Weddings Traditions In Ireland

An Irish traditional wedding is a beautiful ceremony to see or take part in. From the stunning attire of both the
bride and groom.
The bride would as is done to-day be dressed in a white dress to symbolize her purity. But, Irish weddings
although are a lot of fun have a lot of superstitions that have to be observed and carried out lest the couple suffer
the consequences.

Irish Wedding Traditions & Customs

Before Christianity found Ireland, couples who wished to show commitment to each other practised what was
known as hand fasting. This ritual was most probably carried over from Pagan times and is the Celtic ceremony of
unity. It was usual for couples to celebrate this ceremony around the harvest festival, Lughnasa, which occurs on
1st August. They could choose the length of the union either till death do us part or to be together in the afterlife
or even while their love burned strong and true in which case if they still wished to remain married they would
renew these vows the following year.
During the ritual the couple hold hands, right hand in right hand, and left hand in left with their wrists crossed.
Ribbon or cord is then wrapped around the wrists in a figure eight to represent infinity. This is most probably
where the saying tying the knot originated from.
Since the birth of Christianity weddings were held in the home of a Priest or in a Church. Two candles burn
separately during the ceremony which are then used to light one taller candle known as the Unity candle this is to
signify two becoming one.
Before the Bride makes it this far proceedings will start with the proposal: Would you like to be buried with my
people? Would you like to hang your washing next to mine? Not very romantic but every Irish girl would know
what was being asked. Friends and family when enquiring about the big day would ask: When are you giving us a
day out? or Should I buy a hat?
Next comes the all important planning, usually the poor groom ducks and takes cover and leaves all this to the
bride and her family as traditionally it is the brides father who foots the bill. Although now a lot of the expense is
shared. Gone are the days when a marriage depended on the size of the brides dowry. Marriages were once based
on what the bride could bring to the marriage either cattle or a farm or plot of land. It wasnt always based on love.
It was once known for family to marry family as it was law that only a male heir could inherit and this made sure
that land and property stayed within the family name.

The Irish Brides Dress

With the Church booked and the date chosen. The brides attention turns to her dress and accessories. This has to
chosen carefully as the color of her dress might determine how successful the marriage is:
Marry in white everythings right
Marry in blue lover be true
Marry in pink spirits will sink
Marry in gray live far away
Marry in brown live out of town
Marry in green ashamed to be seen

Marry in yellow ashamed of your fellow

Marry in black wish you were back
Marry in red wish you were dead
Marry in tan hell be a loved man
Marry in pearl youll live in a whirl
This then is followed by the traditional things that she will need to have with her:
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And an old Irish penny in her shoe.
The old Irish penny part seems to have disappeared in modern times, although no bride would dare walk down
the aisle without the rest. The something blue tends to be a blue garter worn around the top of the leg, which the
groom usually has to remove using only his teeth much to the amusement of friends and family.

Irish Wedding Veil or head-dress

Thats the next choice facing the bride. Traditionally Irish brides would have favored a garland of wild flowers
typically Lavender to be worn in their hair. Whichever the brides choice she must never put her own veil or headdress on as this is considered very unlucky.

The Weddings Rings

Traditionally the wedding band could be a Claddagh ring. This ring is of two hands holding a crowned heart. It is
very important to wear a Claddagh ring properly if you are engaged or married the tips of the crown should be
facing out whereas if you are not romantically involved the tips should face the wrist indicating that you are
approachable. Claddagh rings were usually handed down through generations of mothers to their daughters as it
is improper to buy your own Claddagh ring although that is a tradition that is not really practiced any-more. The
Claddagh rings were made of gold although now a days they have become more intricate with the heart being
made of a precious gem such as Emerald to represent the Emerald Isle.
The big day arrives and the first thing a bride to be will do is look out the window not to see if she will get wet if it
is raining but to make sure the sun is shinning as the sun blesses the union and brings good luck. While she is
looking at the weather she will be listening hard for the sound of the cuckoo and looking to see if she can spot
three magpies all a must to ensure that the marriage will be a happy one.
The ceremony over the bride and groom leave the Church traditionally to the sound of pipes. In days gone by a
family member or a friend of the family who could play the bagpipes would play as the happy couple left the
Church and also at the reception afterwards which would have once been held in the brides parents house. Today, couples usually hold their reception in a hotel or hires a hall depending on what the budget will stretch to.
However, the bride must travel a different way than she traveled to the church as this symbolizes the fresh start to
her new life.

Blessings & toasts for an Irish Wedding

As the guests congratulate the happy couple the first person to offer their congratulations to the bride must be a
man. Its very unlucky for a woman to do this so traditionally a male member of the grooms family will be the first
to congratulate the bride and welcome her to the family.

