​The bridal costume had to have magical and protective functions, because according to old beliefs a bride was especially vulnerable to the influence of impure creatures and evil forces. A bride's ornaments and the covering of her face during the wedding ceremony had a direct magical function. The abundance of the bride's ornaments and decorations was supposed to bring luck to the newlyweds and, first of all, to protect the bride from all evil. For the same reason the bride's face and head were covered with a plaid when she travelled to her groom's home.

Numerous old-fashioned items survived in the bridal costume. The ancient married woman's head-wear — a white linen scarf — was still used as bridal head-wear in Karja parish in the 19th century.