Handfasting, unity candles & Irish ritual elements explained
A guide to the symbolic rituals you can weave into an Irish civil ceremony - where they come from, what they mean, and how to choose.
Beautiful ritual is what lifts a ceremony from a piece of paperwork into a moment people remember. Here are the symbolic elements Irish couples weave into civil ceremonies most often - and how to choose one that feels honest.
Handfasting
Pre-Christian, Gaelic in origin, and the source of the phrase "tying the knot". Coloured cords or ribbons are bound around the couple's joined hands as promises are spoken. You can use family tartans, ribbons in your wedding colours, fabric from a parent's wedding outfit. Visceral, beautiful, and deeply rooted in this island.
Unity candle
Two side candles (often lit by mothers or parents) used by the couple to light a single centre candle. Symbolises two lives - and two families - joining.
Sand or stone ceremony
Beautiful for blended families. Each person - including children from previous relationships - pours coloured sand or places a stone into a shared vessel.
Wine box / love letter ceremony
Each partner writes a private letter to the other. The letters and a bottle of wine are sealed into a wooden box during the ceremony, opened on a future anniversary.
Choosing well
One ritual is plenty. Two starts to feel staged. Choose the one that means something to you - not the one that looks best on Instagram.
Planning your own ceremony in Ireland?
Greg is happy to chat through your plans - no obligation.