The merriment begins. Everybody is given a drink from mead in days of old to Champagne or sparkling wine today to raise and toast the health of the bride and groom. There are many different toasts and sayings recited at
weddings for example:
May there always be work for your hands to do
May your purse always hold a coin or two
May the sun always shine on your window pane
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain
May the hand of a friend always be near you
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you
Other examples include:
May he bless your home
With the peace
That surpasses understanding
May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more
And nothing but happiness
Come in your door
Long live the Irish
Long live their cheer
Long live our friendship
Year after year
And not forgetting the traditional toast for any occasion: Slainte ! (pronounced SLAWN cha)
Toasts and blessings speeches eventually over. The Irish are renowned talkers (must be because we all kissed the
Blarney Stone at birth) and this part can usually last for quite a while, but eventually the dancing starts.
Thankfully these days the bride can relax now but it used to be if she could carry a tune (sing) she would be
expected to provide the entertainment as well.
This is where the groom takes his bride to the centre of the room to show the world his wife and lead her in their
first dance as a married couple. Even this has to be done carefully because the new bride cannot lift both her feet
off the ground at the same time or else the faeries may carry her away.
Cutting the cake is a very important part of the day. The guests all gather round to watch and cheer as the first
slice is cut. A traditional Irish cake would have at least two tiers the first would be a rich fruit cake and the smaller
next tier would be soaked in good Irish whiskey and stored away to be used as a christening cake for the first-born.
Every guest is given a slice of cake to eat or in some cases taken away by unmarried maidens to place under their
pillow that night in the hope that they dream of their future husband.
Celebrations over the couple are ready to leave their guests (who will usually carry on celebrating into the wee
small hours) to go on honeymoon. This word actually has nothing to do with going away but was actually honey
wine (mead) that was given to the couple who would then drink it every night out of a special goblet to promote
virility and also to protect the couple from the faeries who would have loved to have spirited the bride away.

Buying the perfect Irish Wedding Gift

Irish wedding gifts that are traditionally given include items like salt and pepper shakers and tall toasting
glasses (flutes) which are considered lucky gifts to receive or a porcelain bell which is given to remind the couple
of the bells that rang when they married. Irish linen or a piece of Irish lace were and still are considered a
wonderful gift to receive as they represent solid commitment.
To-day no bride starts her married life without at least one piece of either the highly collectable Belleek Pottery or
stunning Waterford Crystal.

Five old Irish wedding traditions you may not know about

Many old Irish traditions have disappeared over the years, but when it comes to
matters of love, there's a few that cling on.
You may have heard of one or two, but there are a few lovely ones that are littleknown. If you've got the big day coming up, why not try to incorporate a few?
Tying the knot
Oddly enough, the phrase 'tying the knot' comes from an old Irish tradition that
symbolises the bond of marraige in the same way that the exchanging of rings
does in most cermonies today.
At the point in the ceremony where the bond between husband and wife is
signified, the couple clasp their hands together, and a ribbon, cord, or rope often brightly coloured (or matching the rest of the wedding theme - is wound
around their joined hands as a symbol of their agreement to spend their lives
together.
This is a Celtic tradition that the Scottish also lay claim to, and there's plenty of
evidence to suggest it was widespread throughout Europe at one point. It was
even part of the British royal wedding in 2011.
A blue dress
Here's an interesting one: traditional bridal gowns were never white, but blue.
The popularity of the white wedding dress, representing virginity and purity, likely
has its roots in the weddings of British monarchs such as Queen Victoria. But long
before that, blue was the colour that conveyed the same ideas. These days, blue
wedding gowns are very rare.
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A porcelain horseshoe
This is one of those traditions that isn't widely seen. But there's a good reason
why.
The association of horseshoes and good luck is as old as the hills: in many
cultures, hanging a horseshoe over a door was thought to bring good luck to the
occupants.
That tradition crept into weddings, too, and the story goes that brides would
carry a horseshoe on their wedding day to bring good luck to the occasion and,
by extension, the rest of the marriage.
But, obviously, carrying around a lump of agricultural iron isn't exactly
convenient.
Nowadays, brides in Celtic nations carry around small symbols of the horseshoe,
made of silver, or porcelain, tucked away in the bouqet or carried alongside it
instead of luggung around a hefty lump of metal.
The Claddagh ring

