Planning an Irish wedding can be a lot of fun for the bride and groom. The old traditions can be mixed with new, modern elements to create an unforgettable ceremony and reception!
If you’ve chosen Celtic engagement rings or wedding bands, this theme will be perfect for your nuptials. Guests can enjoy the timeless spirit of Irish hospitality, taking away memories to last a lifetime.
Here’s our list of top ten ways to have an Irish wedding!
10.) Invitations – Create fabulous invitations with unique style by incorporating the symbolic motifs of the Emerald Isle.
Popular designs include Shamrocks, Celtic interlace, Trinity Love Knots, and of course, a liberal use of emerald green for text and calligraphy.
9.) Music – Consider hiring an Irish fiddler to play at your wedding. Traditional Irish music can really liven up the proceedings.
Look for local musicians who play at Irish pubs and Celtic festivals, and ask them for a demo.
8.) Decor – Use pure white, cream or pale gold, and vibrant emerald green to create a touch of Ireland at your wedding and reception.
Mixing these elegant tones will add a coherent theme to your celebration. Tablecloths, napkins, wedding favors, and candles should all be coordinated and sophisticated.
7.) Wardrobe – Consider a romantic wedding gown trimmed in beautiful Irish lace (also known as Irish crochet) for a romantic, old-world feeling.
You can style your hair in soft tendrils, and even opt for a laurel of flowers for your hair, either attached to a veil or worn alone.
Irish brides often wear flowers in their hair, and this tradition has endured for centuries. Pre-Raphaelite curls and soft makeup will make you look as pretty as a wild rose on your special day.
The famous painting, The Lady Of Shallot, will be a good guideline for this look. The groom can wear some complementary colors in his formal wear.
6.) Food & Drink – Pints of Guinness, Irish single-malt whiskies, and potent Irish coffees (made with a little Bailey’s Irish Cream) will be comforting, delicious, and much appreciated by your guests.
Offer classic Irish entrees like beef or lamb stew, and potatoes. Keep it simple, rustic, and very fresh. Your guests will enjoy well-prepared food that isn’t too fussy or overdone.
5.) Wedding Cake – A pretty cake with Irish details will be a showstopper at your wedding. Fondant can work well, but many guests just peel it off, unwilling to actually eat it.
Instead, try butter-cream over a spice cake base, for an original wedding cake that is enjoyable to eat. Add some wildflowers, either crafted of marzipan or sugar, and perhaps some sugar shamrocks as well.
4.) Lucky Horseshoe For The Bride – In Ireland, brides often carry a small ceramic or silver horseshoe, tucked into their gowns for good luck.
This charming tradition is based on the resemblance of the horseshoe to the crescent moon, an ancient symbol of fertility.
Carrying a horseshoe in your bodice is one way to bring a little of Ireland’s culture and history into your wedding day rituals.
3.) Wedding Hankie – Another whimsical, sweet Irish wedding tradition is that of the Irish lace wedding hankie. The bride should carry it along with her during the ceremony.
These hankies are thought to bring good luck to the new couple, and many Irish brides turn their wedding hankie into a baby bonnet for their first-born.
2.) Irish Wedding Jewelry – Claddagh Rings and Irish engagement rings are a wonderful way to honor your heritage at your wedding. You can enjoy the ancient traditions of master metal work by opting for handmade, heirloom-quality pieces, made in the Emerald Isle.
Look for Trinity Love Knots, spirals, Celtic shield symbols, and other time-honored symbols of love and loyalty.
1.) Vows and Verses – Choosing Irish wedding vows for your ceremony will be romantic and individual. Many brides and grooms enjoy the romance and spirit of traditional Irish wedding vows. Here is an example of Irish vows that capture the beauty and fidelity of marriage:
“By the power that Christ brought from heaven, mayst thou love me. As the sun follows its course, mayst thou follow me.
As light to the eye, as bread to the hungry, as joy to the heart, May thy presence be with me, Oh one that I love, ’til death comes to part us asunder.”
If you aren’t particularly religious, simply change the vows to suit your own needs. You’ll still be able to enjoy the poetry and heartwarming aspects of the Irish storytelling tradition.
Toasts can be as humorous or poignant as you might wish. From lighthearted limericks for loved ones and friends, to the poetry of Yeats, the sky is the limit on your (Irish) wedding day.