In the Irish culture, the time to give toasts marks the highlights of every wedding and other types of celebrations. It is well believed that an Irish wedding toast is made potent as it can make good wishes stick. An Irish wedding toast is symbolic of the sealing of the deal between the new couple and their families present.
ADVERTISEMENT
From the historic plains of Ireland, we bring you wise ancient words which are funny, short, traditional, and heartfelt. We’ll also show you how to write the perfect Irish toast for a wedding in this post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who speaks at an Irish wedding?
It is customary for certain members of the bridal party to make Irish wedding toasts and speeches during an Irish wedding. Usually, these include the groom, the best man, the father of the bride, and others.
ADVERTISEMENT
Traditional Irish Wedding Toast Examples
In traditional Ireland, dancing, music, and continuous toasting stretch into the wee hours. This is quite filled with deep-rooted and historically rich traditional wedding wishes, all for the lucky couple. The traditional Irish wedding toast is a collection of words, thoughtfully picked out and rich in depth. They pay homage to nature and its elements, infusing it with positives and relating to the couple. For instance, see words like “May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow, may the soft winds freshen your spirit.” They remain timeless and ever potent.
So, are you in search of traditional Irish quotes and toasts examples? Or do you need Irish toast templates for inspiration to create your toasts? Are you the best man, maid of honor, or father of the bride trying to write a traditional Irish wedding toast? Or do you want to honor your Irish wedding heritage? See our favorite toasts below.
“May you have a 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!”
“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!”
“Health during your life,
A wife of your choice to you,
Land without rent to you,
A child every year to you,
And the light of heaven after this world for you.”
Funny Irish Wedding Toast Samples
For the Irish, there’s an irresistible love for language. Known as the gift of gab, it can be well defined as a talent for talking and expression. From the time of the 7th-century monks of the medieval bards to the 17th-century storytellers or Seanchaí. These poets and writers can give life to words, passionately communicating stories and sentiments. This is where the humor comes in, as they’re able to infuse heartwarming words that steal smiles from people. With the ability to speak, comes the ability to give laughter to your listener.
A funny Irish wedding toast is quite filled with witty, charming, romantic yet factual remarks. For example, “May you look back fifty years from now, and agree that today was the worst day of your married life.” So, if you need to douse the tense ambiance with some laughter, opt to give a funny Irish toast.
“May your troubles be as few and as far apart as my Grandmother’s teeth.”
“May the Good Lord take a liking to you — but, not too soon.”
“Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A cold beer and another one!”
“May your bank account always be bigger than your troubles.”
“When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let’s all get drunk, and go to heaven!”
“May those who love you love you; and those who don’t love you, may God turn their hearts. And if He doesn’t turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so you’ll know them by their limping.”
Short Irish Wedding Toast
You don’t have to say so much to give a toast. A short Irish wedding toast is just as potent as a lengthy one, as it covers everything you need to say. This is because the Irish language is so blessed that every greeting is a blessing. Take for instance the English word “goodbye.” In the Irish language, it translates to “go dte tu slan“, meaning “safety be with you.” So you see, every word you speak in the Irish language blesses.
But while these are everyday blessings, some have been quite modified for specific events like wedding ceremonies. Short toasts like “Happiness being a dessert so sweet, may life give you more than you can ever eat.” They are simple, and straight to the point, packing with them a ton of mega punches. If you’re a person of few words, keep it short and simple, the Irish way.
“May you taste the sweetest pleasures that fortune ere bestowed, and may all your friends remember all the favors you are owed.”
“May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.”
“There’s no cure for love except to marry.”
“May your neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, The angels protect you, and heaven accept you.”
“May the Lord keep you in His hand and never close His fist too tight.”
Irish Wedding Toast Quotes
Irish toast quotes range from one-liners to a few lines packed with wishes for the couple. The beautiful part is that whether you’re Irish or not, you can relate. You mustn’t be Irish to reverence the depth and beauty of classic Celtic toast quotes. These quotes are ancient and have been well passed down from one generation to the next. With the passing years, these toasts have made their way over the Atlantic and into the modern world.
