Irish Spring

It is a wedding Irish tradition that states: "marry in May and Rue the Day" while another said: "marry in April if you can, joy for maiden and for man."

When I told my daughter about this Irish superstition, she changed her wedding date so she had to marry in April!

What began as a search for Irish traditions and customs that she could incorporate in its celebration ended as a stack of notes incredible that eventually took their own life. Long after her wedding, I was still obsessed with delving into history and folklore, looking for everything I could find on how weddings were celebrated in Ireland long ago.

I am convinced that if couples make the effort, they can have a totally Irish celebration beginning to end - even pre-wedding parties. There is a quaint custom where the groom was invited to the bride's house right before the wedding and they cooked a goose in his honor.

It was called the AITiN "Gander - it must be where we get the phrase" the goose is cooked! We threw one of these dinners for my daughter and everyone had a great time. (The stuffing of apple potato has become a family favorite!).

There are so many other traditions, customs and just an incredible amount of folklore to draw, it would fail to be of Irish descent and not take advantage of every opportunity.

Here are some ideas taken from what eventually became a book of 200 pages entitled "The Irish traditional marriage and is now available in the U.S. and will be released in Ireland this spring. As complete as I could do it, the book covers clothing, decorations, menus, recipes, music, toasts, vows, and perhaps more valuable, a list of resources to help you find all the dresses Bridal tiaras and Irish music for a Celtic Mass.

Here are a few:

* Bunratty Meade is a honey wine that was served at Bunratty Castle medieval banquet. This is from a recipe based on the oldest drink in Ireland and if you've never tasted, it's worth a try. In the old days, it was consumed at weddings because he believed he promoted virility. (If a baby is born nine months after marriage, he was assigned to the mead!) Couples also drank in special cups for a full month after the marriage, which is supposedly where we get the word honeymoon. It was to protect the couple of tales come to mind the bride away.

* Horseshoe lucky. Irish brides used to carry a real horseshoe for good luck. (Settled if luck is not exhausted). You can get porcelain horseshoes which most brides make the Irish these days, or a fabric that is worn on the wrist.

* Magic Hanky. This charming custom involves having the bride carry a special handkerchief with a few stitches can be turned into a christening bonnet for the first baby. With a couple of snips it can be squeezed into a handkerchief that your child can exercise his / her wedding day.

* Make-up bells. The chime of bells is supposed to keep evil spirits away, restore harmony if a couple fights, and also remind a couple of their wedding vows. Giving a bell as a gift has become an Irish tradition. You may also be on hand Greeters bells your guests to ring as you process. (You may want to let them know when they are supposed to be rung - perhaps mention it in your program with an explanation of the custom). Customers could also ring their bells at the reception instead of clinking glasses.

* Irish Dancers. Consider hiring a group of Irish dancers to distribute your programs before the ceremony. Dressed in their finery, it will add a wonderful touch of pageantry and color. They could also dance at the reception later. We did the reception of my daughter and WA.