Irish wedding blessings have been handed down from generations past and are a wonderful way to celebrate your Irish heritage on your big day.
Wise old words from Ireland abound, and Irish blessings and sayings for weddings are no exception. Some are heart warming and tender, some are witty and charming, but all sincerely express wishes of love and happiness for the lucky couple.
Table of Contents
- Irish Blessings, Poems and Sayings For Marriage
- Irish Wedding Prayers
- Bless You - Celtic Wedding Prayer
- May You Both Live As Long As You Want
- May You Enjoy The Four Greatest Blessings
- Embers from the Open Hearth Blessing
- May The Blessings of Light Be Upon You
- Happiness Wishes Irish Wedding Blessing
- May You Be Rich In Blessings
- Bless You and Yours on Your Wedding Day
- May God Be With You
- Irish Blessing for Peace and Joy on a Wedding Day
- Wedding Vows from Ireland
- Traditional Irish Wedding Toasts and Blessings
- Printable Sheets Available
Irish Blessings, Poems and Sayings For Marriage
In today's blog post, I give you a world of Irish marriage wishes at your fingertips. Or better still a world of Irish wedding blessings on the tip of your tongue, so you can rhyme them off at will, as you wish the happy grooms and brides the very best for their future lives together.
Some of these sayings crossed the Atlantic many years ago, and have become more widely quoted in America than in modern Ireland.
However, I hope these blessings and sayings will keep Irish eyes smiling and laughing during any wedding celebration, wherever the festivities may be.
You may have come to my website in search of an Irish marriage prayer, an Irish wedding toast or inspiration for creating your own personal Irish wedding vow.
Or you may be father or mother of the bride-to-be, in need of a little help as you prepare a heartwarming and meaningful wedding speech.
Or you may simply wish to honor your Irish heritage during a special wedding celebration.
Whatever you search for, I hope this selection of old Irish wisdom, prayers, blessings and toasts will be helpful as you plan the Big Day.
And so, without further ado, here's a selection of my favorite Irish wedding blessings, some being slight variations of the same blessing.
May the Raindrops Fall Lightly on your Brow
"May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow
May the soft winds freshen your spirit
May the sunshine brighten your heart
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love."
~ Irish Marriage or Wedding Prayer
Many of the Irish wedding toasts and blessings have been handed down through the generations through a Celtic oral tradition. Here's one I hope you'll love.
May You Have Love That Never Ends
"May you have love that never ends,
lots of money, and lots of friends.
Health be yours, whatever you do,
and may God send many blessings to you!"
~ Irish Words of Wisdom for Weddings
The Irish are known worldwide for their love of a good time, and a wedding is no exception. However for weddings, the Irish way with words is usually on display.
May The Sun Shine All Day Long
May the sun shine, all day long,
everything go right, and nothing wrong.
May those you love bring love back to you,
and may all the wishes you wish come true!
~ Old Irish Wedding Blessing
Sweet sentiments and symbolism are features of these old Irish wedding blessings. Here's one wishing for angels to bless the happy couple.
May You Always Walk In Sunshine
"May you always walk in sunshine.
May you never want for more.
May Irish angels rest their wings
Right beside your door."
~ Old Irish Blessing
These short verses often rhyme and convey a deep seated wish for nothing but happiness for the couple.
May Your Troubles Be Less and Your Blessings Be More
"May your troubles be less,
And your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness,
Come through your door."
~ Old Irish Wedding Day Blessing
Irish Wedding Prayers
Many of these old blessings take the form of a prayer or a poem.
Here's one that I hope you'll love...
Bless You - Celtic Wedding Prayer
"With the first light of sun-
Bless you.
When the long day is done-
Bless you.
In your smiles and your tears-
Bless you.
Through each day of your years-
Bless you."
~Wedding Day Blessing from Ireland
Some of these sayings are short and sweet, and carry heartfelt wishes for prosperity.
May You Both Live As Long As You Want
"May you both live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live."
~ Wise Old Words From Ireland For A Wedding
Many of these old blessings, prayers and sayings were brought to America by early Irish immigrants. They often make wonderful wedding toasts.
May You Enjoy The Four Greatest Blessings
"May you enjoy the four greatest blessings:
Honest work to occupy you.
A hearty appetite to sustain you.
A good woman to love you.
And a wink from the God above."
~ Irish Words of Encouragement for the Groom
The lyrical words of an Irish blessing are often packed with emotion and impact.
Embers from the Open Hearth Blessing
"May the embers from the open hearth warm your hands,
May the sun's rays from the Irish sky warm your face,
May the children's bright smiles warm your heart,
May the everlasting love I give you warm your soul."
~ Irish Wedding Vow
The Irish love to use rich language to reflect a mix of our Celtic and Christian heritage.
May The Blessings of Light Be Upon You
"May the blessings of light be upon you,
Light without and light within.
And in all your comings and goings,
May you ever have a kindly greeting
From them you meet along the road."
