One of the most elegant rituals you can choose for a wedding is the traditional Celtic hand fasting. After the vows, the bride and groom's wrists are bound together with five colored ribbons, each symbolizing an aspect of marriage and their shared commitment. It is a long standing Celtic tradition that is still quite popular, and happens to be the origin of the expression "tying the knot" which has grown to mean getting married. Though this tradition is a lovely and meaningful tradition, many other Celtic wedding traditions have not aged as gracefully.
All marriages start with a proposal. Proposals such as "Live in my heart and pay no rent" or "Would you like to hang your washing next to mine" might have been uttered to a would be fianc?.
As beautiful as the ceremony was, after the ceremony wasn't so sweet. The bride and groom might eat three handfuls of salt and oatmeal as protection against evil spirits, which probably wasn't as tasty as cake and champagne.
If the wife wanted good relations with her new mother-in-law, she'd have hoped that the groom's mother would break a cake over her head as she entered the marriage home. If she was so lucky, superstition said the two would remain friends for life, though she quite a mess to clean up after.
If the mother-in-law breaking cake wasn't bad enough, try all the guests. Unmarried youths would wait anxiously for wedding guests to break short bread over the heads of the bride and groom, at which time they would scramble to collect a bit of it from the ground to eat, thereby insuring a good match when it was their time to marry.
Celtic wedding nights were not free of traditions either. On the wedding night the bride's girlfriends would dress her for her special night and put her in bed, then leave her waiting for her groom. But before the groom was allowed to enter, all the male guests would drop by to kiss her goodnight while she blushed in her night clothes.
Once the groom was with his bride for the night the couple could expect no peace either. By custom, the guests were expected to drink and harass the newlyweds until dawn. It could be as simple as peeking in the windows or as bold as kidnapping the bride or groom. Perhaps this is why honeymoons became popular, getting far away was the only way to find peace on the couple's first night as man and wife.
The groom had another strange tradition as well. When the couple was ready to seal their union, the groom might crouch on the floor and leap into bed imitating a salmon. This "salmon leap" was symbolic of a salmon swimming up stream to spawn. Hopefully the new couple had a strong enough bed for this strange play.
Cultural theme weddings are a popular trend for modern couples, bringing charm and uniqueness to an already special occasion. But, in regards to the Celtic theme wedding, time has proven itself an able filter of tradition, leaving some of the more humorous and messy traditions in the past where they belong.
Copyright Andrea Britt, 2005
Andrea Britt is owner of charmingweddings.com where you can find elegant, charmingweddings.com and charmingweddings.com for your wedding reception and bridal shower.
Barry Chicago limousine ..In Part One, we looked at what wives really want... Read More
Marriage is a wonderful thing, but planning the wedding is... Read More
Does it seem like the phrases "ecology" and "wedding" could... Read More
Sometimes a wedding arch is a no-brainer way to spruce... Read More
The Arizona Inn is just the place that you are... Read More
Diamond spending - well, that is up to you. What... Read More
Have you heard of destination wedding favors? I haven't either,... Read More
Looking for beach theme wedding cake ideas?When it comes to... Read More
As a Personal Trainer for brides-to-be, I often get asked... Read More
With today's economy, and the layoffs occurring as a result... Read More
The job of choosing the right wedding cake style is... Read More
When Maria Callas first appeared on the international scene, she... Read More
Creating a wedding budget is one of the first things... Read More
Once upon a time a caveman, while out for a... Read More
Wish to make that one day in your life really... Read More
He's popped the question. You've chosen a date. And now,... Read More
Mens diamond rings are becoming more and more popular with... Read More
The more realistic you are as you prepare for marriage,... Read More
Are you in the process of planning that last special... Read More
Here follows suggestions and tips that will help you determine... Read More
India is a diverse, multi-cultural country with people of various... Read More
1. Start with a nice clean piece of paper (lavender... Read More
You want the perfect wedding dress, so you have made... Read More
1) Write a mission statement:Most brides spend more time planning... Read More
Wedding favors are a delightful detail for any wedding shower,... Read More
Bartlett Chicago charter limousine service ..If you are at all familiar with Las Vegas, you... Read More
Just as with your first marriage, your second marriage is... Read More
It is wrong if you thought that typical British weddings... Read More
With so many ways to ask your closest friends and... Read More
Your wedding vows are the words that will forever remain... Read More
Communication plays one of the most important roles in any... Read More
Taking the hassle out of finding your perfect and unique... Read More
WHAT HAS WORKED FOR USBrief Reflections On Enjoying 36 Years... Read More
Receiving wedding gifts is a whole lot more fun when... Read More
The wedding day is the day that most women wait... Read More
Many happy couples are turning their backs on the traditional... Read More
Want to manage your wedding guests with style and ease?... Read More
Weddings are momentous occasions to all people involved; especially the... Read More
To paraphrase a song, "Are you doing it more, but... Read More
Proposing marriage to your beloved is a very big step.... Read More
If you're like most people, you probably entered into marriage... Read More
You are engaged and one of the most important days... Read More
"Las Vegas hotel weddings give you tons of options. You... Read More
In the next six months, my... Read More
A wedding is one of the most special days planned... Read More
The key to being a gracious bride is to be... Read More
Brides through the ages have accessorized with wedding jewelry to... Read More
You may not think of Las Vegas as an area... Read More
Does it seem like the phrases "ecology" and "wedding" could... Read More
Jealousy has often been called the "green-eyed monster," and with... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |