Irish Wedding Traditions - Be Blessed With The Luck Of The Irish

If you want the luck of the Irish on your side whey you marry in Irish wedding traditions, they say there is no better day to get married on than St. Patrick's Day. However if you cannot manage to make your wedding vows on the 17th March, then you can always include other traditions into your ceremony, for example the Claddagh ring.

A Claddagh ring is called after a fishing village in Galway, Ireland. The ring is traditionally passed down from generation to generation on the maternal side of the family. So it would pass from mother to daughter. The ring is used for both the betrothal and the marriage and during the betrothal it is worn on the right hand. The heart in the ring is turned inwards to show that person wearing it is not available and after the marriage takes place it is worn on the left hand with the heart turned inwards. This type of ring must be given as a gift and it is never deemed to be proper if a person buys one for him or herself.

If you think that getting married on a rainy day is good luck, not in the Irish tradition. Luck abounds if the sun shines on the bride. This is just one of the many Irish superstitions and it is also lucky to see three magpies, hear a cuckoo, and have a man wish the bride joy after the ceremony. An old shoe should be thrown over the brides head and her mother-in-law should break cake over her head after the ceremony.

In a traditional Irish wedding the Best Man is does not make the toast alone, the entire guest compliment gets involved in this. Essential the bridal couple say a few words and then the guests respond in kind and a toast is made using the honeyed wine known as mead.

Much the same as the rest of the Western World, Irish wedding dress fashions come and go. However there is one particular thing that should be included in the brides' retinue and this is Irish Lace. It can be incorporated into the dress, garter or veil, or even be given as a gift to attendants. An Irish color theme would be green, white and orange, perhaps not for the dress, these colors might be more appropriate for the table settings.

Your Irish themed wedding would not be the same without a piper and kilts, this is not limited to the Scots. Irish pipes are the Uillean pipes and find someone who is able to play the "Irish Wedding Song" as well as hornpipes, jigs and reels. A tradition dating beck to medieval times dictates that most pipers wear Celtic kilts.

Traditional Irish fare may not be on the top of the list of culinary delights to serve your guests. But if it is well cooked, soda bread, corned beef and cabbage can still taste good. After a few drams of Irish whiskey, your guests should be ready to eat anything. A wedding cake in the Irish tradition is a fruit cake. This is a luxurious treat that is made with cherries, raisins, almonds and spices.

The honeymoon or in Celtic Mi na Meala basically means the month of honey. The theory is that the newly wedded couple is given two goblets and enough mead to see them through to the next moon. It promotes virility and fertility and because it is a sweet strong drink ensures a good start for the marriage.