Try a chocolate treat in a wedding favor box for a fun edible wedding favor

Spring weddings offer nature as part of your décor. Depending on the month, you can have a portion or all of wedding reception outdoors. You’ll have a variety of flowers to choose from. You can find lots of wedding supplies geared towards the spring months, including holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.

Bridal attire and reception food can add to a well rounded spring wedding. Have the bridesmaids wear pastel colors like chiffon or a light lime green. If you’re Irish, you can have flowers with a shamrock as a centerpiece for the tables. You also to want to incorporate your heritage into the food by serving corned beef and cabbage for dinner. And finally, let your guests sink into a delicious edible favor either as part of desert or to be taken home.

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Fall candle favors will be great with your fall time wedding

Harvest themes are perfect if you plan to wed in the fall months. It’s all about color, so if you’re into the yellows, reds, oranges and browns, then everything should fall right into place. Corn stalks, pumpkins and scarecrows can provide great scenery and atmosphere at the reception.

No matter what month you pick to marry in, just try to make sure that you are in sync with the season. Any time before sunset is a good choice for a fall wedding. You may still be able to have at least the ceremony outdoors. And to keep with the theme, try fall themed wedding favors such as leaf votives.

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Kilts and shamrocks may be the most well known traditions for the Irish wedding, but they’re not the only traditions! In addition to these things, there are traditions that exist regarding the ceremony itself. An old Irish tradition calls for the wedding couple to walk to the church together before exchanging their vows. As they walk down the main street to the church, onlookers throw rice to bless the marriage.  Sometimes they even throw larger items, such as pots and pans, (hopefully no one gets hurt)!

Other countries, such as the USA traditionally threw rice at the bride and groom after the wedding, on their way out of the church. While this tradition still exists, it is more common and accetable to use something that won’t harm the environment or any animals that may come along. As a result, may people now blow bubbles at the newlyweds. The bubble are made accessable to the guests either as the wedding favor in addition to the wedding favor. They’re fun and safe and that’s important!

Whatever Irish traditions you choose, mixing the old with the new is sure to add a special twist to your celebration, that guests will talk about for years to come.

Use a fun wedding favor as a way to bless a marriage

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Savor your wedding favor with a bottle of Mead

 This weddings around the world series has emphasized how popular it has become for couples to draw on their cultural and ethnic backgrounds and to include them in their weddings.  Ireland is a great example of this.  The rich Irish heritage offers elements that add color and flavor, making an Irish wedding a truly special event. 

A typical fare at wedding receptions is Mead.  Mead is a wine-like drink that is made from honey, water and yeast. It was thought that mead could improve virility in men and fertility in women, and so held a significant place at weddings. It is suggested that the word honeymoon originated from the ingredient in mead (i.e., the honey). Irish history documents a ritual where the groom captures the bride at her home and brings her to the wedding feast, where large quantities of mead are consumed. Once the festivities were over, the groom would “hide” the bride from her family for a period of a “full moon”, in hopes that the bride might then be pregnant so that the marriage could not be challenged. One could say that the custom started with honey (mead) and ended with the moon. A good way to incorporate the Irish cultural beverage Mead is to turn it into a wedding favor. Purchase bottles the size and shape of a wine bottle and fill it with Mead. Then put a creative label of your choice on the botttle. This would make a great gift for guests to take home, enjoy and remember your wedding by!

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Weddings Around the World-Ireland

Couple have an almost unlimited amount of Irish traditions that can be utilized during an Irish wedding. Of course, it’s totally at the couple’s discretion as to what and how many Irish traditions to use. Perhaps the best-known symbol of Ireland is the shamrock.  Green flowers and a shamrock together will make beautiful wedding party flowers.  The fragrant Bells of Ireland, may also be used as part of the theme, as they too, are green.  English lavender, an ancient symbol of love, loyalty, devotion and even luck is often mixed with the bride’s wedding flowers to help insure a happy and long-lasting marriage. 

There are other creative uses for the shamrock at an Irish wedding. You may choose to use them to design spectacular centerpieces. You can place them strategically around the reception hall as decorations. You may additionally choose to incorporate shamrocks into your wedding favors. For example, if you have a candle as a favor, put shamrock netting around it. With a little creativity, there are virtually unlimited things you  can do to inclorporate this famous symbol of Ireland!

