Irish Wedding Vows

Irish wedding vows are not only valuable for the locals of Ireland, but also for those wanting to retain or reconnect with there heritage. Nationalities world over have their unique traditional marriage customs that have been passed from generation to generation and the Irish just as creative and imaginative as the rest.

Irish folklore is so rich in its traditions and customs that it would be shame not to draw upon such a well of creative ideas and ignore your Irish heritage.

With just a little bit of historical research on wedding traditions of the Irish, you can plan a traditional Irish wedding ceremony that will be everything you have dreamed of and more.

And, two things that cannot be omitted when planning an Irish wedding ceremony is the sound of the bagpipes and the Irish music. When it comes the bagpipes, you could hire an Irish uilleann piper to lead the procession as it will give that special emerald feel to your wedding.

If you are planning an Irish wedding ceremony, it is also important to consider the date when you will start of your marriage bliss, as according to the Irish tradition some days are luckier then others. And, while Tuesday before the Lent, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas and New Year's Day are all considered to be especially lucky, the luckiest day to exchange your Irish wedding vows is on December 31st. This means the bride and groom will wake up and start a new life together on the first day of the New Year.

There are a number of customs that are incorporated into an Irish wedding ceremony, such as a magic hanky that the bride wears as it can be turned into a christening bonnet for the first baby. Also, the bride can carry a lucky horseshoe (turned up so that the luck will not run out). There are Irish dancers and music to consider as it can add a wonderful touch of Irish folklore.

The bride can even wear or a traditional Irish wedding gown. However, if that is not your taste or style, she can still make her Irish heritage known by having Irish symbols embroidered on her gown. Also another tradition that is common for Irish weddings is to take the longest way home from the church. Years ago, the journey home was followed by firing of rifles. However, today it has been replaced by the sound of the cars honking.

Irish wedding ceremonies are performed in either a Roman Catholic church or in the Church of Ireland ceremony. There is a certain structure to both. Whichever way you go, you might want to incorporate more personal touches into the traditional ceremony with its songs and hymns, including parts of the scriptures that will be read and the prayer you will say as a newly married couple.

You can also add traditional Irish folk songs into your wedding ceremony. You may even wish to recite a poem by W. B. Yeats or Patrick Kavanagh, or go the full way and recite your Irish wedding vows in Gaelic. Make your heritage known and do a little research. It will make your wedding ceremony and the exchange of Irish wedding vows all that more special.