~ Wedding Day Blessing from Ireland
Here's one that makes a lovely wedding toast for any friend or relative to say before raising a glass to the bride and groom.
Happiness Wishes Irish Wedding Blessing
"Be you rich or poor, quick or slow,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.
And, may the joys of today
Be those of tomorrow."
~ Irish Wedding Wishes From Days Gone By.
Here's a similar version of the previous wedding toast.
May You Be Rich In Blessings
"May you be poor in misfortune,
rich in blessings,
slow to make enemies,
quick to make friends.
But rich or poor,
quick or slow,
may you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward."
~ Traditional Irish Wedding Quotation
Irish blessings typically seek to wish good fortune and joy upon the couple as they start their lives together.
Bless You and Yours on Your Wedding Day
"Bless you and yours,
As well as the cottage you live in.
May the roof overhead be well thatched
And those inside be well matched."
~ Traditional Irish Wedding Toast
Many of these old sayings share wishes of good fortune to help the happy couple to start their new life together with a sense of hope and future happiness.
May God Be With You
"May God be with you and bless you
May you see your children's children
May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings
May you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward."
~ Irish Marriage Blessing
This one reflects the journey a couple starts together on their wedding day.
Irish Blessing for Peace and Joy on a Wedding Day
"May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace.
May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.
May the saddest day of your future
Be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
May your hands be forever clasped in friendship
And your hearts joined forever in love.
Your lives are very special,
God has touched you in many ways.
May his blessings rest upon you
And fill all your coming days."
~ Wedding Wishes From Ireland
Wedding Vows from Ireland
Handfasting is the custom of placing a cloth over the hands of the couple as they recite their wedding vows. Here's a beautiful old druid's prayer to recite. Why not tie the knot with this beautiful Irish vow.
The Druids' Prayer
"We swear by peace and love to stand
Heart to heart and hand to hand.
Hark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this our Sacred Vow."
~ The Druid's Prayer
The next blessing is a beautiful Irish wedding vow. This saying is a truly emotional pronouncement of ever lasting love.
Celtic Wedding Vow
" By the power that Christ brought from heaven
mayst though love me.
As the sun follows its course,
mayst thou follow me.
As light to the eye,
As bread to the hungry,
As joy to the heart,
May thy presence be with me,
Oh one that I love,
'til death comes to part us asunder.
~ Irish Wedding Vow
Meaning of This Hour
May the meaning of this hour be fulfilled through the days and years to come.
May the love of this man and this woman, their unity of spirit,
grow deeper and stronger in the uncertainties and changes of the life they will share.”
Excerpt from Saint Patrick's Breastplate Prayer
Here is a short excerpt from the Lorica or Breastplate Prayer of Saint Patrick which we explored in a previous post.
I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
Traditional Irish Wedding Toasts and Blessings
And always remember, that you don’t have to be Irish to appreciate the loving sentiments shared in these blessings.
Blessings of a Family
"May there be a generation of children
On the children of your children."
~ Marriage Toast From Ireland
May The Road Rise To Meet You
"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.
May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.
~ Traditional Irish Marriage Blessing
May the significance and meaning of your special day, be a testament to the deep unity of spirit that strengthens through love and time.
For Every Storm A Rainbow
"May God give you
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
a faithful friend to share,
For every sign, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer."
To listen to this blessing in Irish (Gaelic) click here.
Lucky Stars Above You
"Lucky stars above you,
Sunshine on your way,
Many friends to love you,
Joy in work and play -
Laughter to outweigh each care,
In your heart a song -
And gladness waiting everywhere
All your whole life long!"
And there you have it, a round up of Irish sayings for tying the knot.
Printable Sheets Available
If you'd like to print these blessings as a handout just check this link.
There's a printable PDF file available for saving and sharing.
You may also wish to check out some of my previous romantic posts:
- love and marriage Irish style,
- lessons in love from old Irish sayings,
- romance and the Irish,
- the story of the Claddagh ring.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
P.S. A big THANK YOU to all the photographers and wedding couples who shared their wonderful photos of Irish weddings with a creative commons license, allowing bloggers like me to use them to illustrate our work. I truly appreciate your kindness and generosity. May the sentiments of the wise old words recounted above continue to bless you each and every day.
If you enjoyed this post here are some other stories and tributes you might enjoy.
Eulogy For An Irish American Mother
Between The Jigs And The Reels
Mary
How timely these sayings are, as my son marries tomorrow morning! So quaint, so sentimental! Thank you for sharing them! Mary
Irish American Mom
Hi Mary - Seems like my timing couldn't have been better. I hope you and your family and friends have a wonderful time today celebrating with your son and his bride. Wishing them a lifetime of happiness together, and all the good wishes for love, fortune and happiness these blessings convey.
Le gach dea-ghuí (with every good wish)
Mairéad
Mattie Lennon
This Kerry Blessing was given to me by the late, great, John B. Keane ;
"That the frost might never afflict your spuds: that your cabbages will always be free from worms: that the crows might never pick your stack: that your she-goat might never dread the puck - and should you by good fortune come into possession of a mare donkey, may she be in foal."
