Care cloth

[1] St. Isidore of Seville explained that the white represents the purity of Christian and marital love, while the red signifies the continuation of the family bloodline.

[6][7] The mention of Care cloth can be found in John Brand's work Observations on the Popular Antiquities of Great Britain, which chiefly illustrates the origin of vulgar and provincial customs, ceremonies, and superstitions.

This concept was later referenced in the Veronense Sacramentary, which was compiled between the fifth and seventh centuries, and was specifically identified as the Velatio nuptialis, referring to the nuptial veiling.

[9] During the Anglo-Saxon period, the Nuptial Benediction was typically conducted with the use of a veil, which was a square piece of cloth held over the heads of the bride and groom.

Evidence supporting this includes references to the acquisition of a section of "Lucca cloth" in the "wardrobe accounts" of Edward II, as well as its use during the nuptial mass of Richard and Isabella in 1321 as a veil to cover their heads.

Greco-Roman influence may have played a role, as the Latin and Greek terms for marriage - nubere, nuptiae connubium, and νυμφίος - all relate to the concept of a veil.

The 12th-century Rabbi Isaac ben Abba Mari decidedly disapproved of the incorporation of the practice of draping a cloth over the couple during the marriage benediction.

[2] In Anglo-Saxon culture, the "care cloth" or "nuptial veil" played a significant role in wedding ceremonies as it was believed to symbolize the purity and sanctity of the union between the bride and groom.

[12][3][15] The canopy in British wedding ceremonies was purportedly employed to conceal the bride's blushing, although historical accounts from Edward describe it as a veil.