Are you getting married? Are you a bridesmaid or is there a family wedding in the calendar?
If you have any Irish or Celtic connections, here are some meaningful wedding traditions that it might just be time to bring back and put center stage once more.
From a change of color, to a very special choice of Irish ring, here are 5 lost Irish wedding traditions its time to revive:
1. Tie the Knot – Literally!
Did you know that the phrase ‘tie the knot’ comes from an ancient Irish tradition where a couple demonstrated their bond and their love and their commitment by having their hands tied together with a ribbon or a rope?
This evocative part of the ceremony saw the rope or cord wrapped around their hands as they joined them together in agreement to spend their lives together. Why not think about incorporating this in to your own wedding – it can even be coordinated with the rest of the wedding theme.
A great way to do this is to incorporate the famous Celtic knot to tie the knot! The Celtic knot or Trinity knot features in many of the beautiful rings available at Rings from Ireland. The evocative pattern represents infinity and eternity – the perfect message for a wedding ceremony!
2. Toast with a special Irish Drink
While champagne or prosecco are the favorite drinks for the toast these days, why not think about bringing in a very special Irish drink in to your welcome ceremony at the wedding. And of course there’s always Guinness but why not think about Irish mead as another alternative to tempt your taste buds?
Mead is an Anglo-Saxon drink. It was traditionally enjoyed by monks and is a delicious blend of white wine mixed with herbs and honey. It was always served at weddings as a traditional wedding drink. Most importantly, it is said to possess the magical powers of fertility. In fact, it’s so special that it’s even said to have inspired the word ‘honeymoon’!
3. A Horseshoe or Shamrock for Good Luck
Everybody knows that a horseshoe represents good luck. In traditional times, a bride would actually carry a horseshoe on their big day that would bring them good luck. While heavy, it was considered an essential part of the ceremonies on the day as it was considered that the luck would then continue in to their marriage. A discreet shamrock is also considered a very Irish way of saying good luck. This beautiful Irish charm bracelet from Rings from Ireland is a lovely wedding gift for bridesmaids with a shamrock incorporated in to the traditional Irish symbols.
Why not reinvent the horseshoe or shamrock and give them the revival they deserve? Maybe a discreet horseshoe or shamrock motif embroidered in to the dress of the bride or the grooms outfit – maybe even on his socks – or why not tie a small one in to your bridal bouquet to ensure that good luck charm!
4. And the Bride Wore … Blue!
If you want to really revive an ancient tradition and totally shake it up and surprise your guests, why not choose a blue wedding dress? Not many people realize this, but way before white wedding dresses came in to fashion, blue was the color of choice for brides.
A dreamy blue wedding dress could really stand out in a sea of traditional white. While many would see it as a trendy choice, they would be undoubtedly surprised that it is actually even more traditional than white after all, as the saying goes, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue!
If you don’t want to completely break with tradition, there is another beautiful way to bring in the color blue to the special day. There are many very special rings that incorporate a blue stone in to the heart. The precious blue stones can alternatively be incorporated in to a beautiful pendant.
5. Claddagh Ring – As a Wedding Ring
While this is not a lost tradition and the Claddagh Ring is enjoying a huge surge of popularity, what is not widely known is that the Claddagh was often worn as a wedding ring through the years.
The Claddagh originates from a tiny fishing village of the same name in County Galway, Ireland and represents love, friendship and loyalty. It was traditionally given as a gift to a romantic partner or a family member. What makes this ring so special is that it is traditionally worn by single women on the right hand with the ring facing outwards. Then when in a relationship it’s worn inwards. After becoming engaged, the tradition is to wear the ring on the left hand and then after marriage it’s turned inwards on that hand.
It’s time to revive the Claddagh ring as the wedding ring of choice!