Irish, Welsh, Scots traditions

britne28

I am looking for ideas to incorporate my irish, scots, and welsh background into my wedding.  What have some of you done?  TIA

ashdobbs11

hire a bagpipe player.. it can be amazing music and very cheap for entertainment.
also decorate with colors of your irish heritage... look up your family crest and it should tell you

rmdewey

I'm marrying into a Scots/Irish family, so I've been researching this for a while. Here's some of the traditions I've found (sorry if it's long):

Scots brides are usually gifted with a shawl of the family tartan during the ceremony. Scots brides carry a sixpence in their shoe. Hire a piper to play at the wedding. Handbinding ("tying the knot") takes place during the ceremony. Scots brides carry a sprig of heather in their bouquet for luck. Carry a horseshoe for luck (I'm having a charm sewn into the hem of my dress).

Irish brides can also carry a horseshoe. Irish brides can carry a "magic hankerchief" which can be sewn into a christening bonnet for their first born. Irish brides wear wildflowers in their hair or carry them in their bouquet. Irish brides traditionally wore a blue dress (my white dress will have small blue roses embroidered around the hem). irish brides carry lavender in their bouquet to symbolize love and devotion. Braided hair is a symbol of feminine power and luck, so perhaps tucking a small braid into an updo is a possibility?

Welsh brides carry myrtle in their bouquets. The Welsh bride may also put on a pin in her wedding attire which she is required to remove and throw off across her shoulder. This is regarded as a sign for good fortune. The Welsh Wedding may also involve the use of symbols such as scallions, red dragons and daffodils. Such symbols refer to prosperity and happiness.

britne28

I love the idea of a small braid in my hair.  I am having the horse shoe as it is traditional in English weddings as well.  Don't turn it upside down or the luck will run out!    And the sixpence is english as well so I was planning that.  I think a lot of the traditions intermingle.  Seems to be what I'm finding.    And my wedding cake will have some of the aspects of the flowers as icing deco you mentioned. 

Thanks everyone!

britne28

Oh and my garter is my tartan. 

tidetravel

We did a handfasting.  Ceremony text in planning bio.
Bagpiper for ceremony music.
Bouquets w/ Bells of Ireland
Chocolate cake w/ Bailey's Irish Creme buttercream filling
Favors included shamrock seeds and magnets with various Irish Blessings/Proverbs

Since braids were mentioned, here is my hair (I hired a braider from the local Renaissance faire):

ellen73

We were going to name the tables after towns in Ireland we have been to-   or Irish bands-  but we didn't want to have it too over the top Irish!  Instead we opted for concert venues.   We both love Irish music- and actually met through a friend at a concert of a Irish band.  We are having that band at the reception (or part of that band at least!)  Our reception is at an Irish cultural club- so we didnt' want to go too overboard. I am not a huge fan of bagpipes (even though my MOH plays them!),  but we are having an awesome fiddle player play at the mass.   The church we go to in Chicago uses songs that are to the tune of Star of the County Down and Marie's Wedding all the time-  but with Catholic lyrics.  The words are appropriate for a weddings as  well! 

 

britne28

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_irish-welsh-scots-traditions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:36Discussion:2bf724f8-01ce-45db-8ad0-b33e9f153b36Post:f530847f-07d5-4e51-bdef-60b007ef8e9c">Re: Irish, Welsh, Scots traditions</a>:
[QUOTE]We did a handfasting.  Ceremony text in planning bio. Bagpiper for ceremony music. Bouquets w/ Bells of Ireland Chocolate cake w/ Bailey's Irish Creme buttercream filling Favors included shamrock seeds and magnets with various Irish Blessings/Proverbs Since braids were mentioned, here is my hair (I hired a braider from the local Renaissance faire):
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]

Your hair came out really well, very pretty.  I think I'll look to see how much a bagpiper would be.  Curious if it would fit into our budget.

fancynewbecca

My FI is scottish, his brother plays bagpipes. But our ceremony is indoor so we're passing out earplugs before the ceremony )

tidetravel... way cool way to incorporate all those traditions! What a beautiful wedding.

schumakr

Little late, but oh well.

I have a beautiful antique horseshoe pin that I'm going to pin on my bouquet. My mom got me an Irish Lace handkerchief with my initials and wedding date on it. I have a local Irish band playing the music for my ceremony, they're wonderful and its the part that I'm the most excited about. Instead of an arbor for our outdoor wedding, my florist will have 2 big vases on stands filled with Belles of Ireland; I cannot wait to see what it will look like. I'll carry Belles in my bouquet, and so will my bridesmaids. I have a claddagh on my invitations and gold horse shoes on the tables along with the vases of flowers. We wanted to add hints of Irish, not going too over the top.