About Irish Weddings
A traditional Irish wedding honors the history of the Emerald Isle. Many of the traditions date to before St. Patrick converted the natives and back to the time of the old Celtic gods. They blend in with the Christian traditions, making an Irish wedding one of a kind.
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History
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St. Patrick came to Ireland as a missionary in the fifth century and history reveals that he converted the population to Christianity, but the old traditions did not disappear. The same can be said about when the British invaded Ireland beginning in 1066. They tried to obliterate the Irish history and traditions, but did not succeed. It was illegal to teach Irish history or speak the Irish language, but it was done in secret and the history, traditions and language survived to be become a part of modern Irish celebrations. The ancient Irish had a very interesting approach to marriage, including one tradition known as handfasting. It was a trial marriage where the couple lived together for a year and when the year was over, either one could decide to leave.
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While the tradition of handfasting is no longer legal in Ireland, it is still a part of the Irish wedding ceremony, although now it is just ceremonial, a tribute to the traditions of their ancestors. The day of the week the wedding takes place is also important. Wednesday is the most preferred, followed by Monday and Tuesday. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are frowned upon for a very good reason. An Irish wedding can last as long as three days and if it is held on one of those days, the celebration would carry over to Sunday--not a day for singing and dancing. Weddings are also not held on Christmas or during Lent. Lent is a time of fasting and prayer and not for celebrations.
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Considerations
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Consider adding some Irish wedding traditions to your ceremony. If you want to honor Saint Patrick, use blue for your color scheme as it was his color. Incorporate traditional Irish music at the wedding and reception. Not everyone will know how to do a reel or jig, but those who do will appreciate it. Choose the claddagh ring for your wedding ring. The claddagh symbol is a heart held in two hands. When you wear the ring with the point of the heart facing away, it is a friendship ring; when the point is facing you, it is a wedding ring. A traditional Irish wedding cake is like a fruit cake, similar to the Irish Christmas cake. It is the perfect ending to a perfect Irish wedding day.
Significance
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No matter what type of ceremony you have, religions or civil, it is always special when you honor your Irish heritage with centuries old traditions. The older members of your Irish family will appreciate it and the younger family members will learn from it. The Irish have a saying, "Keep the Traditions Alive." By incorporating some of these Irish traditions in your wedding ceremony, you will keep the traditions from the ancient times alive for the next generation.
Benefits
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When you make your wedding an Irish wedding, you can rest assured that it will be a new experience for many of your guests. The benefit of a unique Irish wedding is that will make your wedding the one they will remember and talk about for a long time. You might even give someone an idea for their own future celebration. Above all, the wedding will be done your way, and that is the Irish way.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Traditions Claddagh Ring from http://www.claddaghringking.com/
