Luck of the Irish

I posted previously about cultural wedding traditions website, but I wanted to share more about the traditions I'm excited for. I really want to include some Irish wedding traditions. I am accidentally obeying one Irish wedding rule already. "Marry in April if you can, joy for maiden and for man"

Probably one of the most well known of all Irish traditions is the Claddagh ring.


The ring's design is over 300 years old. There are a few variations on the story of how the ring came to be. The general, main idea is that a man from the village of Claddagh in Ireland was captured and put into slavery when he was fishing off the Irish coast. While in slavery, he worked as a goldsmith. The entire time he was a slave he pined for his true love back in Ireland. He designed the claddagh in honor of her. The crown symbolizes loyalty, the hands represent friendship, and the heart means love. Some accounts say that he escaped, but others say that he was freed. He was such a great worker that his owner tried to bribe him to stay with money and the owner's daughter's hand in marriage. He declined the offer in order to return to his true love and present her with the ring.The claddagh ring is traditionally pasted down from mother to daughter at the time of engagement.

Bridal fashions included braided hair. Braids represented female power and luck. Wedding dresses were blue for purity, and it was considered bad luck to wear green. I'm going to be a rebel and take my chances. Because I'm currently planning on having a green garter :).

Lavender flowers were put in bouquets to bring love, devotion, loyalty, and good luck. Irish brides were also known to carry horseshoes for good luck.
The U is always right side up so that their bride's luck wouldn't run out. I'm thinking a tiny horseshoe charm would go great with any bouquet. Most brides today carry porcelain or wear fabric horseshoes around their wrist. The horseshoe is also a traditional wedding gift that should be displayed in the couples home.

There are many Irish wedding toasts and blessings. Below is one of the more well known of the wedding blessings. It was designed to calm the bride before her the festivities.

Happy is the bride that rain falls on
May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace.
May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.
May the saddest day of your future
Be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
May your hands be forever clasped in friendship
And your hearts joined forever in love.
Your lives are very special,
God has touched you in many ways.
May his blessings rest upon you
And fill all your coming days.
We swear by peace and love to stand,
Heart to heart and hand to hand.
Hark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this our Sacred Vow.

I love the first line because I'm really counting on a rainy wedding day!

A bell is often given as a gift during an Irish wedding.
They are known as make-up bells, and they are used to restore harmony to fighting couples and remind them of their wedding vows. The bell is put in a prominent spot in their house and should be used by the couple when they have disagreements. Bells are also often used when a couple leaves the church or at the reception in place of clinking glasses.

Have you researched any costumes you are planning on including in your wedding festivities?

Disclaimer: please let me know if there is anything I missed or incorrectly wrote. Most of my research was done online or from word of mouth.