Archive for September, 2010

Traditional Irish wedding customs

Posted on: September 23rd, 2010 by Sine Treanor No Comments

Whether you’re a lucky Irish lass whose mother warned her not to get married in May, because (as the saying goes) “Marry in May and rue the day,” or you’re a less traditional bride or groom to who seeks basic information on colorful Irish wedding traditions, this article can hopefully be a good primer for you.

Irish wedding song

No modern Irish wedding would be complete without this crucial (and crowdpleasing) rouser. Spice things up by hiring Irish dancers… or by getting your cousins and extended family who know traditional Irish dancing to lead the charge and teach your guests.

Honey wine

Honey wine (a.k.a. Bunratty Meade) is a traditional drink that heralds from medieval times. It supposedly encourages virility. It is also perhaps where the word “honeymoon” comes from.

Horseshoe

The bride need not don a real, life-sized iron horseshoe for good luck. Instead, she could wear a small porcelain horseshoe stitched into her clothes or worn on the wrist. Be sure that the horseshoe faces up, so the good luck doesn’t spill out of it!

Other eccentric and amusing Irish wedding customs

- Eating salt and oatmeal prior to the reception. This protects the couple against the so-called “evil eye.”
- Passing out tiny wedding bells for the guests. Also done to keep away bad spirits.
- The bride braids her hair. This is done to promote luck and feminine vitality.
- The woman’s Claddagh ring should be moved to her left hand to indicate she’s married.
- Onlookers can throw large objects (e.g. pots and pans) as well as rice when the bride and groom depart the church. Get ready to dodge!

Steven Forsyth – Celtic Rings Ltd

The true cost of a wedding

Posted on: September 17th, 2010 by Sine Treanor No Comments

Whether you are planning a traditional Irish wedding in the states or a destination wedding in a medieval castle on the outskirts of Dublin, you desire a sound and smart way to estimate costs. You want a technique that is simple, practical, proven, and systematic. This essay obviously can’t go into great detail about how to optimize everything, but it can hopefully get you started thinking in a more creative way to figure out how to afford your dream wedding without compromising the finances of your soon-to-be new happy home.

Let’s get to the nuts and bolts. What are the major wedding costs? What can you expect to pay for them? And how can you get these costs down?

Reception — According to expert estimates, the average reception costs approximately 35-40% of your budget. This includes drink service, rental for the venue, wedding cake, and food service. To get reception costs down, go simpler. Offer a cash bar. Spare the hors d’oeuvres and multi-course meals. Have a friend or family member host the wedding at his or her yard.

Photos and flowers — Corsages, bouquets for the bride and bridesmaids, money for the videographer and photographer and so forth cost 15% of the average wedding budget. To get costs down, have your wedding in a place with lots of natural flowers and foliage so you don’t have to pay for greenery. Get a friend or relative with a video camera and/or camera to film the affair for you as a gift (in place of a gift off the registry).

Engagement ring — A ring can comprise a huge part of your wedding budget. According to the Bridal Association of America, the average engagement ring costs over $4400! To get costs down, shop around, search for deals online, and look for a ring that boasts originality and personality as opposed to “pure bling.” Don’t feel pressure to keep up with the Joneses.

Ceremony — This accounts for around 5-10% of the average wedding budget and consists of paying the officiant and hosting the rehearsal dinner. Save money by cutting the rehearsal dinner. Or encourage a friend or relative to pay for the dinner as a wedding gift.

Other costs — Flowers, favors and gifts, attire, and, of course, the honeymoon can also add up. All told, the Bridal Association of America estimates that the average wedding costs nearly $40,000! Your wedding budget may be a lot cheaper (or more expensive) depending on how you budget, where you have your wedding, and how strategic you are about shopping for discounts.

Take time to plan out your wedding budget (actually do one!). See where your money’s going to make better decisions about how to get the most “bang for your buck” — that is, to get the wedding of your dreams without throwing away your nest egg.

Steven Forsyth – Celtic Rings Ltd

Preparing Wedding Speeches

Posted on: September 8th, 2010 by Sine Treanor No Comments

Preparing a wedding speech can be a nervy, uncomfortable, and headache-inducing assignment, even if you know and love the bride and groom with all your heart. Here are some quick guidelines to help you make this “job” less of a chore and more of a delight.

#1 — Prepare WELL in advance.

Do not leave your wedding speech for the last-minute. That is a recipe for panic and stress — just when the bride and groom need you most. Set a deadline to finish the speech — typed or written out — one week prior to the affair.

#2 — Don’t get hung up on memorization.

No one cares if you read from a piece of paper or not. Just be sure the speech is good and that you’ve practiced it several times — ideally with someone else listening and critiquing you who knows the bride and groom.

#3 — Get your facts straight and keep it clean.

No one wants to be humiliated at their own wedding or hear you spin yarns about them. Be empathetic. Be real. Imagine how you’d feel if someone gave the speech at your wedding.

#4 — Be interesting. Say something unusual about the couple.

Aim to stay away from the old bromides about how much these people “mean to you,” even if they mean a lot. Sure, throw some sappy stuff in there. But work hard to personalize the speech. Add humor. Add emotion as opposed to platitudes. Paint a picture for the wedding guests to give them deeper insight into the couple’s unique and special love.

#5 — Get specific and use stories.

This goes along with the above point. Human beings communicate best through storytelling. Make your speech delightful by weaving it around a story from the couple’s past that perfectly illustrates the theme you want to talk about. The details of our lives and loves matter. And people love hearing juicy tidbits — as long as they’re clean and don’t embarrass (at least not too much!)

Steven Forsyth – Celtic Wedding Rings

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