Traditional Irish Wedding | UPlanIt Limited
“Before Queen Victoria paved the way for white wedding dresses, Irish brides wore blue as a symbol of purity…”
Irish weddings don’t have to be religious. Their culture is rich in traditions that can be incorporated into any ceremony, be it Catholic, Protestant, Pagan, or simply non-religious altogether! Centuries ago, the most popular day to be married was a Sunday, because it was the weekend and people would most likely be free for ceremonies. However, as the Catholic religion developed in Ireland, Sunday ceremonies became frowned upon and seen as a mark of disrespect. It was also unlikely for a couple to be wed in May since this was marked by the Pagan feast known as Beltane. Nowadays, Sunday weddings are still rare, with most weddings taking place on a Saturday instead.
Before Queen Victoria paved the way for white wedding dresses, Irish brides wore blue as a symbol of purity, though other colours were popular as well. Of course in the present day brides can wear whichever colour makes them feel most comfortable, but if you’re looking to relate to your Irish routes, we’d suggest going for a blue dress rather than an Irish green. If you still want to add a bit of Irish custom to your wedding, use this tradition originating in County Cork; marking the last stitch in your gown was believed to bring good luck for the big day!
Handfasting is a great way to incorporate Irish and Celtic traditions into your wedding ceremony as well, and can be suitable for a number of ceremonies. Traditionally, the couple will come together at the start of the ceremony, and each partner holds the hand of the other; right hand to right hand, left hand to left, with their wrists crossed over each other. A ribbon, rope or specially designed braid, is wound around the wrists of the couple; over the top of one and under and around the other, creating the infinity symbol. This symbolises two becoming one, and the ceremony officiant will read the vows as they wrap the cords around the couple’s hands. The couple will then have the option of reading their own vows to bring this ceremony to a close.
Another Irish tradition involves the Irish Claddagh ring, originating in County Galway in the 1700s. The ring itself features two hands around a heart with a crown over the heart and is used as an engagement ring, and placement on the hands can mean different things. Placed on the left hand with the bottom of the heart pointing away from the wrist can mean the wearer is engaged, and if it’s on the right hand when facing away it means they are single, but if it’s on the right hand and facing toward the wrist this will mean the wearer is in a relationship. During the wedding ceremony, the rings will be placed on the left hand ring finger with the heart facing inward, which indicates the bearer is taken.
A horseshoe seems to be a symbol of good luck in many cultures, especially in Irish culture. Ceremonies can often feature a bride carrying an actual horseshoe (which are pretty heavy to begin with) but you can substitute this with a lighter metal or material to make things easier while walking down the aisle. You could even add a small horseshoe to your bouquet or buttonholes, or feature a horseshoe design into your outfit for good luck.
In addition to this, Irish wedding ceremonies would be concluded with the ringing of bells rather than throwing rice or confetti. This originated after the use of Church bells was no longer possible during the Penal times in Ireland, so smaller bells were used to drive away evil spirits instead. As such, this has transformed into bell decorations and designs on various wedding items; stationery, decor, bunting, even attire! If you want to go one step further and you don’t mind the noise, why not give out some small bells to your wedding party to celebrate your union in a traditional Irish manner?
Finally, there’s plenty of alcohol and spirits to be had at an Irish wedding reception! Apart from the odd pint of Guinness, an Irish wedding may also offer whiskey, cream liqueur, cider, and mead to its guests — all traditional Irish drinks. In fact, drinking mead links to the origin of the term ‘honeymoon’, wherein the bride and groom (in medieval times) would toast each other with special goblets filled with mead for a month or for one moon cycle (they may even choose to just drink mead on the full moon) as this would bless them with fertility. That’s not to say wedding guests can’t also drink the mead — there may be flavours of mead there you haven’t tried yet!
Happy St Patrick’s Day to all, and if you think we’ve missed out on any information or we’ve misunderstood any tradition please let us know — we are happy to correct it!
If you have any other suggestions please let us know in the comments or via our social media!
See you next week.
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If you’re hosting your wedding within the COVID-19 pandemic, please remember to adhere to the rules set out by the government to keep safe: gov.uk/weddings.
