Wedding Traditions in Ireland
There’s much more to Ireland than rowdy pubs and leprechauns. Delve into some true Irish traditions and consider incorporating them into your own lucky wedding.
Wedding Traditions in Ireland
Pre-Wedding Traditions
The Claddagh is the engagement ring, which has two hands clasping over a heart and is worn with the hands pointing towards the wrist. At the ceremony, the ring is turned so that the hands are facing toward the nails. St Patrick’s Day is considered a lucky day to have a wedding.
Ceremony
The couple walks to the church together with well-wishers throwing rice at them along the way. For good luck, the bride carries a porcelain horseshoe down the aisle.
Attire
The bride wears blue since blue is a lucky color and braids her hair as a sign of luck and feminine power. Her bouquet contains English lavender for its fragrance and good luck.
Drink, Food & Toasts
The wedding cake is a pound cake laced with dried fruits and liquor.
Starting Your Lives Together
For luck, guests give the couple a horseshoe, with the ends pointing up, to hang in their home; and for fertility, they tie a hen to the nuptial bed. Friends and family present the newlyweds with enough mead (honey wine) to last through the mi na meala (month of honey, the first lunar month following the wedding), along with special goblets to toast each other.
Tips and Ideas for Incorporating Traditions Into Your Modern-Day Wedding
- Feeling lucky? I hope so because that’s the prevalent theme in Irish weddings. To keep with the theme, consider using lottery tickets as wedding favors!