Find a great wedding favor to enhance the luck of the Irish

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Greet the newlyweds with a sudsy fun wedding favor

A wedding ceremony in France is typical of what we know today.  One special element takes place near the end of the ceremony.  A protective square of silk, called a carre, is held over the heads of the wedded couple as they receive the priest’s final blessing. In the future, this same silk square is traditionally used for the baptism of their new born child.

As in most ceremonies, the newlyweds expect to be showered by their guests as they leave the church.  Depending on local customs, guests might throw grains such as wheat or rice for fertility and prosperity. Sometimes they even gift the bride with loaves of bread. Elsewhere, guests might toss coins or Dragées, a French delicacy of almond covered with chocolate, sugar or nougat. Dragées are used at all major French ceremonies as symbols of happiness and festivity.  Lastly, as the bridal couple leaves the chapel, they walk through a flower arch or over laurel leaves scattered in their path.

A parellel custom in other parts of the country is to stand around the bride and groom as they leave the church and again, to throw something at them. At one time, rice was placed in small amounts, bagged and used to send off the bride and groom. Because this can be harmful to animals, today, people often blow bubbles at the newlyweds. Some people have Doves released into the sky. The choice is yours. So no matter what you choose for wedding favors as your good luck send off, your guests will happily comply.

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Starting from invitations, through the wedding favors, and on to the final dance, guests can experience a different country’s tradition throughout the entire event.  Just a few choices from the many options available could be Oriental centerpieces, Greek favors, Egyptian jewelry and old style scrolled British invitations. 

The wedding attire, the ceremony, and the reception are all great places to add that heritage factor.  Each member of the wedding party could be dressed in different outfit, customary to different regions of the world.  The bride a groom could do the same.  The ceremony itself can include many different customs and rituals. 

The reception is an especially perfect spot for a myriad of ethnic “flavors.”  You can have each table labeled as a different country.  For instance, The Jones’ may be sitting at the Africa table, with the Smith’s are sitting at the Brazil table.  You can decorate each table in colors and themes from that particular country, maybe using that country’s flag as the centerpiece.  If you choose to serve a buffet style meal, each station could be a food indigenous to each different county.  Appetizers could be a variety of Indian Tapas, while the main course could consist of favorite Italian dishes, maybe tied up with French desserts.  Another great place to include ancient traditions is on the dance floor.  There are so many great traditional dances along with music to accompany them.  As many of the older, traditional dances, encourage audience participation, this is a great way for couples to interact with their guests.   

Whatever your choice, this is a very easy theme to work with and you will find the possibilities are endless and plentiful.  Most of us want our wedding to be an unforgettable event and having an Around the World theme, will certainly prove to be a one-of-a-kind event for your guests and a most memorable occasion for you both.

your guests will treasure these mini treasure chest wedding favors

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Irish Wedding Rings

I’m sure there are more than just Irish Eyes smiling at an Irish wedding.  This series has emphasized how popular it has become for couples to draw on their cultural and ethnic backgrounds and to include them in their weddings.  Ireland is no exception.  The rich Irish heritage offers elements that add color and flavor, making an Irish wedding a truly special event. 

There are a variety of Irish elements that can be easily incorporated into a wedding. One obvious element is to get married on St. Patrick’s Day.  Building your theme around the color green (after Ireland’s nickname Emerald Isle), can be a simple yet elegant choice. Symbolism can even be as basic as decorating the wedding invitations with Celtic knots.  Perhaps the best-known symbol of Ireland is the shamrock.  The color green and shamrock together can be used to design spectacular centerpieces and decorations and can even carry over to the wedding party flowers.  The fragrant Bells of Ireland, may also be used as part of the theme, as they too, are green.  English lavender, an ancient symbol of love, loyalty, devotion and even luck is often mixed with the bride’s wedding flowers to help insure a happy and long-lasting marriage.  Of course, it’s totally at the couple’s discretion what and how many Irish traditions to use.  The options are really endless.

Moving on to the ceremony itself, an old Irish tradition calls for the wedding couple to walk to the church together before exchanging their vows. As they walk down the main street to the church, onlookers throw rice to bless the marriage.  Sometimes they even throw larger items, such as pots and pans. 

