Celtic wedding themes and traditions are simple and meaningful. Their weddings often took place outside with nature to bless the union. Nature was very important to the Celts. They believed the soul existed within and outside of an individual. The soul would manifest in the trees, the rocks, the waters and the sun. Humans and the world around them were intertwined, with the soul tied to the spirit of the earth.

Their belief in marriage was that two souls would join together so their strengths would be twice as great and hardships only half as hard. Marriage was an institution not to be entered into lightly. It was the union of two souls, two hearts and two minds. Modern couples can take some of these meaningful beliefs and incorporate them into their wedding ceremony by using some of the old Celtic wedding traditions, rituals and symbols.

The feast was one of the most important aspects of a Celtic wedding. Unlike today, where the ceremony and reception are viewed separately, traditional Celtic weddings incorporated everything into one big ceremony. The families and friends of both the bride and groom were there along with members of the community.

The term “bride” is Celtic in origin and refers to Brigid, an exalted goddess of Celtic lore. The veil is a very old tradition. Before the bride is veiled, she is a maiden. When she wears her veil, she becomes a goddess in her own right, and she takes on mystery and feminine powers. When she is unveiled by her groom, she returns to this world changed, as her old life has ended and a new one begins.

The ceremony itself was a simple ritual called handfasting. The bride and groom would stand facing each other holding hands and they were bound by a ceremonial rope, cord or wrap. This is where the term “tying the knot” comes from. Handfasting symbolized the unity of the couple. There are many variations on how handfastings were performed, and they seem to vary throughout the times and regions. Some involved only one cord or rope, while others involved up to six. Scottish weddings used a piece of the family tartan to tie the wedded couple. In some rituals, to finalize the marriage, the couple would hold hands and jump over a branch or a broom into their new life together.

Many customs are specific to local areas of Ireland, Scotland and Brittany. Some Celtic wedding accessories have survived the times and are still used today, such as the Claddagh ring. This ring was named after one of Ireland’s oldest fishing villages, and it has been in use in Ireland for several hundred years. The two hands clutching a heart are for friendship, the crown for loyalty or fidelity and the heart symbolizes love. The custom is that if you are single you wear the ring on the right hand facing out. You wear it facing in if you are spoken for. To show you are engaged, you wear the ring outward on the left hand. During the wedding ceremony, the ring is then turned inward to signify the final devotion of the heart in marriage. Even if you don’t use a Claddagh ring for Celtic wedding bands, the Claddagh symbol can be incorporated into your modern wedding on invitations and decorations.

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