Irish American Mom
Hi Mattie - What a classic blessing, that could only have originated in Kerry. Thanks so much for sharing it here, so that readers in America and around the world can enjoy the old sayings of Ireland, and especially the wit and wisdom of the late, great John B. Keane.
Have a lovely weekend.
Mairéad
Kay G.
Wow! Lovely photos with these lovely blessings!
My nephew and his bride spent their honeymoon in Ireland in June. You know they loved it!!
Irish American Mom
Hi Kay - Congratulations to your nephew and his new wife. I'm so happy to hear the had a lovely time in Ireland. I hope the sun cooperated and they didn't have too many rainy days.
All the best,
Mairéad
irishnannie
"By the Power that Christ brought from Heaven..."
Beautiful, Mairead* Just beautiful...all...
Thank you!
God bless you!
Irish American Mom
Hi Irishannie - I'm delighted you enjoyed this little collection of old wedding blessings from Ireland. Some may be seen as old fashioned in today's world, but I found them all nostalgically heartwarming. The sentiments expressed are not merely about the wedding day itself, but contain such wonderful wishes for a long life of happiness together, whether rich or poor.
Blessings to you too,
Mairéad
Ibazela
Irish blessings are so inspirational. And somehow positive, even though the history of Ireland is not so happy. I really admire the wisdom of Irish.
Irish American Mom
Thanks for checking out these Irish blessings. They truly are full of ancient wisdom.
All the best,
Mairéad
Michele Reisenwitz
My daughter's officiant wants me to say a word during a part of the service for her wedding. I believe I will use, "May your mornings bring joy and your evenings peace..." Thank you so very much for the perfect Irish blessing for me to speak over her and her soon to be spouse on their day.
Irish American Mom
Hi Michele - I'm so happy to learn this collection of Irish blessings was helpful to you. I love the blessing which you have chosen. Wishing your daughter and her future spouse share a lifetime of happiness together.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Kathy Booth
Hello there! I sure hope you can be of assistance! I'm searching for an Irish blessing (I think) that has the phrase "May your sons be rich" and the last sentence is humorous and ends with "may your daughters be marriageable" I'm desperately searching for it before June 30th! Thanks in advance!
Irish American Mom
Hi Kathy - I'm so sorry but I don't know that particular Irish blessing or saying. Perhaps a reader will spot your comment and hopefully shed some light on your search. I hope you have a lovely celebration at the end of the month.
All the best,
Mairéad
Trees Rotteveel
I was looking for a blessing! Thanks for this great post!
Irish American Mom
Glad you found this collection of Irish Wedding Blessings.
All the best,
Mairéad
Mattie Lennon
A Kerry Blessing
(Courtesy of the late John B.Keane)
That the frost may never afflict your spuds,
That your cabbages may always be free from worms,
That the crows may never pick your stack,
That your she goat may never dread the puck,
And should you by good fortune come into possession
of a mare ass may she always be in foal.
Irish American Mom
Thanks Mattie - I love this blessing from Kerry.
Take care,
Mairéad
Teri Kaiser
Do you have any of the wedding blessings in Gaelic? I can't seem to find any!
Irish American Mom
Hi Teri - Here's one in Irish. I'll work on creating a blog page with phonetic pronunciation and a recording to help.
"Go dtuga Dia daoibh:
Tuar ceatha le gach stoirm
Meangadh gáire le gach deor
Gealltanas le gach buairt
Agus beannachtaí go leor.
Cairde dílse le fadhbanna an tsaoil
A roinnt leat go fial,
Amhrán binn le gach osnaíl
Agus freagra ar gach urnaí.
In English this means ....
May God give you
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
a faithful friend to share,
For every sign, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.
I hope this helps.
Mairéad
Michelle
My husband and I were wondering how you write “always and forever” in Irish? Can you help with this?
Irish American Mom
Hi Michelle - Always in Irish is "i gcónaí" and is pronounced ih go-nee.
Forever is "go deo" in Irish and is pronounced guh-joe.
Putting them together would be "I gcónaí agus go deo" meaning always and forever. Agus is the word for and and is pronounced ah-gus. Here's the phonetics for the whole phrase - ih go-nee ah-gus guh-joe.
I hope this helps.
Mairéad
AegeanCelebrations
What significance do raindrops have in Irish blessings and how do they symbolize good fortune and blessings in marriage ceremonies?
Irish American Mom
In Irish culture, rain is seen as essential for the growth and nourishment of the land. It symbolizes abundance, fertility, and the sustenance necessary for life. In the context of marriage, raindrops are seen as blessings that will nurture the relationship, helping it grow strong and prosperous. Just as rain helps crops grow and ensures a good harvest, it symbolizes prosperity and financial stability for the newlyweds. The presence of rain on a wedding day is thus considered an omen of future wealth and success.
All the best,
Mairéad