| |
| |
|
Marriage & Wedding Information |
|
Celtic Wedding Rituals -- Tying the knot
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.
MORE RESOURCES:
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Have a Sizzler of a Honeymoon! Article No.1 Henry Vlll and Elizabeth Taylor, who between them had fourteen spouses, would have had quite a few headaches planning their weddings. There would be the obvious ones - Shall I wear white for my marriage to Eddie Fisher? After all, even though this is my fourth wedding I am only 27 and white looks magnificent on me! And the less obvious ones - Should I invite all my ex ex ex wives' relatives to the wedding? For if the truth be known, I've always been more fond of them, than of her. Hot Wedding Trend: Platinum Wedding Rings In our hungry-for-anything new pop culture world, celebrities are often the ones that can start a hot fashion trend seemingly overnight. With their heavy media exposure, they are often photographed wearing the latest styles in fashion and jewelry. How To Hire A DJ For Your Wedding Hiring music entertainment can arguably be the most important booking made for your wedding. Guests remember whether or not they had fun at your wedding. A Tale of Two Weddings In the next six months, my son, daughter, andgrandson are all getting married. Our family isspread across Ontario and the United States, so I'm thankful to be living in the computergeneration. How to Select a Wedding Photographer Selecting a wedding photographer can be a daunting task. Not only does the photographer need to be able to produce outstanding memories of your wedding day but also has to be able to fit into the celebration and be highly professional every step of the way. Italian Honeymoon Vacations Going to Italy on a honeymoon vacation could be the best turning point in your romance as you venture in this place full of romantic pursuits and mesmerizing love. The places worth visiting in this popular land of exotic Mediterranean culture are the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, the canals of Venice and the cathedrals. Throwing a Las Vegas Garden Wedding You may not think of Las Vegas as an area known for its gardens but you'd be wrong. There are more gardens in and around Las Vegas than you'd think possible given the desert environment, the heat and the crowds of tourists that never stop coming. Let Them Eat Cake -- Just Not at Your Wedding It's a fact, however odd it seems, that some brides don't like cake -- and don't want one at their wedding reception. Others like cake just fine, but prefer to serve something a little more distinctive for dessert. Wedding Dresses - What To Wear You have begun to plan your wedding and you want your wedding to be special and unique to your and your future spouse. There are traditions and superstitions that have grown around the wedding ceremony, the bride, and what the bride wears in particular. Wedding Planning -- Staying Within Your Wedding Budget Planning and organizing a wedding budget can greatly reduce the stress of putting together a wedding. The very thought of a wedding conjures up images of finery and elegance, music and dance, fun, frolic and lavish spreads. Dealing With Your Spouses Sexual Past "Couples who've had sex before marriage will inevitably have sexual difficulties in marriage."That's what Joe Beam, marriage expert and president of Family Dynamics Institute, said to a large audience of married couples. Your Wedding Flowers - What Are Your Choices? Your wedding flowers usually tie to your wedding theme. When most of us envision wedding flowers we think of more of the traditional choices but there are literally thousands of flower choices that work very well for wedding bouquets, ceremonies, and receptions. Which Came First, Love or Marriage? I came across an article today: LOVE AND MARRIAGE THE TORAH'S CRITERIA by Rivka Olenick.It helped me think about my own marriage, and the way that many couples approach the idea of being together before they get married vs. Diamond Hunting Diamond hunting can be quite traumatic for the uninitiated. It is a big purchase and often one that has high emotional content. Top 40 Marriage Quotations "Is it better for a woman to marry a man who loves her than a man she loves. "-- Anonymous"All marriages are happy. How to Find, Select, and Afford a Wedding Photographer You are engaged and one of the most important days in your life is fast approaching. Your wedding day will be filled with happiness and emotion. Wedding Dresses - Frequently Asked Questions You've gotten engaged and have set the wedding date and now it's time to get down to business. All the planning and decisions can be overwhelming to the most organized and practical bride-to-be. How To Choose Your Wedding Cake One of my favorite parts about the wedding, is the cake. Over time many things have changed with weddings, but one thing that stays the same, there is always a beautiful cake. Choosing the Perfect Wedding Gown Selecting a wedding gown is possibly one of the most exciting things for a bride to do. It's one of the most fun aspects of preparing your wedding. Outdoor Wedding Ceremonies - Keeping Your Guest Comfortable According to a survey conducted in 2003 by Bride's magazine, 15% of all couples choose an outdoor wedding, and that trend is growing. But with a all of the beauty and simplicity that an outdoor wedding brings, it also brings added anxiety from the force known as Mother Nature.
|
| home | site map | contact us |
