The horseshoe is the main one (carried like a "U" to keep your luck up, or so your luck doesn't pour out, something like that); I think most brides insert a little one in their bouquet or pin it under their dress. We got engaged in Ireland last year so we got an earful from all the locals about what to do and when ... dreaking meade and carrying lavendar are two other main ones.
Hello! I've been looking for a few things to incorporate into our wedding to honor my family's Irish heritage. I'll be tucking the upside down horseshoe into my bouquet like the pp mentioned (a small ceramic or silver one...not the real thing) and possibly making one of our readings an Irish blessing.
There are a number of things that you can do, depending on how into it you want to get (throwing an old shoe over the bride's head for luck??). There are a ton of websites out there -- some of them are more authentic than others. Some of them just list things that people generally think of when thinking of Ireland, not actual Irish wedding traditions -- If you find any that suggest you wear green, keep looking. It's actually bad luck for the bride to wear green! Here's one to get you start: http://www.ireland-information.com/articles/irishweddingtraditions.htm
I went to a wedding and they had a hand or knot tying incorporated into their ceremony. If you google it would come up. They also got wedding rings with "soulmate" engraved on the bands in gaelic.
Hi TallBride! My husband and I are both from Scotts-Irish descent so we incorporated a lot of things into our wedding. The biggest was that our ceremony centered around a handfasting ceremony which was wonderful! In addition, we had my mom read one of the traditional irish blessings over us while the cords were tied around our hands. I used the celtic trinity symbol in most of the printed materials for the wedding. I also made signs that went in the wheetgrass we placed on the buffet tables that had both the english and gaelic for Love, Honor, and Cherish. We also based our favors on the Irish tradition of sending guests home with a piece of wedding cake to go. Since we weren't having a big wedding cake and instead were doing a cookie buffet, we sent everyone home with two extra cookies all packaged up. Lastly (I'm sure there are other things, I just can't think of any right now) I got my husband a beautiful (!!!) wedding band with celtic knot work on it. He loves it.
I'm not Irish but my fiance and his family are from Irish decent. Anyone know of any Irish wedding traditions to incorporate in the wedding?
posted by TallBride 574 posts 2 months agoThe horseshoe is the main one (carried like a "U" to keep your luck up, or so your luck doesn't pour out, something like that); I think most brides insert a little one in their bouquet or pin it under their dress. We got engaged in Ireland last year so we got an earful from all the locals about what to do and when ... dreaking meade and carrying lavendar are two other main ones.
posted by mdouris25 6 posts 2 months agoHello! I've been looking for a few things to incorporate into our wedding to honor my family's Irish heritage. I'll be tucking the upside down horseshoe into my bouquet like the pp mentioned (a small ceramic or silver one...not the real thing) and possibly making one of our readings an Irish blessing.
There are a number of things that you can do, depending on how into it you want to get (throwing an old shoe over the bride's head for luck??). There are a ton of websites out there -- some of them are more authentic than others. Some of them just list things that people generally think of when thinking of Ireland, not actual Irish wedding traditions -- If you find any that suggest you wear green, keep looking. It's actually bad luck for the bride to wear green! Here's one to get you start: http://www.ireland-information.com/articles/irishweddingtraditions.htm
posted by DCbrideinATL 77 posts 2 months agoWe're not Irish, but we love the idea of the Make Up Bell and will probably use one in our ceremony.
posted by amysue 637 posts 2 months agoI went to a wedding and they had a hand or knot tying incorporated into their ceremony. If you google it would come up. They also got wedding rings with "soulmate" engraved on the bands in gaelic.
I love some the Irish wedding blessings:
http://www.lollysmith.com/irwedtoasble.html
posted by Kimbeerlee 99 posts 2 months agoHi TallBride! My husband and I are both from Scotts-Irish descent so we incorporated a lot of things into our wedding. The biggest was that our ceremony centered around a handfasting ceremony which was wonderful! In addition, we had my mom read one of the traditional irish blessings over us while the cords were tied around our hands. I used the celtic trinity symbol in most of the printed materials for the wedding. I also made signs that went in the wheetgrass we placed on the buffet tables that had both the english and gaelic for Love, Honor, and Cherish. We also based our favors on the Irish tradition of sending guests home with a piece of wedding cake to go. Since we weren't having a big wedding cake and instead were doing a cookie buffet, we sent everyone home with two extra cookies all packaged up. Lastly (I'm sure there are other things, I just can't think of any right now) I got my husband a beautiful (!!!) wedding band with celtic knot work on it. He loves it.
http://applesofgold.com/Celtic-Rings-CRG.html
Good luck and feel free to private message me if you have any further questions or want to see pics/video of how we did things.
bonnie
posted by bonniebelle101 291 posts 2 months ago