The Claddagh Ring is one of the old traditions that's widely know. The traditional
ring is widely given by young Irish men to their girlfriends as a gift, and
sometimes it's inherited from a family member. But the ring has a part in
wedding ceremonies, too.
Single women traditionally wear the ring on the right hand, with the ring facing
outward. When in a relationship, it's turned inwards, indicating that the lady isn't
'available.'
But the ring is moved to the left hand when the wearer becomes engaged (point
outward), and turned inward on that hand once married.
The symbolism attached makes the Claddagh a popular engagement or unusual
wedding ring.
Wedding bells
Not quite the same as the tolling of the church bells. An old superstition, so the
story goes, is that the sound of bells would ward of malicious spirits. In the same
vein as the horseshoe tradition, this took on another meaning at a wedding,
where guests might be given small bells at the ceremony.
Today, wedding blogs sometimes suggest that those who want to keep this
tradition alive wear a small bracelet or charm with tiny bells after all, giving
every guest a noisy bell during the ceremony is quite a gamble!

Irish Wedding Traditions

Claddagh Ring
The claddagh ring is one of the most well-known Irish wedding traditions.
Typically passed down from mother to daughter or grandmother to
granddaughter, the ring represents love, friendship, and loyalty. Single ladies
wear the ring on their right hand with the point of the heart facing the fingertip.
When in a relationship, the ring is flipped around so that the point faces the wrist,
symbolizing that her heart has been captured. And when the woman becomes
engaged, the ring is moved over to her left hand, with the point of the heart
facing the fingertips. The ring is flipped around at the wedding.
Choose Your Date Wisely
In ancient times, Irish couples were cautioned against marrying between May and
August the busiest time in Irish life. As the saying goes,
"Marry when the year is new, always loving, kind, and true.
When February birds do mate, you may wed, nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, joy for maiden and for man.
Marry in the month of May, you will surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses blow, over land and sea you'll go.
They who in July do wed, must labor always for their bread.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change are sure to see.
Marry in September's shine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joy will come, remember.
When December's rain fall fast, marry and true love will last."
Handfasting
In this ancient Celtic tradition, the hands of the bride and groom are literally tied
together to symbolize the joining of husband and wife. It's the origin of the
phrase "tying the knot."
Food & Drink
During your cocktail hour, add a corned beef carving station. Start off dinner with
a potato soup. Be sure to stock the bar with plenty of Guinness, Bailey's Irish
Cream, and Jameson, and display an appropriate Irish proverb. My favorite: "An
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Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hold onto one blade of grass and not
fall off the face of the earth." Slinte!
Carry a Horseshoe
Add some good luck to your wedding day with a horseshoe. Make sure you keep
the horseshoe upright, resembling a "U" otherwise, legend says the luck will
run out! Incorporate a horseshoe in your bouquet, wear a horseshoe necklace, or
sew a small porcelain version inside your gown.
Flowers
Many Irish brides traditionally carried wildflowers and/or wore a wildflower wreath
in lieu of a veil.
Add a sprig of English lavender; it symbolizes love and devotion. And herbs stand
for the bride's fidelity to her new husband. Another one of the most popular
wedding flowers in Ireland is the Bells of Ireland.
Entertainment
Have a harpist play traditional Irish music before your ceremony the harp was
the national emblem of Ireland from the early times to the end of the 19th
century.
Make a bold statement by having bagpipes as you exit the ceremony or during
the cocktail hour.
Irish Blessings
Kick off the evening by having the father of the bride offer an Irish blessing:
May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace.
May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.
May the saddest day of your future
Be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
May your hands be forever clasped in friendship
And your hearts joined forever in love.
Your lives are very special,
God has touched you in many ways.
May his blessings rest upon you
And fill all your coming days.
Bells

A traditional wedding gift for Irish couples, the chime of the bell is said to keep
evil spirits away. Ring a bell together after reciting your vows. As you venture into
married life, keep your wedding bells in a safe place at home; if you argue, ring
the bell and it'll remind you of your wedding vows.
Other ways to include the chime: Hand out bells to your guests and have them
ring away as you exit the ceremony or reception. Use mini bells as place card
holders, or use modified bells as candle holders or vases.
Wedding Cake
The Irish wedding cake is a hearty fruitcake made with honey and soaked in an
Irish whiskey, then frosted with a sweet white glaze. Top the cake with shamrocks
or four-leaf clovers for good luck.
Your Look
Though green is the color most commonly associated with Ireland, it's actually
blue that's said to bring good luck to the bride on her wedding day.
Many Irish grooms opt to wear kilts.
Incorporate a braid in your hair; it's an ancient Irish symbol of power and luck.
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braided hairstyle

Honeymoon
What better place to honeymoon than in a traditional Irish castle?
In Gaelic, "honeymoon" is "mi na meala," meaning "the month of honey." It was
customary for the newlyweds to spend a month alone together drinking mead, a
wine made of fermented honey. The sweet wine is said to boost virility and
fertility babies born nine months after the wedding were attributed to the
mead!

