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 fiancé.
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, unique wedding favors and bridal shower favors for your wedding reception and bridal shower.
For some couples, jetting off to their dream location would... Read More
Well you may not become a billionaire or even a... Read More
You have to start with a thorough to do list... Read More
Bless the bride... and God help the video maker. True.... Read More
It really doesn't matter if you are planning to have... Read More
When people plan to marry, they expect to find in... Read More
Providing chocolate as a wedding favor has been a time... Read More
Let's face it, not many of us have the kind... Read More
The wedding date and time has been set, the location... Read More
Have you ever had to give a wedding speech? As... Read More
If there are wedding bells in your future, then surely... Read More
Most girls know by the age of 12 what kind... Read More
OverviewI suppose a typical Christian wedding in the UK can... Read More
Your wedding day, what is presumed to be the happiest... Read More
Depending on your personal preferences and the preferences of your... Read More
Taking the hassle out of finding your perfect and unique... Read More
One of the biggest on-going problems for couples is how... Read More
As a youngster -- or perhaps even as an adult... Read More
Make your upcoming event the most memorable ever by adding... Read More
The enchanting Belize honeymoon resorts captivate every visitor through the... Read More
Only in Las Vegas can you find everything for your... Read More
The following article can be copied but you must keep... Read More
India is a diverse, multi-cultural country with people of various... Read More
Wedding receptions are not as formal as they once were,... Read More
As a personal and professional development coach, I have listened... Read More
No matter how well you plan all the aspects of... Read More
Everybody who has decided to marry wants their day to... Read More
Every couple has different priorities when it comes to budgeting... Read More
He's popped the question. You've chosen a date. And now,... Read More
As a Personal Trainer for brides-to-be, I often get asked... Read More
If you've been around long enough, you're aware of the... Read More
Numerous men have pondered the questions, "Why does my wife... Read More
Planning a wedding is an exciting thing, and can be... Read More
Whether you want to add a little extra romance to... Read More
Ahh . . . sweet romance.The flowers. The chocolate. The... Read More
Wedding favors are a delightful detail for any wedding shower,... Read More
Would you like to have a stronger, healthier, more enjoyable... Read More
Beach weddings are popular but they do present "special issues".Failing... Read More
There are so many styles of wedding gown to choose... Read More
When it came to love-making, Napoleon, that short plump bundle... Read More
More and more, couples are choosing to write their own... Read More
Wedding rings are a symbol of union. A union between... Read More
Recently, I stumbled across something on the internet. A particular... Read More
You're well into planning your wedding and have finally decided... Read More
Any marriage counselor will tell you that one of the... Read More
Monograms are a huge trend in weddings, to the point... Read More
If you are actually planning your Las Vegas wedding reception,... Read More
The vows you take to become husband and wife are... Read More
You want the perfect wedding dress, so you have made... Read More
The 1999 Julia Roberts movie 'Runaway Bride' is about a... Read More
In our hungry-for-anything new pop culture world, celebrities are often... Read More
Wedding receptions are expensive affairs and can set you back... Read More
The symbolism of Celtic Diamond Rings is relevant to all... Read More
For a bride, shopping for bridesmaid dresses can be one... Read More
The big day is fast approaching, and the energy of... Read More
When Maria Callas first appeared on the international scene, she... Read More
You have begun to plan your wedding and you want... Read More
The wedding shower is a traditional party of the marriage... Read More
Diamonds may be a woman's best friend, but modern man... Read More
Most visitors to Hawaii would agree that Maui is the... Read More
Cruising down the river was always deemed by couples the... Read More
Proposing marriage to your beloved is a very big step.... Read More
THE sunshine had come out to ensure the wedding of... Read More
With so many ways to ask your closest friends and... Read More
Are you a Bride-to-Be? Wonderful! Congratulations! But what's that enormous... Read More
Whether your wedding will be coming up roses, daffodils, or... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |