Let the sun be your playful one!
You entered the circle of friends under a veil,
The dress was blinded by whiteness,
Like a tender cherry blossom
Spring showered on you.
You make the walls of the house brighten,
How beautiful is your wedding attire!
How you dance, it’s like you’re weightless,
You swim like a white-winged swan.
A day, just one day will serve you
This white dress is yours...
The foam of washing will replace the foam of lace -
Vests, tablecloths, linen...
Just don't be sad about it, remember
As for the onset of gray hair
There will be a flood of winters and lightning,
White seagulls and steep waves...
You have to lean your heart against your heart,
So that life is not poor in happiness,
To the conscience of your page
They remained clean, without stains.
So that things come true in both big and small
All your hopes and dreams
So that HE will accompany you all your life,
White is the color of your veil today!
A wedding is a unique event that includes a whole fountain of feelings and emotions. She is touching, funny and romantic at the same time. Removing the veil is the most emotional moment of the wedding, taking place under the close attention of all participants.
Where did it come from? ritual of removing the veil at a celebration?
In ancient times, at a wedding, the bride’s braid was unraveled and the wreath was removed from her. The braid was a symbol of girlhood, and married women were supposed to cover their heads with a headscarf. This is exactly what they did to the bride right at the wedding. Over time, the wreath was replaced by a veil, which at the end of the wedding is removed and a scarf is tied to the now young wife.
How to remove a veil at a wedding?
The wedding scenario may include one of these three options for removing the veil:
- This action is performed by the mother-in-law, thus accepting the daughter-in-law into her family and recognizing her as an assistant.
- The bride's mother takes off the veil. By performing this ritual, she hands over her daughter to her son-in-law.
- The responsibility of removing the veil rests with the groom. This option is rarely used. Still, men are not well versed in women’s hairpins and bobby pins, and there is a possibility that when removing the veil, the bride’s hairstyle will also suffer.
Usually, whoever takes off the veil ties the scarf around the bride’s head. An interesting option is when the mother of the bride removes the veil from her daughter, and the mother-in-law then ties a scarf.
This is how a mother escorts her daughter from her family to her husband’s family.
This slightly sad tradition is, of course, not carried out in silence. The background can be beautiful gentle music, as well as the words of the presenter , accompanying the entire process of removing the veil. Guests usually stand in a circle, holding lit candles in their hands, and the lighting in the hall is dimmed.
A chair is placed in the center of the circle, on which the bride sits. You can also sit her on the groom's lap. A folk wedding song performed by guests can serve as a good background for removing the veil. Quite often during this ceremony the leader reads touching poems.
Dance with a veil
After the bride's head is tied with a scarf, she takes the veil in her hands and dances with all the unmarried girls, holding the veil above their heads. By this, she seems to attract the girls to a quick family life. It is better not for other girls to wear a veil while dancing, but if the bride has a friend who is long overdue for marriage, an exception can be made.
Sometimes, according to the host’s plan, the bride dances with unmarried guys, placing the veil on the guy’s shoulder.
At the end of the dance, the ceremony is considered completed, and the newlyweds can leave the celebration. Guests usually still stay and continue to have fun.
How to choose a scarf for a bride
The scarf is needed to cover the bride's head after removing the veil. It is not necessary to use a scarf in the traditional sense of the word for this purpose. It can easily be replaced by a thin lace scarf, a scarf made of chiffon or guipure, or a piece of mesh fabric decorated with hand embroidery.
You should not put off purchasing a scarf until the last minute. This item should not look like it was accidentally picked up by the bride; it must be combined with the fabric of the dress and the overall image of the bride.
When preparing for a wedding, you need to try on a scarf and choose a way to tie it that suits the bride, because even after removing the veil, she should look charming.
Some features of the wedding ceremony of removing the veil
In most cases during removing the veil almost all the women at the wedding, not excluding the bride herself and her mother, begin to cry. In order not to turn the wedding into protracted sobs, you should not take too long to remove the veil. And that is why this ritual is best performed closer to the end of the wedding celebration.
