About Wedding Traditions & Meanings

Showing posts with label irish wedding bell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label irish wedding bell. Show all posts

Sunday, March 13, 2022

5 popular Irish wedding traditions

 

Irish weddings are traditionally a time of celebrating family and friendships from around the world. It is a time of drinking, singing, laughing, and a hearty amount of partying. Amid the celebration, you'll find rich symbolism and a healthy dose of superstition. For this post we take a look at five popular Irish wedding traditions.

 


Irish wedding ring

 

Claddagh ring: The Irish Claddagh ring (pronounced “klahda”) is the traditional Irish wedding ring and also doubles as an engagement ring. Its distinguishing design offers unique symbolism and meaning that means different things depending on how you wear it. Each feature of the ring adds to its meaning: two hands (represent friendship) clasping a heart (symbolizing love) and usually topped by a crown (loyalty). While the meaning is clear, the origins of the Claddagh ring are shrouded among several legends.

 

Irish wedding band: Celtic knot wedding bands are the most popular design for Irish wedding bands because Celtic knot designs are crafted with a single thread that has no beginning or end. They symbolize the interconnection of life and eternity. On a wedding band, these loops are said to represent: eternal loyalty, faith, friendship, or love.



Handfasting

Before the church became involved in weddings, the handfasting ceremony was common in Ireland. It became the way couples were "officially" married. Today, this tradition is commonly used by couples for their unity ceremony, and the meaning of colors for handfasting cords adds another layer of symbolism and meaning to the couple’s special day.

 

 

Traditional Irish wedding toast

 

As far as wording goes, there isn’t one historic Irish wedding toast to fall back on. But the tradition of the Irish wedding toast does have a few idiosyncrasies to follow. Number one, the toast is to honor the couple. Even if the toast is funny, it should not put the bride and/or groom down. Secondly, it is common practice to use an Irish blessing, prayer, or proverb. For ideas, check out the Complete Guide to Irish Blessings.



 

Irish wedding bell tradition

The Irish wedding bell tradition started with the family giving the bride and groom a set of bells after they recited their vows. The couple rang the bells to ward off evil spirits and brought the bells home where they served as a reminder of the vows they made on their wedding day. Today, the Irish wedding bell is a popular wedding gift for Irish couples. It is to be kept in a prominent place in the home and when the couple argues they ring the bell to remind them of their wedding vows. If the dispute can’t be settled cordially, the bell is rung a little louder. This is supposed to purify and dispel stimulated emotions and change the perspective of the couple. This sounding of the bell also signals the end of the argument, even if neither the husband nor wife has ceded. It serves as a time out of sorts and allows the couple to cool down. For this reason, it is also known as the Irish make up bell.

 

The lucky Irish horseshoe

The horseshoe happens to be another Irish wedding icon. The shoes were traditionally given to the bride, most often by children following her wedding ceremony. She tied them to her bouquet and placed the whole lot next to the wedding cake during the wedding breakfast. I also read that the Celts sewed a horseshoe into the hem of the wedding dress for good luck. (This not only brought luck but also helped the dress hang properly). Have you ever wondered why a horseshoe was considered good luck in the first place? According to folk belief, iron held magical significance for the numerous Celtic tribes, and they thought it a lucky metal. Besides good luck, the Irish also believed the horseshoe to be a symbol of fertility. Following the wedding, the couple hung the horseshoe in their home, in the upright position like the letter ‘U’. This way luck gathered inside the U. (It’s worth noting that other societies believe the horseshoe should be hung upside-down to allow the luck to spill out on those who walk beneath it.

 

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Thursday, January 5, 2017

Irish wedding bell tradition then and now

Did you know ringing of wedding bells began with an Irish wedding bell tradition? Yes the ringing of church bells goes back to a tradition when the bells were sounded to ward off evil spirits to make a happy family life for the bride and groom certain, but this wedding tradition goes back even farther -- before church bells -- to the Irish wedding bell.
 
Irish Wedding Bell



Irish Wedding Bell Tradition


The Irish wedding bell tradition began with the Irish family giving the couple a set of bells after they recited their vows. And like the bridal veil tradition, the bells were rung to ward off evil spirits. After they were married, the wedding bells were kept in the couple’s home to remind them of their vows to each other.

Irish Wedding Bell

Why it is called the Irish make up bell

Today, the Irish wedding bell makes a great wedding gift for Irish couples and even those who aren't Irish. The custom is to place the bell in a prominent place in the newlywed’s home, and if/when the couple happens to argue they ring the bell as a reminder of their wedding vows. According to this custom, if the argument can’t be settled affably, the bell is rung louder for these reasons:
  • The sound of the bell can purify and dispel over stimulated emotions. 
  • The result is supposed to be a change in perspective. 
  • The sounding of the bell signals the end of the argument, even if neither the husband or wife capitulated. It offers the equivalent of a “time out” in the “discussion,” and allows time for both people to cool down and think rationally. 
For this reason, it is also known as the Irish make up bell.

Waterford Irish Wedding Bell

Irish wedding bell tradition rejuvenated


The Irish wedding bell remains an endearing wedding tradition with its origins in an old superstition. Today it can be celebrated in a number of ways. Some couples give their guests small bells at the ceremony to be rung after the vows are completed, or at the reception to be used as kissing bells. Some brides choose to wear a small bracelet or charm with tiny bells. All of these offer ways to include this tradition in your special day, but having an Irish wedding bell on display in your home offers a special keepsake marking the couple’s Irish heritage and the special vows exchanged that day. And even if you're not Irish, having a make up bell handy in your home can help remind you of what's really important when you have a falling out.

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Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.



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