In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we wanted to share some traditional Irish wedding customs with our readers. Whether you’re celebrating on St. Patrick’s Day, marrying in Ireland, or just wanting to share your heritage, these traditions are deep with meaning and culture, but are totally practical. Channel some luck of the Irish with these traditional yet trendy ideas!
{Left: Emm and Clau Photography via French Wedding Style, Right: Greer Gattuso Photography via Wedding Sparrow}
1. Blue Wedding Dresses: Before white became the universal symbol for brides, the Celtic regarded blue as the color to symbolize purity. Irish brides or destination brides can incorporate this Irish tradition by opting for a soft blue wedding gown. Even designers like Lazaro and Claire Pettibone offer blue options for brides!
{Left: Feather & Twine Photography via SMP, Right: Paper Antler Photography via Wedding Party}
2. Flower Crowns: Traditional Irish brides rarely wore veils. In fact, brides opted for a braided hairstyle adorned with a wildflower wreath. With flower crowns still being all the rage, this Irish wedding tradition is totally doable. Classic brides can incorporate a veil into a flower crown like the bride on the left; simple and subtle yet bridal.
{Left: Marin Kristine Photography via SMP, Right: Kelsey Combe Photography via SMP}
3. Lavender: Brides would often carry English lavender, which symbolized love, loyalty, luck, and devotion, as their wedding bouquet. Incorporating lavender into your bridal bouquet is an easy way to celebrate this classic tradition.
{Left: Juxtapost, Right: Aspect Photography via GWS}
4. Bells: Bells were often worn and displayed in order tow are off evil. Some brides included them in their bouquets while others. After a couple was married, they would ring a bell together and keep the bell in their home. If there was ever a difficult time in the marriage, the couple could then ring the bell together to remind themselves of their vows.
