The Definitive Irish Fall Wedding Gift Guide

It's almost fall, and that means summer wedding season is coming to a close, but that doesn't mean you can't start thinking ahead to that October or November wedding you're attending. Any wedding brings an opportunity to celebrate everlasting love between two special people, with family and friends. It's also a time to splurge a bit on a personal or unique wedding gift for the happy couple. And whether you're attending a wedding in Ireland or you're looking for a Celtic wedding gift for your Irish American friends, there are plenty of Irish wedding gift ideas you can choose from to make your gift stand out. From Claddagh motifs to celtic knot designs and knitwear to Irish wedding blessings, nothing quite says happily ever after like a gift that references one of the most romantic places in Europe.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of beautiful, fun, and downright creative Irish gifts for weddings to show the happy couple in your life how much you care. So take a look, get inspired, and share the love!

A Ceremonial Loving Cup

Pair Bride & Groom Flutes / Gold-Plated Pewter Claddagh

The tradition of a shared wine cup or Loving Cup is one of the most romantic and ancient of Celtic gifts. The Irish wedding custom dates back as far as the 15th century. Newly-married Celts would toast each other with the Loving Cup before partaking in its contents, the sharing of the drink inside being symbolic of the beginning of their new life together, as well as the joining of their respective clans. Loving Cups were highly-prized family heirlooms and were passed down from one generation of lovers to the next, bringing with it the blessings of their forebears and a potent first sip of married life.

Contemporary Loving Cup designs vary from place to place: the traditional Scottish version, called a “quaich” (which comes from the ancient Celtic word cuach, meaning “cup”) takes the form of a double-handle bowl and often bears a Celtic knot design. The Loving Cups of French and Jewish culture are different still. Some modern couples prefer a crystal cup over metal, while others choose to have their names and marriage date professionally engraved in the glass to mark the occasion.

This 15-ounce Loving Cup is handcrafted in Ireland and made from 100% Mullingar pewter, ensuring a timeless gleam every time its ceremonial use is called for - and what’s more, it bears the world-famous Claddagh ring symbol, featuring a heart to symbolize love, a crown for loyalty, and a pair of hands for friendship, so that these values will be remembered and honored throughout the entirety of any marriage.

An Elegant Pair of Champagne Flutes

Claddagh Crystal & Pewter Wedding FlutesIf the blissful couple in question are more contemporary in taste, then look no further for the ideal wedding gift than a sleek pair of champagne flutes, perfect for toasting to their future happiness in a more quiet, intimate setting after the hubbub of the wedding day has passed.

Like the Loving Cup above, this pair of flutes also bears the beautifully-meaningful Claddagh ring design, emphasising the essential elements of love, loyalty, and friendship in any marital union, and are expertly fashioned from stunning hand-cut crystal and lead-free pewter in the town of Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.

The flutes arrive packaged in an attractive, wedding-ready box, making them a great present option that’s sure to make a splash (and, hopefully, a delicious-sounding fizz) when the happy couple begin opening their gifts. Cheers to the future!

A Reliable Ring-Holder

Claddagh Medium Jewelry BoxA married couple’s wedding bands are of vital importance to the tangible representation of their relationship in day-to-day life; shining and never-ending in their circularity, they symbolize not only the beauty of their union, but the steadfast truth that they will always be there to support one another, in good times and in bad. As such, it’s universally understood that losing a wedding ring is a deeply upsetting experience that is best avoided at all costs! With the help of a pretty ring-holder, however, a couple can rest at ease in the knowledge that when their precious rings need removing for cooking or household chores, they must only to look to their new go-to mode of storage to retrieve them.

A Jewelry Box makes an incredibly thoughtful gift for any newlywed couple, as it keeps things practical while simultaneously celebrating their wedding (and engagement) rings as the ultimate embodiment of their love, rightfully treating them as something to be treasured and protected.

This particular Claddagh Jewelry Box comes to us from Mullingar Pewter, the oldest brand in Ireland, favored in the past by even those outside of the island, such as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The holder is elegantly-molded into the shape of a shamrock, one of Ireland’s most famous national symbols, with hand-rendered shamrock detail to add texture and realism. The center column of the piece is ideal for stacking an assortment of rings, while the outer petals provide convenient storage for everything from necklaces to hairpins.

A Cozy Throw to Inspire Adventure

Sailing Boat Knit ThrowIn ancient Irish folktale, an immram was the word used for a particular class of story concerning a hero’s journey to the Otherworld, with the voyage most often taking place by sea. On this adventure, the protagonist usually visited fantastical islands to far west of Ireland, surmounting challenge after challenge in order to fulfil their destiny.

Marriage, as anyone will tell you, is not without its trials, but when a couple steps into their new life together, ready to embrace the unexpected and take adventure by the horns, there’s nothing they can’t face together. So, why not give your favorite newlyweds a gift to help them see out what’s sure to be their first major challenge after a fall wedding - winter! After all, nothing sees better use during the colder months like a beautiful woolen throw.

