I Can Hear the Bells

I Can Hear the Bells

September 7th, 2011 @ 4:21 pm by Mrs. Cucumber Sandwich
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I mentioned a while back that Mr. Cucumber Sammie and I will be including some cultural traditions in our ceremony to represent our heritage. We covered Mr. Cuke Sammie’s African American roots with a broom jump. And now it is my turn!

I am Irish, Irish and just a little bit more Irish so picking a heritage pull a tradition from was easy. There is tons of great inspiration for including Irish elements in your wedding. I would have loved to get Mr. Cucumber Sammie in a kilt but before I could even get the words out he said, “not going to happen.”

I Can Hear the Bells : wedding cape may ceremony cultural Irishn irish+n

Would have looked so handsome! {KiltRental}

We also briefly flirted with the idea of the Irish handfasting.

This custom is used in many other cultures as well. The bride and groom tie fabric or ribbon over their joined wrists. This creates a beautiful visual representation of “tying the knot” and joining the bride and groom together.

I Can Hear the Bells : wedding cape may ceremony cultural Handfas handfas

{WeddingsOnline.Ie}

If only My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding had come out sooner, my theme totally would have been “Irish Traveller.” I find this show equal parts fascinating and mystifying (why does it take them all day to clean the trailer?!? what else do they do?).

I Can Hear the Bells : wedding cape may ceremony cultural My Big 01 my-big-01

{My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding by TLC}

Ultimately the tradition we decided to incorporate in our ceremony was the Bell Ringing. During our ceremony, Mr. Cucumber Sammie and I will take turns ringing the “marriage bell.” The bell then gets kept in our house to be rung when we are having a fight or need a special reminder of our wedding day. The bell is supposed to end the fight and declare a truce without admitting fault. I am interpreting this tradition as I get to be right so I am all in!

We went on a wild search for bells. I wanted to get a Waterford bell but soon realized that was a terrible idea after checking the prices at a local Irish Shop. Soon I turned to my trusty old companion, eBay! I love that place. I found two bells for reasonable prices and they arrived on my doorstep this afternoon.

I love them both so I need your help deciding. The green is very decorative and delicate but is a little dissimilar to our decor. The sterling silver bell has some heft and a beautiful song but is kind of plain.

What do you think? Use both bells? Should we change our theme to “Irish Traveller”?

Tags: cape-may, ceremony, cultural |

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27 Responses to “I Can Hear the Bells”

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Member

SouthernCJ (message) 110 posts, Blushing bee

I love the first bell! It is simple but I really think it is timeless and beautiful.

9/7/11 @ 4:28 pm (reply)

Guest

aggie

I’d go with the first bell (it looks lovely and if it chimes beautifully all the more better). Can bells be spray painted?

9/7/11 @ 4:32 pm (reply)

Member

future.mrs.awe (message) 90 posts, Worker bee

I love the silver bell. You could tie some pretty sheer ribbon on it to dress it up for the wedding.

9/7/11 @ 4:33 pm (reply)

Guest

Jessica

I love the first bell. Maybe add a ribbon(s) in your color(s)

9/7/11 @ 4:33 pm (reply)

Member

CurlyRN (message) 331 posts, Helper bee

I love the first bell. That traveler wedding show was something else…

9/7/11 @ 4:43 pm (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Candy Apple (message) 1,465 posts, Bumble bee

Love the silver! You could definitely add some ribbon or lace to spruce it up a bit And later on, if you want, you could also get it engraved with your wedding date.

Cute idea!!

9/7/11 @ 4:44 pm (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Star (message) 2,057 posts, Buzzing bee

I like both. But if the green doesn’t go with your stuff, I say the first! Also: loved the Hairspray reference (was that intentional? lol)!

9/7/11 @ 4:45 pm (reply)

Guest

kcroxyoursox

Definitely silver. You’ll want to display this bell somewhere prominent in your home and this one will go much better no matter what interior decorating is hip at the moment.

9/7/11 @ 4:45 pm (reply)

Member

Coffee cup (message) 1,843 posts, Buzzing bee

I like the sterling silver one. It’s not plain, it’s simple and it looks more attractive.

9/7/11 @ 4:54 pm (reply)

10.

Member

tinylittlebird (message) 1,704 posts, Bumble bee

Silver, hands down. Sometimes less is more- while I typically like the look of vintage items, the green one looks dated to me…. vintage and dated are not the same thing.

The silver bell is simple but elegant, will never clash with your decor, and can easily be dressed up for the wedding day.

9/7/11 @ 4:57 pm (reply)

11.

Guest

McVerde

I’m incorporating this tradition into my ceremony, as well! I say go with the silver bell. It won’t shatter if wedding day jitters make you, your FI, or your officiant accidentally drop it.

9/7/11 @ 5:12 pm (reply)

12.

Member

miss.qwerty (message) 897 posts, Busy bee

I love the silver bell - it’s so classic. And if it sounds great, that’s a nice plus.

9/7/11 @ 5:44 pm (reply)

13.

Guest

Lizzy42

Change the theme to irish traveller! Please!

(But I like the silver bell if you are sticking with this theme!)

9/7/11 @ 5:58 pm (reply)

14.

Guest

Cara

So glad to hear of someone else doing this! We are doing it too and my in-laws just got back from Ireland where his mother searched high and low for an Irish wedding bell, needless to say it was not an easy task! She ended up finding one with a clauddagh on it and it’s perfect! I vote the first one! it will go great with any decorating style you choose!

9/7/11 @ 6:23 pm (reply)

15.

Member

amarissak (message) 52 posts, Worker bee

@Jessica

Ditto! Bell #1 with a ribbon!

9/7/11 @ 6:54 pm (reply)

16.

Member

MsTerrapin (message) 609 posts, Busy bee

Definitely the first bell! Can you maybe engrave it with your wedding date or with a meaningful quote to give it a little more significance?

9/7/11 @ 7:04 pm (reply)

17.

Guest

teehee

Wait…. aren’t kilts Scottish, anyway? o.o?

9/7/11 @ 9:07 pm (reply)

18.

Bee

Miss Cucumber Sandwich (message) 572 posts, Busy bee

@future.mrs.awe: @Jessica: Great idea!! I totally didn’t even think about dressing it up with a ribbon.
@CurlyRN: I still don’t understand it and I have watched all the reruns.
@Mrs. Candy Apple: Ooooh I love this idea! Stealing it.
@Cara: I just missed a claddagh on eBay. So glad you got one!

9/7/11 @ 11:00 pm (reply)

19.

Bee

Miss Cucumber Sandwich (message) 572 posts, Busy bee

@Lizzy42: That would be awesome. I am seriously considering it!
@MsTerrapin: Love!
@teehee: They are but they are also used as a Celtic or Gaelic traditional dress.
@Mrs. Star: Yes, yes it was

9/7/11 @ 11:03 pm (reply)

20.

Bee

Mrs. Earrings (message) 2,481 posts, Buzzing bee

I love both bells- great way to incorporate your Irish heritage! Apparently lavender (for fidelity) is traditional at Irish weddings so I incorporated some in my bouquet and in a few other areas of the wedding because Im Irish as well

9/8/11 @ 3:13 am (reply)

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