Irish Wedding Traditions
If you're seriously interested in knowing about Irish wedding
traditions, you need to think beyond the basics. This
informative article takes a closer look at things you need to
know about Irish wedding traditions.
Many nationalities have their own wedding traditions. The people
of Ireland have their own distinct traditions that make it easy
to distinguish an Irish wedding from weddings of other cultures.
The traditions include Claddagh rings, superstitions, a special
toast, as well as kilts and bagpipes.
The Claddagh ring has a special meaning in a traditional Irish
wedding. The Claddagh ring is a traditional ring that looks like
two hands holding a heart that is adorned with a crown.
Tradition holds that Claddagh rings be passed down from mother
to daughter. As these rings are meant to be passed down for
generations, it is not considered proper to buy a Claddagh ring
for yourself. Yet another tradition involving the Claddagh ring
relates to how it is worn. An engaged or married woman or man
would wear the ring with the tips of the crown facing towards
their fingertips. In this position the ring is considered to be
turned inward and symbolizes that the heart of the person
wearing the ring is taken. A man or woman who is not involved in
a romantic relationship would wear the ring with the tips of the
crown facing towards their wrist. This outward position of the
ring symbolizes that the person wearing the ring is reaching out
for companionship.
Traditional Irish weddings also adhere to several unusual
superstitions in an attempt to ward off bad luck. A rain or
overcast day might be cause for concern at a traditional Irish
wedding. This is because one of the strange superstitions is
that the sun must shine directly on the bride to ensure that the
couple will be blessed with good luck. Birds also factor into
some of the traditional Irish superstitions. Hearing a cuckoo
bird or seeing three magpies are also considered to be signs of
luck for the couple. Yet another final superstition relates to
offering well wishes to the bride. At a traditional Irish
wedding it is considered bad luck for a woman to be the first
one to congratulate the bride and wish her well. For this reason
a close friend or relative of the groom will also take it upon
himself to ensure that he is the first to congratulate the
bride.
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A traditional Irish wedding usually concludes with a toast that
has been recited for many years. At the end of the reception the
guests will gather around the couple for the final toast. The
couple will begin the toast by saying, "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 then respond to the
toast with the following answer: "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." "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."
Of course, no traditional Irish wedding complete without the
presence of bagpipes and kilts. It is customary for friends and
family members to bring along their bagpipes and pipe the couple
into the mass and into the reception. They may also continue to
charm the guests with an assortment of bagpipe tunes suitable
for dancing. Not only do friends and family members enjoy
performing for the couple and the other guests but they also
enjoy taking the opportunity to dress in traditional kilts for
the occasion. The look and sound of the bagpipers creates the
feel of a truly traditional Irish wedding.
A traditional Irish wedding is a festive occasion filled with
good friends, food and music. In addition to these traditional
elements the Irish people also have traditions regarding the
Claddagh ring and standardized toasts that are used to wish the
new couple well. Superstitions also play a role in a traditional
Irish wedding. Many of the traditional superstitions relate to
objects or occurrences that are thought to bring the couple good
luck.
You can't predict when knowing something extra about Irish
wedding traditions will come in handy. If you learned anything
new about wedding traditions in this article, you should file
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