St. Patrick's Day is the next fun holiday and it's right around the corner March 17th. Many couples that celebrate an Irish heritage (or simply enjoy the traditions involved) will be infusing their share of Irish flavor into their upcoming nuptials. While most of the Irish wedding ceremony is similar to American ceremonies and receptions, we have pulled together some ideas and traditions to help make your event distinctly Celtic.

It is common for Irish couples to exchange the traditional Claddaugh rings. Their unique design, two hands holding a heart underneath a crown, is the Irish symbol for "Let Love and Friendship Reign".

A traditional Irish wedding cake is actually Fruit Cake. Its richness symbolizes the hope for wealth and prosperity. However, fruitcake doesn't always sound appealing to the couple or their guests, so we suggest making just the top layer of the wedding cake follow in the Irish custom. Use your favorite flavors then to make up the remaining layers of the cake. In addition, Irish couples save the top layer from the wedding cake and eat it at the christening celebration of their first child.

For good luck, Irish brides carry a small horseshoe in their bouquets or may have one sewn into the hem of their wedding dresses.

There are various Irish blessings, which can be added to the wedding invitation, wedding programs or the best man's toast at the reception.

Did you know that green is actually considered an unlucky color at Irish weddings? Neither guests nor the wedding party would ever attend a wedding wearing green.

Though they are typically considered Scottish, bagpipes have their roots in Ireland. The sound of pipes coming from a distance can create a truly Celtic ambiance. (At close proximity, bagpipes can be unbearably loud and disruptive to conversation).

Other Celtic details to consider:

Incorporate a dance lesson into your wedding reception. Teach your guests to do the ceilidh, a traditional Irish jig.

Wear a veil or carry a handkerchief made from beautiful Irish lace.

Portents and omens:

It was unlucky to marry on a Saturday.

Those who married in harvest would spend all their lives gathering

A man should always be the first to wish joy to the bride, never a woman

It was lucky to hear a cuckoo on the wedding morning, or to see three magpies

To meet a funeral on the road meant bad luck and if there was a funeral procession planned for that day, the wedding party always took a different road

The wedding party should always take the longest road home from the church

It was bad luck if a glass or cup were broken on the wedding day

A bride and groom should never wash their hands in the same sink at the same time—it's courting disaster if they do

It was said to be lucky if you married during a 'growing moon and a flowing tide'

When leaving the church, someone must throw an old shoe over the bride's head so she will have good luck

If the bride's mother-in-law breaks a piece of wedding cake on the bride's head as she enters the house after the ceremony, they will be friends for life.

Wedding Dress - Since ancient times and until this century, an Irish bride wore her best dress to the wedding. Or, if the budget would allow it, she'd have the village 'nanty' make a wedding gown for her that she would subsequently wear on special occasions. For hundreds of years, blue was a favorite color and silk the preferred fabric for a wedding gown. Even though it had been introduced hundreds of years ago by a Celt, Anne of Brittany in 1499, the all-white wedding gown didn't come into popular vogue until quite recently. Isolated for many years from the whims of fashion, Irish brides followed the traditions of world-wide custom and wore whatever dress represented the best they had. Other special garments were also worn, a bridal cloak of brilliant red, for example.

Today, Irish brides prefer understated, graceful lines and elegant, simple styles. 'Poufs', says Peggy,'are out'. What is definitely in, is Celtic braiding on the wedding dress, a look made popular by Irish-based designers, Sharon Hoey and Cathy DeStafford of Dublin. Mary Gristwood of Celtia Gowns is also doing incredibly intricate embroidery, and the design team of Lorraine Gibbons and Miriam Spollen at Bronte Bridal Designs will astound you with their ability to carry through a Celtic motif all the way from your wedding gown to your train to your shoes.

Alternatively, you could purchase a very simple wedding gown and have it embellished with Irish white embroidery.

GROOM - Envious too, they would be of a typical sixteenth-century groom in his bright yellow silk shirt. Pleated in all directions from shoulder to wrist and neck to waist, its incredible color was captured from a dye made with Autumn crocuses. On top, he might have worn a short jacket made of the softest linen. Often embellished with intricate embroidery, the sleeves were left open along the underside so that the pleats of the shirt could flow down. Completing the ensemble would have been a pair of tight-fitting breeches and a sleeveless cloak, clasped at the shoulder with a brooch.

