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By Alex Daniels

How does that saying go? “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and silver sixpence in her shoe.”  It is a credo believed to carry good luck dating back to the Victorian era and many folks, brides especially, try to arrange their wedding attire accordingly.

* Something old:  Something old represents the link with the bride’s family and many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewelry, her mother’s or grandmother’s wedding gown.

* Something new: This is to symbolize good fortune and success for the future of the couple. The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item.

* Something borrowed: Something borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when help is needed. The borrowed object means something such as a lace handkerchief.

* Something blue: The color blue is meant here to symbolize the loyalty and fidelity of the couple. Often the item is the garter.

* Silver sixpence in her shoe: A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe is to wish the bride wealth.  But frankly, if you are willing to go through your entire wedding with a coin in your shoe, well that’s just crazy 

The bride’s bouquet at its inception formed part of the wreaths worn by both the bride and groom.  It was a symbol of happiness.  Today the practice of tossing the bouquet is an off shoot of throwing the garter.  Single women compete to catch the bride’s bouquet because according to superstition the one to make the catch will be married next.

The wedding tradition of throwing the garter began in France when pieces of the bride were considered lucky.  The bride would throw the garter to those attending the wedding and whoever caught it could expect good luck.  In some states, the groom traditionally removes the garter from the bride and throws it to the unmarried men. The man who catches it is thought to be the next to marry.  As the wedding ceremony progress, the excitement level of all increases.

* Catching the garter: Men compete to catch the brides garter as the groom tosses it up in the air.

* Garter game: At some weddings the man who catches the garter places it on the leg of the lady who caught the bouquet or they have the next dance.

These superstitious wedding games have become part of the wedding tradition today.  It is believed that by participating you are bestowing upon the couple good fortune.

A century ago, wedding superstitions were even more deeply rooted.

* Marrying a man whose surname began with the same letter was thought to be unlucky.

* Marrying on Friday the 13th cursed your wedding from the start.

* Brides who choose to be married in December were thought to be the wisest woman because she surely would be marrying her true love.

The desire for a marriage to last is strong, and consequently weddings are particularly vulnerable to superstitious beliefs that can supposedly affect it.  My thoughts?  Try not to take any of them seriously, there are so many superstitions to follow it can drive you crazy!  And of course there’s the whole “superstition” aspect.  You do know that it’s all made-up, right?  That it’s not going to have any bearing on your marriage or wedding day at all, right?  Good.  I’ve got to go get the penny out of my shoe now.  Good luck!

Alex consults for a gift shop offering wedding party gifts and bridesmaids gifts. Alex is recently married.

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By Nathan T. Lynch

In many cases a marriage is recognized both by a church and the state.  While the legal requirements for a wedding are established by the state, many couple wish to follow certain religious traditions to have their marriage recognized in their church as well.  In the Catholic religion marriage is considered sacred and is one of the sacraments of the faith.  The Catholic Church puts forth their own requirements for a marriage to be recognized in the eyes of the church.

The Claddagh ring has a special meaning in a traditional Irish wedding.  The Claddagh ring is a traditional ring that looks like two hands holding a heart that is adorned with a crown.  Tradition holds that Claddagh rings be passed down from mother to daughter.  As these rings are meant to be passed down for generations, it is not considered proper to buy a Claddagh ring for yourself.  Yet another tradition involving the Claddagh ring relates to how it is worn.  An engaged or married woman or man would wear the ring with the tips of the crown facing towards their fingertips.  In this position the ring is considered to be turned inward and symbolizes that the heart of the person wearing the ring is taken.  A man or woman who is not involved in a romantic relationship would wear the ring with the tips of the crown facing towards their wrist.  This outward position of the ring symbolizes that the person wearing the ring is reaching out for companionship.

Traditional Irish weddings also adhere to several unusual superstitions in an attempt to ward off bad luck.  A rain or overcast day might be cause for concern at a traditional Irish wedding.  This is because one of the strange superstitions is that the sun must shine directly on the bride to ensure that the couple will be blessed with good luck.  Birds also factor into some of the traditional Irish superstitions.  Hearing a cuckoo bird or seeing three magpies are also considered to be signs of luck for the couple.

Another Catholic wedding tradition requires that previous marriages receive an annulment before the couple can be married in the church.  Even if the previous marriage was not held in the church or recognized by the church, they still require an annulment before they will perform a marriage ceremony.  In this situation a divorce decree is not enough.  The previously married party will have to seek an annulment that verifies that the previous marriage was not valid.

A traditional Irish wedding usually concludes with a toast that has been recited for many years.  At the end of the reception the guests will gather around the couple for the final toast.  The couple will begin the toast by saying, “Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, ’tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God’s blessing in your hour of need.”

The guests then respond to the toast with the following answer: “On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need.” “Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, ’tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God’s blessing in your hour of need.” The guests respond: “On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need.”

Of course, no traditional Irish wedding complete without the presence of bagpipes and kilts.  It is customary for friends and family members to bring along their bagpipes and pipe the couple into the mass and into the reception.  They may also continue to charm the guests with an assortment of bagpipe tunes suitable for dancing.  Not only do friends and family members enjoy performing for the couple and the other guests but they also enjoy taking the opportunity to dress in traditional kilts for the occasion.  The look and sound of the bagpipers creates the feel of a truly traditional Irish wedding.

A traditional Irish wedding is a festive occasion filled with good friends, food and music.  In addition to these traditional elements the Irish people also have traditions regarding the Claddagh ring and standardized toasts that are used to wish the new couple well.  Superstitions also play a role in a traditional Irish wedding.  Many of the traditional superstitions relate to objects or occurrences that are thought to bring the couple good luck.

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