wedding traditions & symbols

The common proposal as seen throughout much of the world is for the groom to simply ask “will you marry me?”. Irish tradition is quite different, with the groom encouraged to propose to his love with the queries “would you like to be buried with my people?” or “would you like to hang your washing next to mine?”.

The saying “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” is commonly heard in many parts of the world, and refers to items the bride should have in her possession on wedding day. The less commonly known ending is “and a silver sixpence in her shoe” or in Ireland “and an Irish penny for her shoe”. The reasoning behind each item is explained below.

Something Old:
Acknowledges the bride’s eternal link to her family and the past. A family heirloom is often chosen to fulfill this line, such as a piece of jewellery.

Something New:
Represents the bride’s new path in life. The wedding dress usually fits the bill for this one.

Something Borrowed:
This acts as a reminder that though she’s leaving her old life behind, friends and family will still be there to see her through the journey. This is usually a piece of jewellery given by a friend or family member, or another item of significance to the bride, lender, or both.

Something Blue:
Blue is the traditional colour of purity, and this item is meant to represent future faithfulness and loyalty. A garter is often chosen as the blue item.

And a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe/And an Irish Penny for Her Shoe: Wishes the bride good luck and future happiness and prosperity.

Wedding Veil:
The veil is used to hide the bride’s beauty, which is said to ward off evil spirits. Another common explanation for the veil is that in arranged marriages, the bride’s face would need to be covered until the groom had consented to the marriage.

Where to stand:
Brides have traditionally stood to the left of the groom during the wedding ceremony so the groom would have room to draw his sword in the event other men attempted to claim his bride as their own.

Confetti:
Confetti has taken the place of rice or grain as the object commonly thrown at the bride and groom as they depart the church, though rice and grain are still used in many weddings. The original use of rice and grain was to encourage fertility.

Wedding bouquet:
The throwing of the bride’s wedding bouquet, and the idea that the person who caught it would be the next to be married is a fairly recent tradition first seen in the United States.

Wedding gifts:
Wedding guests traditionally brought fruit to weddings to encourage fertility, but that practice has been replaced by wedding gifts. Traditional Irish wedding gifts include bells, china, crystal, fine tablecloths, and salt and pepper shakers.

Favours:
Favours have traditionally been a way to give guests a lasting memento from the wedding. Favours vary by region, with Irish favours typically consisting of green items representing the land, such as artificial shamrocks.

The threshold:
The custom of the groom carrying the bride over the threshold began as a way to ward off evil spirits which might be skulking about the newlyweds’ home.