Often, men's tunics and women's dresses were made of white linen that was embroidered or appliquéd in gold or a bright color such as red, blue, purple or yellow. Patterned materials were also widely used and cloaks in particular were adorned with borders, stripes and fringes. Our ancestors also wore shoes and sandals that were dyed or decorated. These were saved for special occasions since the old literature indicates that both kings and peasants preferred to go barefoot. Planning a much more modern celebration? The groom and the groomsmen will look very dashing if their tuxedo accessories, including vests, cummerbunds, cravats or bow ties, match or complement the bridesmaid's dresses.

Bridesmaids : You'll be more in keeping with Irish weddings as they used to be if you decide not to ask your bridesmaids to spend a fortune on dresses that they may wear only once. In fact, it's becoming quite popular for bridesmaids to select a dress that flatters their individual shape, so, while everyone is wearing shades of the same color, the styles may be completely different. When was the last time you were asked to be a bridesmaid and the bride said you could simply wear your best outfit? Unheard of? Different? Most definitely affordable! Should you prefer however, to stay within the realms of contemporary tradition, you can incorporate an Irish flair into the bridesmaid's dresses in the same ways already described for the bridal gown. What is also refreshingly different about today's styles is that we're no longer confined to those unattractive taffeta concoctions of years ago. Nowadays, a bridesmaid's dress can be very sophisticated and elegant and many of the most popular colors, including celadon, gold and champagne will work well in an Irish color scheme. Consider too, in your choice of gowns for the wedding party, details that are symbolic of old Ireland ­ cloaks and shawls for example.

Flowers: In the old days, many Irish brides wore a wreath of wildflowers in their hair; they also carried them in bouquets. In Wales, brides carried live myrtle andgave a sprig to each bridesmaid which they planted. If it grew, the bridesmaid would marry within the year. If you're planning a more general Celtic celebration, this might be worth considering.

Flower Girl: Simple is best and definitely more appropriate than many of the dresses I've seen which resemble miniature bridal gowns. A charming outfit would be an old-fashioned white pinafore topping a solid color dress, Whatever you decide, it would be more traditional if the dress is tea-length. Also, browse through catalogs such as Creative Irish Gifts. In a recent edition, they featured a sweet mint-green frock with a detachable, embroidered pinafore. Also keep in mind that while little girls wearing hats or halos of flowers look lovely, they're often uncomfortable. Often, a very young flower girl will remove her hat or other headpiece just at the wrong moment. Better to avoid this situation by allowing your flower girl(s) to have their hair arranged in the usual way, but perhaps with the addition of ribbons that coordinate with their dresses. This would be in keeping with how young Irish girls adorned their hair in the seventeenth century.

Ring Bearer: We have yet to find a reference to the role of ring bearer in Irish history. In the absence of any solid information, I would suggest that you keep the ring bearer's outfit simple. Fussy details, a la Little Lord Fauntleroy, may make him uncomfortable and fidgety. You might consider looking into the traditional costume of a male Irish dancer. Do keep in mind, however, that kilts are not traditionally Irish.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. This rhyme originated during the Victorian era and has become a tradition for brides all over the world, including Ireland. Here's how you can add an Irish touch to this relatively recent custom:

Something old: There's an old Irish superstition that a bride must walk down the aisle with a coin in her shoe. This ensures that good fortune will smile on the marriage. So, for something old, ask a relative in Ireland to send you a circulated five-penny piece, or, if that's not possible, you can purchase one that comes in its own little satin sack from stores specializing in Irish products.

Something new: For the something new, why not make it a magic hanky? A lovely old Irish custom, the magic hanky is carried on the wedding day and then put away until the christening of the first child. With a few cleverly placed stitches, it is then turned into a christening bonnet. After the christening, it is put away again until the child grows up and marries. On that wedding day, a few snips will turn it back into a hanky. (And by then, it will make for a most appropriate 'something old!') You'll find magic hankies made of pure Irish linen and lace in Irish specialty stores, at Celtic festivals and in catalogs.

Something borrowed: In Ireland, it's said that if the bride borrows something from a happily married woman, then her marriage will be happy too.

Something blue: Irish brides once considered blue to be very lucky; it is also the color of fidelity and symbolizes a bride's commitment to her husband. If your color scheme includes blue, you might consider blue Celtic braiding sewn into the bodice of your wedding gown. You could also wear a blue slip (but be sure it doesn't show through), or perhaps a garter trimmed in blue ribbon. These are readily available in most wedding invitation catalogs.

(Much of this information is from the invaluable book "The Traditional Irish Wedding" by Bridget Haggerty, published by Irish Books and Media, and used with kind permission of author and publisher.)

Helpful Links:

IrishShop.com - everything Irish
Ireland.com - today in Ireland
St. Patrick's Day - what is it about?