Irish Traditions

Irish traditions on wedding days

There are many different Irish traditions on wedding days. Some of these traditions have affected the entire world. I'm sure many of you didn't know that the groom standing to the right of the bride was originally from irish traditions. What's the story behind that tradition you ask? Read on and you'll find out.

The Irish people have a deep history filled with traditions. Record of Celtic civilizations date back to hundreds even thousands of years before the birth of Christ. Ancient records showed that many Celtic men were wed to women inside of their tribe. However, when the men outnumbered the women, some men were forced to raid a neighboring tribe for a wife. It was said that the men would carry the women on their left shoulder so that their right hand would be free to fight off and opposition that faced them. This is the birth of one many Irish traditions for weddings.

More Irish traditions concerning weddings would be the throwing of rice towards the bride and groom and the bride carrying a horseshoe. The throwing of rice is practiced all over the world with many people not knowing the reason behind it. Rice was thought to be a symbol of fertility, prosperity, and happiness. Because of this, people threw rice at the couple as a blessing for their future. Irish brides carried horseshoes because they believed that horseshoes brought them good luck. These are Irish traditions that are still practiced today and are still very popular not only amongst Irish families but families of all nationalities all over the world.