Celtic Wedding Traditions

Celtic Wedding Traditions:

For a Scottish, Irish, Welsh or other kilted wedding, there are a large number of traditions you can incorporate to make the day more unique from songs and foods to vows and wedding bands. We’ve written extensive guides / articles (feel free to bookmark them or print them out to refer back to them) on the following topics dealing with Celtic and Gaelic Wedding Traditions:

How to do a handfasting ceremony - "Handfasting", in which a couple literally have their hands tied together with a cord, was just one of many ancient Celtic marriage forms permitted under the Irish "Brehon" Law. The man and woman who came together for the hand-fasting agreed to stay together for a specific period of time. Usually it was "a year and a day." At the end of the year, the couple could enter into a "permanent" marriage contract, renew their agreement for another year, or go their separate ways. [Read More]

How to hire a bagpiper - Nothing else more clearly says "Celtic wedding" than having a  genuine bagpiper included in your ceremony. Did you know Bagpipers are actually considered good luck? It’s an old custom to have the piper be the first one to greet the bride, thus ensuring a long and happy marriage. But of course the whole point of hiring a piper is the traditional music. It's a timeless gift to be enjoyed by everyone attending your wedding -- a sure way to make it memorable. [Read More]

How to use the Quaich - A quaich is a small metal, horn or wooden drinking bowl designed for holding whisky, it dates back to at least the 16th century and may have originated in Scandinavia -- a distant descendant of the ritual drinking horn. Quaichs bear two handles or "lugs". One is held by the person offering the cup, the other by the person receiving the drink, which represents hospitality and friendship. It was common to offer a guest a dram of whisky in the quaich when they entered your home, and another upon parting (this should remind you of the line from the song..."And we’ll tak' a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne." [Read More]

How to add Celtic Customs to your wedding - As a matter of fact, there are many ideas to choose from. Most of these quaint and touching customs were intended to bless the new couple with good fortune, expressing the fond wishes of their loved ones. [Read More]