Even More Celtic Wedding Traditions!

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It looks like I haven't exhausted the list of Celtic wedding traditions on this blog, yet. Here are a few more by guest blogger Kim Wellington. Enjoy!

More Celtic Wedding Traditions

Celtic wedding traditions have a long and rich history as old as Ireland itself. Traditions for the ceremony and other wedding customs are steeped in symbolism and are meant to portend a long and happy marriage.

If you want to explore your Irish heritage in your wedding, or you just enjoy the culture and want to adapt some of its customs, here are some of the top Celtic wedding traditions that you could consider incorporating into your own celebration:

Locking the Door

Grooms are known for getting cold feet. To prevent the groom from letting his nerves get the best of him, friends and family would lock the door of the church to prevent him from running out. We're thinking that if you have to lock the door to keep the groom inside, the wedding might be facing bigger problems.

Irish Wedding Toast

There is a special toast that is shared at many traditional Irish weddings. It requires that all the guests gather around the married couple, and then the couple says "Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, 'tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask god's blessing in your hour of need."

The guests would then respond "On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead; may it always fill your every need."

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The Month of Honey

The first month after the wedding is known as "the month of honey," and it is celebrated by drinking mead (or wine in the modern day). The couples are given enough of the honey drink to enjoy until the first new moon after their wedding, coining the term "honeymoon." The practice was meant to get the marriage off to a good start and to promote virility and fertility.

There are many more superstitions and traditions in Celtic weddings. These are some of the most often celebrated, and some of these have made their way into mainstream culture (or remnants of these traditions have). 

Did you include any of these Celtic traditions into your wedding ceremony? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Kim Willington is a freelance researcher for Helpdesksoftware.org, where she has recently been researching ticketing software. In her spare time, she enjoys antiquing and taking long walks with her retriever, Spencer.

Did you include any of these Celtic traditions for your wedding? What traditions did you use? Share your  thoughts in the comments below!

You'll find my own personal favorite wedding traditions, along with Celtic toasts, poems, and lore in the book that accompanies my CD "Haste to the Wedding" (but this book only accompanies the physical CD--the info isn't contained in downloads). Buy this CD at my website, on amazon.com, and CDBaby.com.

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Hidden Meanings in Celtic Jewelry

Whether you are looking for unique wedding rings or shopping for early holiday gifts, the beauty of Celtic jewelry might just attract you. But what do all the symbols mean? Guest blogger Justin Henderson reveals the mystery:

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There is something about Celtic jewelry that catches a person’s attention. It may be the lovely craftsmanship or the elegant knot work. It could be the mysterious touch of another time and culture, lots of wonder and mystery about the Celtic days. When you choose to wear the Celtic jewelry, you choose to wear a piece of their mystery and tradition.

Celtic Symbols

For centuries, Celtic jewelry symbols have been in existence and the meanings have changed and evolved over time. Often times, there can be more than one meaning for their jewelry symbols. One of the most ancient is the spiral. This was the first ornament that was used in the Celtic art days. Some people say that the direction the spiral is in has meaning. Clockwise would indicate the sun’s connection with Earth; counter clockwise means nature is manipulated in the form of spells. Some people say the spiral represents the Milky Way, the spiral galaxy. Others feel it indicates the life cycle of humans and animals. Today’s mystics have the belief that it symbolizes a journey inside the unconscious mind.

Three Arm Spiral

A triple spiral is also called a triskele or triskellion, which has three arms. On a piece of jewelry, this represents the number three. This is said to represent the Triple Goddess or to Christians, the Holy Trinity. Some people believe it represents the phases of life – life, death and the rebirth. Supposedly, the spiral has some mystical powers that will keep evil from crossing. This is why you so often see this on jewelry as well as in many sacred places in the Celtic world.

The Celtic Knot

In Celtic jewelry you'll often notice the elegant knot work. The Celtic knot is a sign that there is no beginning or end, that everything is like love eternal. The knots are all so very intricately woven together to show how our life is woven together with the people that surround us. The knot is a symbol of the intricacies of everything in our world. The knots are also said to keep evil out.

Trinity Knot

The trinity knot is also called the triquetra and represents how sacred things will come in threes. When a circle is around the knot, this is an indication of a combined unity of the three. Some of the representations are Land, Sea and Sky, Mind, Body and Soul, or even Past, Present and Future.

