Old Irish Wedding Traditions
AbductionLet's get one of the Irish wedding traditions out of the way that you would definitely not use today. At least I don't think you would use it, I could be wrong.Brides were abducted as late as the 19th century in Ireland. Even though the English outlawed it in the early 18th century. There were two types of abduction. One was when the couple was actually in love with each other, but the bride's parents disapproved of her choice for a husband. If he took her away and came back married there was little the parents could do but accept it. The other type of abduction was used if a man were trying to move up a station in life. He would steal away with a wealthy woman. There was little she could do to stop it. Wealthy women were always fearful of being abducted, in such a poor country. The men committing such an act were considered heroes by most people. They were seldom prosecuted, although a few men were hanged after committing the second type of abduction.
HandfastingHandfasting was an old Celtic tradition. The couple would be bound with a ceremony to one another for a year and a day. After that time if they did not get along they would go their separate ways. If they got along well they would officially get married.There was a cord used to symbolically bind the couple's hands together during the ceremony. I think this is where today's term of "tying the knot" came from.
The MatchmakerUp until the early 20th century many Irish marriages were arranged. This is where the Irish wedding tradition of using a Matchmaker came into being. The Matchmaker was the mediator between the bride and the groom's family. He negotiated the bride's dowry, which consisted of land, livestock and money. He also made sure the groom was a man to properly support his future wife. He made sure all was equal on both sides of the negotiations.
Superstitions in Irish Wedding TraditionsIf the sky is sunny on your wedding day you will have good luck. If it is rainy you will have hardship.
If you hear a cuckoo on your wedding morning or see three magpies you will have good luck.
Before going to the church one of the old Irish wedding traditions had the bride's mother giving the bride a shilling. The groom's father gave the groom a five-shilling piece. These were to be buried under the hearthstone of the couple's bedroom. This was how they buried their bad luck.
An Irish bride should carry a horseshoe at her wedding for good luck. Now days a horseshoe pin could be worn. Make sure the horseshoe is worn with the points up to hold in the good luck. If they point down your luck will spill out.
Meeting a funeral procession on the way to your wedding is bad luck.
To insure good luck a bride and groom should take different roads to the wedding. They should leave together on the same road. This is symbolic of their two separate lives coming together as one.
It is unlucky for a man to sing at his own wedding or at the party afterward.
It is good luck for the groom to throw a handful of coins into the crowd.
After the ceremony, for good luck, a man should be the first to kiss the bride congratulations. If a woman is first this will bring bad luck to the couple. In the past spiteful women have jumped up to kiss the bride so be careful.
Before the dinner an oatmeal cake was broken over the bride's head for good luck.
It was considered good luck for the bride to dance with the strawboys. Strawboys in rural Ireland were uninvited guests at the reception. They blackened their faces and wore hats and capes made of straw to hide their identity. They were a disturbance, but they didn't stay long. This was not one of the most popular of the Irish wedding traditions for the wedding party.
On the arrival at their new home a groom was to throw a bottle of whiskey into the air. It had to spin three times in the air and break on the ground at the third spin for good luck.
The Proper time to MarryMany Irish weddings take place during Shrovetide the time just before Lent. Lent is not the time for an Irish wedding. Many others marry in November after the harvest is in.To keep up on the Irish wedding traditions of when to marry use the following poem.
Marry when the year is new, Always loving, kind and true. When February birds do mate, If you wed when March winds blow, Marry in April when you can, Marry in the month of May,
Marry when June roses blow, They who in July do wed, Whoever wed in August be, Marry in September's shine, If in October you do marry, If you wed in bleak November, When December's showers fall fast,
That takes care of the months now for the days.
Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday the best day of all, Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, Saturday is no day at all.
I think I've given you some ideas to start you off on your Irish theme wedding using some of the above Irish wedding traditions. This is going to be fun and exciting for you. Good luck and have fun with the planning of your wedding.
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