Historically an Irish bride wears a blue wedding dress.  In ancient Irish tradition, blue symbolized purity.  Only more recently has the white wedding dress become a symbol of virginity and purity. Another tradition is for the bride to braid her hair for her wedding day. Braided hair is an ancient symbol of feminine power and luck.  A groom, with a comfortable sense of self-confidence, might even consider wearing a kilt and asking his groomsmen to do likewise. Kilts, represent a particular family and bring both culture and very personal family heritage to the event.

Traditionally an Irish bride wears a Claddagh ring as her wedding ring.  This ring has become a very popular symbol of a person’s romantic status and continues to be a fashionable choice for an engagement and or wedding ring, for couples all around the world.  It is a heart held by two hands with the heart topped by a crown.  The heart in the design symbolizes love longed to be shared with one’s true love. The crown symbolizes undying loyalty and the hands symbolize friendship, which is, the foundation of love.  The ring’s motto is: “Let love and friendship reign.” If a woman wears a Claddagh Ring on her right hand with the heart facing outward toward the end of her finger this signifies that she is single and looking for love. If the ring is worn on the right hand with the heart facing inward, toward the woman’s knuckle, it signifies that she is engaged. Finally, if a Claddagh Ring is worn on the left hand it means that the woman is married.   The Claddagh has truly become an everlasting symbol of love and marriage.

Other ethnic wedding traditions focus on the food. At some traditional Irish weddings distinct Irish fare like corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, mead, and dark beer will be served.  Mead is a wine-like drink that is made from honey, water and yeast. It was thought that mead could improve virility in men and fertility in women, and so held a significant place at weddings. It is suggested that the word honeymoon originated from the ingredient in mead (i.e., the honey). Irish history documents a ritual where the groom captures the bride at her home and brings her to the wedding feast, where large quantities of mead are consumed. Once the festivities were over, the groom would “hide” the bride from her family for a period of a “full moon”, in hopes that the bride might then be pregnant so that the marriage could not be challenged. One could say that the custom started with honey (mead) and ended with the moon.

As with most weddings, the cake is a focal point at an Irish wedding. The theme can be kept by decorating cakes with shamrocks and green icing and even an Irish cream filling.  The wedding cake may even be a variation of a fruitcake recipe. 

Finally, it’s time to party and we all know the Irish are famous for a good time.  Music plays a significant role in creating the mood for the reception.  Both old and new favorites are widely available, so whether you have bagpipers, a band or simply a DJ, music with an ethnic flare can truly shape the tone of your event.  “The Irish Wedding Song,” a slow waltz-type song, is a great way to kick off the reception. Starting alone on the dance floor, the bride and groom are then joined by their guests. Popular Irish ballads, such as “Black Velvet Band,” and “When Irish Eyes are Smiling,” are great drinking songs that encourage crowd participation.  

Whatever Irish traditions you choose, mixing the old with the new is sure to add a special twist to your celebration, that guests will talk about for years to come.

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                Financially speaking, the bigger the wedding reception, the more it’s going to cost just for the bare necessities. The fancier everything is; from invitations to flowers to the numerous other wedding accessories, including wedding gifts and novelties, the more expensive your wedding will be. Then, of course you’ll need entertainment, a photographer and lots of food. All this adds up quickly and you may still not have anything truly out of the ordinary.

                There are always things you can do to make a memorable wedding reception for your guests. I say your guests because everything about your wedding should be special to you, the bride and groom. Sometimes it’s an out of the ordinary favor. Sometimes it’s a really great band. Maybe you’ll have a champagne fountain, (of course that probably depends on your budget). What about the photography?

                Is there something out of the ordinary that you can do here? People often put a disposable camera on some or all of the guest tables. It’s a great way to get candids of your family and friends because after all, the photographer can’t be everywhere at the same time. Videos of the reception are very common as well and fun for the bride and groom to watch the next day.

While both of these make great memories for the bride and groom, why not do something that your “audience” will love too? A wonderful way to accomplish this is to make a video for the guests to watch sometime during the reception. Make a video comprised of pictures from both the bride and groom’s childhood and through the years until they met. Then incorporate pictures of their courtship up until just before the wedding. Set it to the music of your choice and you’re good to go! Something like this really makes a great impact. For people who only really know the bride or the groom, it’s a good way to introduce the other. It can be entertaining and funny and don’t be surprised if you see some teary-eyed guests. This option is one that definitely sets the tone for a great reception full of good times, fond memories and future blessings.

Find the perfect wedding gift and novelty like a wedding picture frame to show that pictures are worth 1000 words

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