Legacy of the Veil

My Mother wore a beautiful veil for her wedding. When I got married I wore the same veil except I took off my Mother's headpiece and added a big, puffy, eighties-style one to make it my own. I loved my veil and I remember very clearly how it blew in the wind on the cold, blustery December day that I married my best friend. It kept blowing above my head and Stephen had to hold it down while we were getting our pictures taken. I have an awesome picture of us in front of the Salt Lake temple with my veil all puffed up from the wind. It was kind of like a "Gone with the Wind" moment, so dramatic and beautiful. It was a special feeling to know that I was wearing my Mother's veil that she had worn almost 25 years earlier when she married my Dad.

 

My sister Janelle also wore the veil when she married her husband, Bren ten years ago. She altered it quite a bit by cutting some of the length off, adding a simple comb with a pearl trim, sewing a border of tiny white satin ribbon along the edge and some delicate clusters of tiny pearls were beautifully glued on the veil. It was simply elegant and matched Janelle's simple, classic style. 

 Now, 24 years from my wedding the legacy of the veil continues.  With the announcement of my daughter, Ashton's engagement, she made it very clear that she wanted to wear Grandma's veil. It was very important for her to be a part of that tradition.  While on a wedding dress hunting trip to Utah, Ashton, my Mother and I tried to figure out the best way to change the veil so that it would fit the newest bride's style and would work with the existing veil that had been changed three times already.  Ashton really wanted it to be long, touching the ground, but since Janelle had created a shorter veil for her wedding, that was going to be a challenge.  

With my creative mind working overtime, I decided that we could add a very long piece of new tulle under the shorter piece of Grandma's to create the third generation veil.  With a gentle touch, I unpicked the original veil and I worked extremely carefully as I attached the two pieces of tulle on top of each other, symbolically binding each generation together as each stitch was gently sewn onto the comb. 

Delicate, sparkling rhinestones were added to each pearl cluster.   I couldn't help but ponder the amazing legacy of this veil.  It started with an amazing, young woman, just starting out her married life fifty years ago.  With each new generation the veil has been changed just a little to fit the new bride's personality.  The veil was always added to, as if linking the generations together.  Each new bride was different than the one before, but still had some of the same inherent qualities received from previous generations, just like each new veil that has been created from the old, vintage one.  The veil...a symbol of love, connection, commitment, and family.  The fabric of our lives overlapping with each new generation.   This veil is a priceless treasure that I hope future generations of brides will continue to change, add to and use with a fond remembrance of the legacy of the veil that came before them as they look ahead to their view of eternity.