Irish Wedding Traditions

Forget 12-piece bands, bridal clothes, and rings of gold. It's traditions like bagpipes, kilts,
and Claddagh rings that keep Irish eyes smiling during the wedding festivities. Here are a
few of the Irish wedding traditions that have made their way over from the old country
and into Irish American wedding celebrations.

The Claddagh Ring

Named after Claddagh, a fishing village in Galway (in Western Ireland), the Claddagh
ring is handed down from mother to daughter and is used both as the betrothal and
wedding ring. It is worn with the crowns facing inward, toward the wrist, on betrothal,
and outward, toward the nail, upon marriage. Today, it is still used as a wedding ring and
it is considered improper for a person to buy one for him or herself; it must be given as a
gift.

Irish Wedding Superstitions

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Irish believed that if the sun shone on the bride, it
would bring good luck to the couple. It was also lucky to hear a cuckoo on the wedding
morning or to see three magpies. After the wedding ceremony, it was important that a
man and not a woman be the first to wish joy to the new bride.

Locking the Door

Since Irish men were known for getting cold feet on their wedding days, once the bride
and groom were in the church, the guests would lock the door to keep the groom inside to
make sure he went through with the ceremony.

Irish Wedding Toast

The wedding party gathers around the bride and groom. All fill their glasses with mead
and the newly wedded couple recites an Irish toast: "Friends and relatives, so fond and
dear, 'tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed,
fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God's blessing
in your hour of need." The guests respond: "On this special day, our wish to you, the
goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it
always fill your every need."

Irish Lace
While bridal fashions in Ireland resemble the rest of the Western world, one distinctly
Irish touch is Irish lace. Try to incorporate this beautiful fabric into a gown or veil. If
that's too expensive, consider carrying a lace handkerchief in your bridal bag or hand
them out as attendant gifts. Color scheme? Follow Irish heritage, of course, and go for
green, white, and gold.

Bagpipes and Kilts

Lots of big Irish families have family members who are in pipe bands. So it's not unusual
for them to hook up at a wedding and pipe the couple into the mass or at dinner. Popular
tunes are the "Highland Fling" and the "Stack of Barley," as well as jigs, reels, and
hornpipes. Not only do they sound good, they look good too. Most pipers wear Celtic kilts
-- plaid skirts that their ancestors wore in medieval times. The Irish weren't allowed to
wear them during British rule, so now it seems they slip them on for practically every
special occasion, maybe in an effort to make up for lost time and to reclaim their stake in
what is often regarded as a Scottish fashion statement.

Lord of the Dance

Show off on the dance floor with a ceilidh, a traditional Irish set dance. Consider signing
up for pre-wedding lessons -- for just you and your sweetie or for the whole bridal party.
Keep in mind that some ceilidh dances are named for locations in Ireland such as the
Kerry Set, the Seige of Ennis, while some waltz tunes include names such as "Galway
Shawl", or "Home to Mayo" -- choose a song or dance to reflect your family's heritage or
ancestral home. Be sure to share the special significance of your dance with your guests.

An Irish Feast
The traditional Irish menu -- Irish soda bread, corned beef, and cabbage -- is perhaps not
something you'd typically crave, but when cooked right and served up at a big wedding
fete, it's positively delicious (not to mention that it all gets washed down with plenty of
whiskey and Guinness Stout). And don't forget the traditional Irish wedding cake, a
fruitcake filled with almonds, raisins, cherries, and spice and laced with brandy or
bourbon.

The Month of Honey

The word for honey is "meala" in Irish. "Mi na meala," the month of honey, refers to the
month after the wedding when the newlyweds celebrated by drinking mead, a brew made
of fermented honey. Following the wedding, a sufficient amount of mead was given to the
bride and groom, along with special goblets, so they could share the unique brew for one
full moon after their wedding -- and thus the term honeymoon was coined. It was
believed that this delicate yet potent drink was the best way to ensure a good beginning
for a new marriage, and it was also believed to endow powers of virility and fertility.

Modern Swing on Things

You can incorporate these Irish wedding traditions into your wedding with just a few
simple modifications. Instead of hiring a complete band of pipers, get one to play at
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certain points during the wedding -- maybe outside the ceremony as people enter and
leave. Instead of mead, drink your favorite champagne but recite an Irish toast. Use
Claddagh rings for wedding bands, and be sure to take a look at some of the modern
interpretations of the Claddagh. Also, don't forget that one way to celebrate your love of
all things Irish is to honeymoon in Ireland -- it's gorgeous, and oh-so-romantic.

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