First thing’s first, make sure to choose the right man. You may have the perfect wedding, but if there isn’t a perfect man to share it with then it’s won’t be perfect.

After the man is committed, the ring is well and truly secured on your left hand; it’s time to prepare for the most memorable and important day of your life.

First on the long list of things to do for the perfect Irish wedding:

Find the perfect reception venue.

It’s essential to book the venue of your dreams immediately.  Weddings in Ireland nearly always happen on a Friday or a Saturday. The hottest and most romantic venues can often be booked up to two years in advance.

Consult your honey to decide what part of Ireland ye both wish to have yer special day at. Traditionally the wedding takes place in the bride’s town but nowadays people stray away from home and look for a place that means a lot of both parties. Irish Castles provide the best wedding venues because they incorporate Irish culture and classiness into the occasion.

The venue for your reception is where it all happens. It is where you and your guests will spend up to 12 hours of the wedding day. It has to be perfect!

Get recommendations from friends, visit the venues with your fiancé and narrow it down to your top four favorites. After that it’s down to cost (if you’re working on budget). Make sure to negotiate a reasonable price for your meal, wine, pre reception and evening reception.

After the reception venue has been set in stone, the ceremony venue is next.

This is the most romantic part of the wedding day so choose wisely. Most Irish couples decide to get married in a catholic church. Often, Irish couples will choose the church their parents got married in or the church they attended mass growing up.

Make sure the church has some sentimental meaning to you and it’s more than just a beautiful structure.

The church is where, in front of God, you will become man and wife; the moment you begin your life together. It’s an extremely emotional time and having the right venue to express such beautiful emotions is essential. Love your church like you love your future spouse.  

Next up for the perfect Irish wedding is the perfect Irish band. No Irish wedding would be a success without a band that can lift the roof with their rendition of Galway Girl, Wild Rover and Danny Boy. It is also essential that your band can also perform several ceili dances for the jig lovers.

Bands of this caliber are often swiped early so make sure to get on to it as soon as you know the date and location of your wedding reception.

To illuminate your love at the church, a good musician or two are essential. An Irish harpist can provide harmonious music that adds to the emotion of the wedding ceremony. Second to a harpist, an organist and a fiddle player can add serenity and solitude to an Irish ceremony. Have the musicians play some of your favorite Irish songs including Madame Cole’s by The Chieftains, Lark in The Clear Air by James Galway and Silver Threads Among The Gold by Phil Coulter.

No wedding would be complete without the bride’s fabulous wedding gown. Why not consider having a Celtic inspired dress designed to your liking. There are several Irish dress designers that have worked with brides in the past to create the dress of their dreams with a Celtic message throughout.  

After the dress has been chosen, the venue for the ceremony and the reception have been booked and the music for both the church and the hotel have been decided, next on the list are the smaller details: choosing your wedding party, booking a photographer, deciding on a priest, choosing a florist and picking out a car for the day.

Other Irish inspired traditions to have the perfect Irish wedding includes: flowers, food and fun…

Flowers - Adding the shamrock to the wedding day is considered good luck. The shamrock could be used in centerpieces and decorations and as the personal flowers worn or carried by the wedding party.

Food- a traditional Irish wedding cake is made of fruit. The leftover cake is then saved for the Christening of the first child.  

Fun – Well, that takes no planning. An Irish wedding is always joy and laughter.