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Irish Theme Wedding
Irish Theme Wedding - Traditions
An Irish theme wedding bears the same structure as traditional
American ceremonies and receptions with just a few twists. With a
little bit of creativity, you will have no problem making sure
that no one leaves your wedding wondering what your heritage is.
The most famous symbol used in an Irish theme wedding is the
traditional Claddaugh rings. Two hands holding a heart underneath
a crown is the Irish symbol for "Let Love and Friendship Reign".
Point the bottom of the heart up toward your heart during the
wedding to symbolize that you are ‘taken’. Some couples use them
as engagement rings with the bottom of the heart pointing down.
The next great symbol for an Irish theme wedding, the cake, is one
of the twists away from traditional American fare. The Irish serve
Fruit Cake at their receptions because it symbolizes the wealth
and prosperity wished for the bride and groom.
Because most people are not enamored with the idea of fruit cake
for their wedding, many who still wish to follow Irish custom use
the fruit cake as the top layer with more traditional flavors
beneath. Instead of saving the top layer to eat on their first
anniversary, the Irish bride and groom keep the top layer of fruit
cake for their first child’s christening.
An Irish theme wedding never uses the color green. It’s bad luck.
Even the guests know not to wear it. If you’re adamant, you may
want to mention it on the invitations. To ensure good luck, the
bride wears a small horseshoe sewn into the hem of her wedding
dress or hidden in the bouquet that she carries with her down the
aisle. Never marry on a Saturday but any day during the harvest is
considered very good luck.
In general, as far as luck is concerned, a man should first with
the bride happiness (never a woman), hearing a cuckoo on the
morning of wedding is preferred but seeing 3 magpies will do,
avoid funeral processions at all costs, and don’t break any china.
Three of the stranger suggestions – never wash your hands at the
same time as your spouse in the same sink, the bride should have
her new mother in law break a piece of cake over her head as she
walks into her home for the first time after the ceremony, and
someone should throw an old shoe over the bride’s head after the
ceremony. All this really depends on how far you want to go with
it.
For a true Irish themed wedding, however, there are some things
that are absolutely indispensable. You must include one of the
many Irish blessings either on the invitations, the programs, or
as someone’s reception toast.
Bagpipes have their roots in Ireland, despite the usual
characterization that they are Scottish, and their sounds will
certainly create the Celtic atmosphere that you are looking for –
from a bit of distance, though, for the sake of your guests
hearing.
And you will of course have to dance the ceilidh, the traditional
Irish dance. If your guests are not all Irish, hosting a dance
lesion at your reception will make it fun for everyone.
About the Author
Valeria Vegas has
a Masters degree in Writing and regularly writes for a local newspaper. She
also teaches writing workshops in
San Francisco and has taught high school
English. As a freelance job, she corrects essays for the
SAT and ACT through
Pearson scoring as well as write copy for websites. She is the
Associate Editor of a literary magazine, edit manuscripts for Behler
publications, and works for authors independently. One of her stories was named
Notable Story of 2004 by Million Writers. She is a new a contributor to http://www.wedding-decoration-idea.com.
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Irish Theme Wedding - Traditions
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