Covering the bride's head with a scarf can be done in the form of a small performance. When the mother-in-law ties a scarf to the bride, she tears it off her head. This is repeated twice, and then the scarf is tied again and remains untouched. This symbolizes the bride's submission to her mother-in-law. This custom is quite widespread in Ukraine.
Removing the veil is not always done at modern weddings, and if the newlyweds decide to do it, it is necessary to provide a simple way to attach the veil to their hair. This, firstly, will prevent you from ruining your hair, and secondly, will make the removal process not too long.
What to do with the veil after the wedding?
The veil cannot be sold, given away or loaned to anyone. It should be kept in the newlyweds' family. Moreover, after the birth of a child, a wedding veil is used to cover the stroller with the baby while walking outside, thus protecting him from prying eyes.
Each couple chooses the method of removing the veil and the musical accompaniment for this ceremony according to their taste. The video below will allow you to see what this process looks like from the outside and make the right choice.
Video about removing a veil at a wedding
The wedding ceremony of removing the veil from the bride is one of the most ancient and beautiful traditions. True, not everyone does it and not everywhere. The ritual of removing the veil is most widespread in Ukraine and Belarus, but in Russia it is not so popular.
Why does a bride take off her veil at a wedding?
The tradition of removing the veil from the bride has its roots in the distant past. Only in those days they removed not the veil from the bride, but a wreath entwined with ribbons, and unraveled her braid. Previously, married women could not walk with their heads uncovered; wearing a headscarf was mandatory for them, so after removing the wreath and unraveling the braid, the new wife’s head was covered with a headscarf. This is how the ritual of removing the veil and covering the head of a recent bride (and now a married woman) with a scarf arose. The ceremony of removing the veil symbolizes this transition from girlhood to family life.
Who takes off the bride's veil?
The ritual of removing the veil from the bride at a wedding is traditionally performed by the mother-in-law. Since this ritual symbolizes not only obtaining the status of a wife, but also the transition to a new family, the husband’s family. But there are several ways to perform this ritual.
- As mentioned above, usually the mother of the groom removes the veil from the bride, and in return puts a scarf on her head. In this case, the mother-in-law accepts her beloved son into her family, helping her transition into the role of wife.
- The bride's veil is removed by her mother. Here a small scene is made - the bride’s mother several times offers to remove the veil, but the bride does not agree. Of course, the veil is a symbol of joy and celebration, and the scarf that is worn in its place symbolizes family life with all its delights. That is why the bride refuses (three times) such a “dubious honor.” But, in the end, the bride's mother manages to persuade her daughter and remove the veil. Instead of a veil, the bride's head is covered with a scarf; this is done by the groom. Thus, the mother, as it were, hands her daughter into the hands of her groom.
- The third way to carry out the ceremony of removing the veil from the bride at a wedding involves the work of the groom. He also takes off the veil, carefully removing the pins from his hair, and covers his betrothed’s head with a scarf. In this case, the husband himself transfers his beloved from the rank of bride to the rank of wife.
What do you do after removing the veil?
Once the scarf is put on, the ceremony does not end. The next step is to gather all the unmarried girls present at the wedding. The girls line up in a circle, and the bride stands in its center, holding a veil in her hands. The music begins to play, and while it plays, the bride’s task is to dance with all the girls, holding her veil above their heads. It is believed that all items that are associated with a happy, successful marriage can bring happiness to people. 
In this case, the veil should apparently help unmarried girls find feminine happiness and get married quickly and successfully. If an unmarried friend is alone or, in the opinion of the bride, she most needs luck in love, then the veil is placed on the head of this friend.
A few notes on the ceremony of removing the veil
After removing the veil, the bride's head is supposed to be covered with a scarf. But it doesn’t have to be elaborate and completely incomprehensible. It can be a light, beautiful scarf, an embroidered piece of veil or chiffon. If you are going to perform such a ceremony, take the time to choose a scarf, let it be beautiful and match your wedding attire.
The ceremony of removing the veil from the bride is, of course, beautiful and touching, but there is no need to drag it out - after all, a wedding is a joyful event, and during the ceremony the ladies half of the guests often begin to cry, led by the bride. For the same reason, it is recommended to carry out the ceremony at the end of the evening, when it is time to see off the newlyweds.