Here's how you can weave meaningful Irish customs into your day without having a wedding that feels like a historical reenactment.
This is tradition, reimagined!
Start With an Irish Setting (or Bring Ireland to You)
If you're planning to get married in Ireland, you’re spoiled for choice: castles, coastal cliffs, forest ruins, and country manors. If your wedding is being held outside of Ireland, bring a little bit of Ireland to the day through ideas such as incorporating green into the dress code or a whiskey tasting station at the reception.
Include green in the wedding dress code
Embrace Irish Wedding Traditions
Give these iconic traditions a modern refresh:
Handfasting ceremony: In Celtic tradition, handfasting is when the couple’s hands are bound together with a ribbon or piece of fabric, like a tartan sash, as a way of showing the couple’s commitment and intention of marrying. After the handfasting, the couple can exchange a gift, most commonly rings, as a token of their love and devotion.
Claddagh rings: The Claddagh ring is an Irish piece of jewellery dating back hundreds of years to the fishing village of Claddagh, just outside of Galway City. Its design includes two clasped hands, a heart in the middle, and a crown at the top, and it is worn as a sign of love, loyalty, and friendship. The Claddagh is traditionally used as a wedding band and is passed down from generation to generation.
Irish wedding blessing: During the ceremony, have a loved one share an Irish wedding blessing for the happy day. We have a few here to spark some inspiration.
The horseshoe: In Celtic tradition, a horseshoe would be included in a wedding day to bring good luck to the occasion and for the rest of the marriage. Add a small symbol of the horseshoe to your wedding decor or as a charm to your bouquet.
Bells of Ireland: These flowers are believed to bring good luck and prosperity! Add them to your bouquet or use them as a centerpiece.
Add Modern Flair to the Ceremony
Honour heritage without going full vintage:
- Have a traditional fiddler or harpist play a modern song during the ceremony.
- Walk down the aisle to a Celtic instrumental remix of your favourite track.
- Read a Seamus Heaney poem alongside your vows.
- Choose a bilingual celebrant for English and Gaeilge elements.
Read an Irish poem alongside your vows
Irish Style with a Twist
Incorporate traditional Irish fashion elements in a subtle way:
- Lace or embroidery inspired by Celtic knots.
- Tartan accents in groomswear or bridal capes.
- A sleek wedding gown paired with a Celtic jewellery piece.
- Bridesmaids in modern silhouettes with muted green tones or wildflower bouquets.
- Hand-tied bouquets with native Irish flora like ferns and heather.
Food, Drink, and the Irish Welcome
Some ideas for a menu with Irish flair, while also creating a warm, relaxed celebration where guests feel like family, is very much in the spirit of tradition.
- Serve soda bread, Irish cheeses, or Guinness-braised meats.
- Replace a traditional wedding cake with a tower of scones or Irish desserts.
- Offer Irish whiskey or a signature cocktail like a “Modern Irish Mule”.
- Add personal touches like a toast with Baileys or an Irish coffee bar.
Making a toast with Irish Cream 
Music, Dancing, and Ceilí Fun
Blend modern and traditional music:
- Start the evening with a folk band or ceilí dancing - a traditional group dance native to Ireland.
- Move into a DJ set or live band with a more modern vibe later in the night.
- Encourage guest participation, just like old Irish gatherings, maybe even a toast or sing-along.
Modern Planning Tools for a Traditional Celebration
For all the beautiful chaos of planning an Irish wedding, especially if you're inviting guests from across counties (or across the world), online wedding invitations keep everything in one place. You can share your story, ceremony schedule, directions to remote venues, and even collect RSVPs without the fuss.
Irish weddings are about love, family, and connection, and that’s something that never goes out of style. With the right mix of tradition and modernity, you can create a wedding that feels both rooted and completely your own.