A quoted example reads thus “when the roaring flames of your love have burned down to embers — may you find that you’ve married your best friend.” They are full-on the significance of sweet sentiments. These quotes can be easily incorporated into the unique ceremony readings, or short enough for a toast. They can also even be personalized as part of your wedding vows. In need of heartfelt Irish toast quotes for inspiration? Here you have them!
“May their joys be as deep as the ocean,
And their misfortunes as light as the foam.”
“May you always have a cool head and a warm heart.”
“Wherever you go and whatever you do, may the luck of the Irish be there with you.”
“May your troubles be less, And your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door.”
“Merry met, and merry part, I drink to thee with all my heart.”
“May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.”
How To Write An Irish Wedding Toast
Have you ever had to sit through listening to a downright boring wedding toast? Or you’ve witnessed a heartbreaking catastrophic one? We can’t have you become an addition to such a list. So if you’re up for a wedding and plan on writing a toast, find here some tips to help.
- Just start writing, and keep writing till you hit your rhema. You’d find that in all that you wrote, you’ve made a point that will anchor your theme.
- Make your toast intentional by telling a curated story. Make it fit your theme and support your argument.
- Keep it short and make it quick. 3 minutes is enough to say everything, yet short enough to have their attention when it’s time to raise glasses.
- Understand your audience, and put into consideration your relationship with the couple. Do not give toasts that make the audience cringe; like cussing or talking about exes. Also, don’t make the couple uncomfortable.
- Aim for crowd-pleasers. Use jokes that the audience can relate to. Meanwhile, a little humor is fine, but it’s a toast, not a roast. Do not overstretch it.
- Center your attention on both partners.
- Practice, prepare, edit and print out your toast speech.
Irish Blessing Toasts
Irish wedding toasts may be in English or Celtic, depending on the audience. Below are samples of Irish blessings for wedding toasts to inspire you.
- Love, life, and happiness may your troubles be few and your blessings many…
- May your mornings bring joy, and your evenings bring peace…
- May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home…
- 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…
Irish Blessing Toasts For Guests
Guests giving Irish blessing wedding toast could use some guidance finding the right words, especially if they’re not Irish themselves. However, if familiar with the tradition, then even giving an Irish wedding blessing toast in Celtic should be easy peasy.
Irish Wedding Toasts For Father Of the Bride
- May the meaning of this hour be fulfilled through the days and years to come…
- May you feel no rain, for each of you will be a shelter to the other…
- Merry met, and merry part, I drink to thee with all my heart…
Irish Wedding Toasts For Groom Parents
- May your troubles be less, And your blessings be more…
- May their love reach out to the love of all, that their lives may bless all whose lives they touch.
- May they find comfort together in shared hours of shadow, as well as in the bright sunshine of joy.
Irish Wedding Toasts For Best Man
- May the love of this man and this woman, their unity of spirit, grow deeper and stronger in the uncertainties and changes of life they will share.
- Loving each other, may they love all persons.
- Celtic: Go n-eiri an bothar leat!
English may your journey be successful
Irish Wedding Toasts For Brother/sister
- Trusting each other, may they learn to trust life.
- May they be to each other both strong and gentle.
- May all who follow their lives with interest and affection have to cause to rejoice not alone in their happiness, but in their brave and generous living which makes life beautiful and significant.”
Embrace the uniqueness of the Irish culture. Whether in Celtic or English, find the right Irish wedding toast to celebrate the couple and finish your speech in perfection
There is so much beauty, richness, depth, history, witticism, and wisdom in the Irish wedding toast. Old as the world itself, these toasts predate Christianity and probable other religions, as they focus on natural elements. But in its beauty, it translates well for every culture and creed, perfect for both secular and traditional religious events. We’ve been able to shed light on different Celtic wedding toast, from traditional to funny, short, and toast quotes. And if you intend to write your toast with Irish inspiration, we’ve left some tips for you too.
ADVERTISEMENT
