Famous irish wedding traditions

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"Extended anecdotes at a wedding are like a porn star's professional pride and joy; long, hard and difficult to swallow. There are, of course, exceptions; tales so ..."

When both or one of the wedded couple is Irish, incorporating traditional Irish customs into the wedding and reception may add some culture to your special day. Make your event truly unique by welcoming guests who may not be of Irish decent to participate in the customary wedding events from ancient times in Ireland or those traditions that are still used today.

1. Appearance and Attire

   • Many Irish wedding traditions include the appearance of the bride and groom. It is customary for grooms and his attendants to wear traditional Celtic kilts during the wedding ceremony and reception. Not only is wearing a kilt a tradition in Irish weddings, but is also important to display family heritage. Prior to the adoption of white wedding dresses, Irish brides of ancient times wore a blue dress to signify purity. Irish brides often wore their hair in a braid to represent power and luck. Braided embellishments on clothing are an acceptable traditional addition to hair braiding.

   Irish Wedding Cake

   • The cake used during traditional Irish weddings is not a sweet confection like the selections available today, but more of a fruitcake covered with white icing. The top tier holding the cake topper is commonly made using Irish whiskey and is frozen and saved to share upon the first child's christening. Another single slice of Irish wedding cake can traditionally be saved and eaten on the couple's first wedding anniversary according to Irish customs.

   Irish Toasts

   • An interactive toast by a male family member paired with guest responses is a common Irish wedding tradition. Guests and bridal party members toast with mead, a wine made from honey and yeast. It is said to be unlucky for a woman to congratulate the newlyweds with a toast before a man does, so when planning your Irish wedding, designate one man to extend a toast right away. Examples of traditional Irish wedding toasts are:

     "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."

     "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 Wedding Ring

   • The ring extended to the bride during an Irish wedding is called a Claddagh. The token displays a heart with two hands surrounding it and topped by a crown. It symbolizes the love and friendship shared between the bride and groom by the hands and the heart, and the crown stands for the loyalty shared between the two in marriage. The ring is also appropriate as an engagement ring. Even though the tradition is centered on the bride's ring, nowadays men's jewelry also includes versions of the Claddagh ring. For photos of the Claddagh ring in both women's and men's fashions, see Resource 1.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: traditional Irish, wedding traditions, ancient times, bride groom, Claddagh ring