Fáilte! Today we're sharing a little Irish wedding inspiration! Whether you're the born-and-raised-in-Kerry kind of Irish or the second-cousins-once-removed kind of Irish, there are lots of ways to incorporate your heritage into your big day, and traditional Irish wedding blessings and sayings for your ceremony or speeches are a great place to start.
You may want to make a subtle patriotic nod by having your bridesmaid read a Seamus Heaney poem during the ceremony, or go all out and exchange vows in the Irish language (as Gaeilge as we say in this part of the world!). Either way, we've got you covered. We've gathered our favourite Irish-language wedding toasts (with pronunciation guides, don't worry!), ceremony readings by Irish poets, and Irish wedding blessings translated into English, all on one page. There are also handy one-liners to use on everything from stationery to signage!
Traditional Irish Language Wedding Toasts
- Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo. [pronunciation: slawn-cha kwig nah fur, og-us guh mar-fig nah mnaw guh joe] (Health to the men and may the women live forever!)
- Mo sheacht mbeannacht ort! [pronunciation: Muh shocked bannocked urt!] (My seven blessings on you!)
- Go maire tú! [pronunciation: Guh morra too!] (May you live long!)
- Go dté tú an céad! [pronunciation: Guh day too un cay-ad!] (May you live to be 100!)
- Beannacht Dé leat! [pronunciation: Bannocked day lat!] (God’s blessing on you)
- Go n-éirà an bóthar leat! [pronunciation: Guh nye-ree un bow-her lat!] (May your journey be successful)
Traditional Irish Language Wedding Vows
- Tha mise (spouse’s name) a-nis ‘gad ghabhail-sa (spouse’s name) gu bhith ‘nam chéile phòsda. [pronunciation: Tha misha [spouse’s name] a-nish gad gowell-suh [spouse’s name] guh vih num kayla pohs-dah. (I, [spouse’s name] now take you [spouse’s name] to be my husband/wife.)
- Ann am fianais Dhé ‘s na tha seo de fhianaisean tha mise a’ gealltainn a bhith ‘nam fhear pòsda/bean chéile dìleas grà dhach agus tairis dhuitsa, cho fad’s a bhios an dìthis againn beò. [pronunciation: Ow-ann ow-am fee-un-ish day snah tha shuh deh fiann-ashion tha misha a-gyall-tin a vih num far pohs-dah/ban kayla deel-us grawd-hock og-us tar-ish goo-it-suh, ko fad’s a vee-us un dee-hish ag-win bee-oh.] (In the presence of God and before these witnesses, I promise to be a loving, faithful and loyal husband/wife to you, for as long as we both shall live.)
- We also have a guide to having a traditional Celtic hand-fasting in your ceremony.
Traditional Irish Wedding Blessings (see printable below for the full text!)
- May God be with you and bless you, may you see your children's children...
- May the wind be always at your back, may the warm rays of sun fall upon your home...
- May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home...
- May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace...
- Love, life and happiness, may your troubles be few and your blessings many...
- May your troubles be less, and your blessings be more...
- May you feel no rain, for each of you will be a shelter to the other...
- May the meaning of this hour be fulfilled through the days and years to come...
- Merry met, and merry part, I drink to thee with all my heart...
Ceremony Readings by Famous Irish Poets (see printables for the full text!)
- Scaffolding by Seamus Heaney
- He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven by W. B. Yeats
- A Poet to his Beloved by W.B. Yeats
- Her Praise by W.B Yeats
- The Indian to His Love by W.B. Yeats
- Lines Written for a Thirtieth Wedding Anniversary by Eavan Boland
- Oh, Call it By Some Better Name by Thomas Moore
- We Are Made One with What We Touch and See by Oscar Wilde
- Bluebells For Love by Patrick Kavanagh
Traditional Irish Language Wedding One-Liners
- Céad mÃle fáilte romhat (Welcome, everyone!)
- Sláinte! (Cheers!)
- Grá mo chroà (Love of my heart)
- Tri na haoiseanna, thar am, mo ghrá (Throughout the ages, beyond time, my love)
- Grá go deo (Love Forever)
- Grá, dÃlseacht, cairdeas (Love, Loyalty, Friendship)
- Cuisle mo chroÃ, amhrán m'anama, solas mo oÃche (Pulse of my heart, song of my soul, light of my life)
- Anam cara (Soul mate)
- Maireann croà éadrom i bhfad (A light heart lives long)
- Nà neart go cur le chéile (There’s no strength without unity)
- Le mo ghrása mise, agus liomsa mo ghrá (I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine)
- Is tú mo rogha (You are my chosen one)
- Tá mo chroà istigh ionat (My heart is within you)
- Mo mhÃle stór (My darling)
Traditional Irish Wedding Blessings, Toasts and Vows: Printable Download
Looking for more ways to celebrate your Irishness? Check out our list of Irish wedding traditions and be sure to sign up to the One Fab Day newsletter!
