Irish wedding traditions date back throughout history and many have survived in one form or another to the present day. These Irish wedding traditions were rooted in nature and stemmed from folklore and superstitions for generations. passed from generation to generation. Today, Irish couples around the world seek to incorporate these ancient Irish wedding traditions into their modern wedding as a way to pay homage to or reconnect with their Irish heritage.
Have you ever heard the phrase “YOUR GOOSE IS COOKED”?
The expression ‘your goose is cooked’ is still used in Ireland and especially in Dublin. The phrase originates from the tradition of cooking a goose for the groom at the bride’s house the night before the wedding. Once the goose was cooked, there was simply no going back!
TIE THE KNOT… the Celtic Knot
Perhaps the best known Irish wedding tradition that most people don’t know about is getting married. Did you know that the phrase “Tie the knot” originated with the ancient Celtic ceremony of handfasting? This ancient Celtic tradition symbolizes the union of two as one much like today’s ring exchange. The couple clasps their hands and a brightly colored cord in the colors of the bridal party is wrapped around their hands as a symbol of their unity in marriage.
IRISH LACE, an Irish wedding tradition
Irish lace is commonly used as an Irish wedding tradition. Irish lace began in the 19th century. Many families in Ireland lived in small thatched cottages on land called crofts which produced crops for the Lord of the Manor. Crofters were “very poor” with little money for necessities. Then potato blight struck between 1845 and 1851, destroying crops and causing thousands of families to starve. The Ursuline nuns were familiar with Venetian lace, brought from France. The nuns used their lace-making skills to help save the people from famine. They began teaching women to produce the fine crochet known as “Irish lace.” The wealthiest Irish families who could afford to buy the lace earned the name “Irish lace curtain”. Families had their own designs and motifs and closely guarded their patterns that were passed down from mother to daughter. The details were kept so secret that many of them disappeared when families died or fled poverty to other lands.
FLOWERS and Clovers of course
For good luck to the marriage, a sprig of clovers is inserted into the bouquet. The lucky shamrock is also the symbol of Ireland. It is also customary to decorate the house where the wedding took place with locally grown flowers and plants. These would vary depending on the time of year the wedding took place. Some plants have been associated with Ireland, including the now readily available ‘Bells of Ireland’, used in modern times for their symbolism. A Celtic tradition in Wales involves the myrtle plant being presented by the bride to the bridesmaids, who then plant it in her garden. If the plant grew, then the bridesmaid would be married before the end of the year!
THE MAGIC SCARF
It is now common for the ‘magic handkerchief’ to be made of linen, although it is likely that the original versions were made from cheaper materials. It was customary for the bride to wear the handkerchief on her wedding day and to keep it and later make it into a christening cap for her first child. The handkerchief would be passed down from generation to generation to be reused in a similar way. TEA
CLADDAGH RING
Irish jewelry is known to be steeped in Irish tradition. It is quite common for a traditional Claddagh ring to be worn at an Irish wedding, as a wedding band. The ring faces outward before the wedding and is reversed to face inward on the hand after the wedding, indicating that the wearer is worn forever! The Claddagh Ring is one of Ireland’s best-known romantic symbols.
THE LUCKY HORSESHOE
The horseshoe tradition is well known all over the world and it is also well known in Ireland. By placing the horseshoe upright over a doorway or in a room, the ‘house luck’ was kept intact. The Greeks associated the horseshoe with the crescent moon and its fertility symbolism. The tradition was also popular throughout Ireland and England with the readily available horseshoe worn by the bride as she walked down the aisle. The groom then safely affixed it to the marital home. Today, glass and ceramic horseshoes are used symbolically in Irish wedding ceremonies.
WEDDING BELLS and the makeup bell
The use of church bells in Christian religions is a symbol of driving away evil spirits from the future marriage. In Irish penalty times this was not possible, so the gift of a small bell acted as a substitute. Modern Irish weddings often have stationery, invitations, pennants, and decorations adorned with bells, hearts, shamrocks, and horseshoes. A small glass or ceramic bell can be used in the Church service and kept as a keepsake. It is a tradition in Ireland to present a couple with a “makeup” bell for their wedding or anniversary, even an engagement. The ringing of the bells is believed to keep evil spirits away and restore harmony if a couple is fighting. The sound of the bell, much like a church bell, reminds a couple of their wedding vows. This bell is also rung when one of the partners is ready to “make up” and end any petty fights. Each partner must take turns ringing the bell, so that a fight does not start again.
IRISH WEDDING SUPERSTITIONS
It is considered better luck to marry during a time of plenty. A year of bountiful harvest bodes well for any newlywed couple. It is better that a man be the first to wish joy and happiness to the new Bride, and never a woman.
A wedding party should always avoid crossing paths with a funeral procession. Seems like an obvious one.
As the bride and groom left the church, paper confetti was thrown at the betrothed, but in ancient times an old shoe was thrown on the bride’s head for luck, though not so lucky if it hits the bride!
Placing a statue of the ‘Child of Prague’, a small statue of the Holy Child Jesus, in the Bride’s garden before the wedding is supposed to ensure that her big day is blessed with pleasant weather.