Celtic Cross 

Another Celtic symbol that is often seen on jewelry is the Celtic Cross. Long ago, it was said that St. Patrick was the one who introduced the Celtic Cross to the Pagans of Ireland. He wanted to teach Pagans how important the symbol of the cross was in Christianity by putting it together with the sun. To do this, St. Patrick combined the cross with the sun wheel. For Christians, the circle they see at the top of the cross is a sign of everlasting love that God has for humans.

All of these Celtic symbols are kept alive through the craftsmanship of jewelry today and are a symbol of old history. Wearing these as a piece of jewelry isn’t just another decoration, but a celebration in a sense of the Celtic culture that brought them about today.

Justin Henderson writes about jewelry, fashion & employment verification. 

Would you like to be a contributor to this blog about all things Celtic and Celtic music? I'll be happy to post your unique information for my readers. Contact me through my website at CelticHarpMusic.com. Thank you, Anne :-)

A Celtic Wedding!

Enjoy this lovely post from guest blogger Evelyn Reimer. And if you'd like to find out more about how to incorporate your favorite Celtic wedding traditions together with your wedding music, make sure to view "The Bride's Guide to Musicians: Live Wedding Music Made Easy and Affordable", published by Hal Leonard Books and available as a Kindle edition, too!

So you're finally starting to plan your wedding, and you are of an Irish, Scottish or otherwise Celtic background. It's very important to you to carry the traditions of your ancestors into your nuptial celebration, so how can you incorporate Celtic themes in your wedding ceremony and reception?

The Ceremony Location
Generally, a modern Celtic background is associated with Christianity, although there are some exceptions to that rule since the Celtics began in the days when paganism was popular. However, you most likely want to have a traditional ceremony in a church as many of the Celtic cultures feel that this is the appropriate place for a wedding. The exact rules are going to depend upon your church, as Celtic people can be any of a number of Christian denominations. When you are a pagan, try out some traditional pagan customs in an outdoor ceremony.

Handfasting
The Celtic handfasting is a tradition that comes out of the pagan times, when the Celtic culture was well and alive before the beginning of Christianity. Therefore, some churches may very well prohibit this tradition. However, if you are not having a ceremony in a church or if your church permits this practice, consider adding a Celtic handfasting to your ceremony. A ribbon or other such type of implement is used to tie together the hands of the bride and the groom. There are not many rules when it comes to handfastings, and couples have a lot of say here. They often choose to jump over a broom, which is also a tradition in African culture, or leap over a small fire to close out the ceremony.

The Food
How can you weave Celtic food into the reception menu line-up? Well, first check to see if your caterer has any suggestions or is even able to provide such cuisine. If you feel very strongly about having Celtic food at your reception, you must ask the reception hall about this before you book and put down a deposit. Some foods that are generally consider Celtic include Irish coffee, Irish soda bread, shepherds pie and corned beef and cabbage. Even if you can't have any of these for an entree, you may be able to have them for cocktail hour. If you're having a more casual and small reception, maybe some family members can do the cooking for you. Another idea is to locate Celtic caterers near you.

Celtic Music
Incorporating Celtic music into your ceremony and reception is one sure way to really enhance the vibe. At a church, you may be limited to the type of music you can use. However, if not-and for the reception-call different musicians in your area and search for reputable musicians online. You want to find musicians who truly understand and appreciate the sounds of the Celtic culture.

Some weddings tend to venture outside of the box, yet so many others are sticking with tradition. Incorporating these Celtic elements into your wedding shows love and respect for your ancestors' traditions that you plan to carry on into the new generation.

Evelyn Reimer writes about Irish culture, event planning & finding the best life insurance quotes.

Interested in being a guest blogger on this blog? Contact me for more info.

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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Celtic Harp

My good friend, Eliseo Mauas Pinto, has just published a wonderful free e-book, simply entitled The Celtic Harp. Eliseo describes it as, More than a compilation of useful information for all those interested in the magical world of the Celtic harp, this book is almost a labour of love..."

Download your free edition of The Celtic Harp here. Eiseo Mauas Pinto is also a gifted Celtic harper in his own right. Visit his wonderful blog for more information.