Irish brides usually carry a linen handkerchief down the aisle to catch their bridal tears, a custom that may have started bylinen companies in Norhern Ireland.These companies suggest that the hanky cam be saved as a christening bonnet for the couple's first baby and that the child can in turn, use the hanky for her own wedding. In this way, the hanky turns into a family heirloom as it carries many generations of tears of happiness. Tying a piece of rosemary to this family hanky symbolizes remembrance of those who used it in the past.
Copyright © 2005 by Anne Roos, excerpt from the liner notes to "Haste to the Wedding" CD, available on the Cambria Master Recordings Label. All rights reserved.
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