Decorated with a dark blue graphic sailboat and anchor-patterned border to evoke the spirit of the immram, this 100% merino wool throw is sure to inspire anyone who curls up beneath it to begin planning future adventures with their sweetheart. Who better to chase one’s destiny with, and see the wonders of the world in the process?

A Handkerchief with a Special Message

Brass Claddagh Napkin Ring Set Set of 4

It’s a little-known fact that the ringing of wedding bells after a couple has been joined in matrimony actually originated as a practise in Ireland. Historically, after the couple recited their vows and brought their worlds together with a loving kiss, they were gifted by their families with hand-bells, which were then rung as loudly as possible in order to repel evil spirits who might seek to spoil the union. After the wedding day, the couple kept the bells in a place of pride in their new home, as a reminder to themselves to always uphold their vows - in the event of an argument, they were to ring the bells in order to recall the commitment they made one another, bringing about calm and reason and thus ending the dispute. Of course, the ringing of the bells also served as a follow-up reminder to any wicked spirits lurking nearby that the couple’s bond would never be broken.

The tradition of Irish wedding bells is charmingly encapsulated in the design of this linen handkerchief by McCaw Allan for Samuel Lamont, and comes with a sweet poem included to tie the whole thing together: “The ringing bells / Sing out to say, / Remember please / This wedding day!”

A unique token of friendship to offer any couple on their special day, this wedding bell handkerchief can be displayed as part of an outfit, as a wall-hanging, or in a frame to remind the lovebirds in question of the life-changing commitment they made to each other. It will keep negative energy at bay for life.

A Traditional Irish Blessing Plate

Irish Marriage Blessing PlateThe people of Ireland are known the world over for their clever way with words. This love of language is evident to anyone who has even a passing knowledge of the country’s literary and musical histories, but this centuries-long infatuation is also obvious when one considers the elegant phrasing of the Irish Catholic blessings issued at weddings, Christening days, and other occasions. In fact, for most moments in life, there is an Irish blessing that’s applicable to bring comfort and raise spirits, encouraging those at the heart of an experience to relish the best of it while they can.

Hand-painted on the flat of this decorative plate is a marriage blessing that will warm the heart of any couple beginning their life’s journey together. It reads: “May God be with you and bless you; / May you see your children’s children. / May you be poor in misfortune, / Rich in blessings. / May you know nothing but happiness / From this day forward.” This heartfelt string of good tidings is sure to make any set of newlyweds smile with the knowledge that they are loved and supported as they begin their new life together.

A Deluxe Irish Breakfast Food Package

Slainte Irish Mug and Breakfast Tea SetAs the post-wedding peace begins to settle in, newly-married couples can delight in finally having some time to themselves. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy each other’s company, process a whole host of new and exciting emotions, and bathe in the glow of wedded bliss. In this golden period, the simplest of moments become the most memorable, and a single meal can be nothing short of seminal. So, bring the food-loving couple of the hour a gift they’ll never forget - because who, we ask you, has ever failed to recall a delicious and lovingly-prepared Irish breakfast? Bonus points if you plant the idea with spouse A to surprise spouse B with a morning meal in bed. They’ll both love you forever!

This deluxe Irish breakfast kit will last two people for several meals, making life that much easier for the couple that’s too worn out after days (or even weeks) of marital celebrations to even think about grocery shopping. It includes traditional Irish pork sausages, rashers, black and white pudding, baked beans, potato cakes, and a hearty loaf of tasty soda bread, all to be washed down with a cup of the oh-so-essential breakfast beverage, Barry’s Irish tea. This wedding gift idea is truly a foodie’s dream, and is guaranteed to be received with glee!

A Romantic Celtic Candlestick Set

Celtic Wedding Candlestick SetNothing says romance in the same way that candlelight does, and so it stands to reason that a well-made candlestick is a timeless gift loved by all. This gift idea, however, is a little unorthodox, as it’s best given to the couple in question before their ceremony begins!

This beautiful set of Mullingar pewter candlestick holders come handmade from the workshops of skilled smiths in Ireland, and is comprised of one large center “unity candle”-holder and two slender accompanying side pieces.

The presence of a unity candle is a contemporary addition to many marriage ceremonies worldwide. The unity candle ceremony happens in the following way: at the beginning of the wedding, two guests who are particularly dear to the couple (very often both of their mothers) will light the wicks of the side candles. These flames represent the lives of each soon-to-be spouse. Later, after the couple’s marriage vows have been spoken, one clasps “their” lit side candle, while their beloved the other. Together, they light the the unity candle with the combined flames of both wicks, symbolizing their union and the joining of their souls.

A Cake Server for the One-Year Anniversary

Mullingar Pewter Claddagh Cake ServerSome of the best gifts in the world are those that can be used time and time again. Perhaps one of the most iconic (and certainly delicious) traditions associated with any wedding day is that of the cake. The typical Irish wedding cake is a hearty specimen, loaded with dried fruit and nuts, sweetened with honey, and soaked in good quality whiskey before being frosted over with a smooth, sugary white glaze. Often, the couple will cut the first slice of the cake together to raucous applause before feeding one another their first bite, an act which speaks volumes about the commitment they have just made to care and provide for each other their whole life long.

A lesser-known but equality sweet tradition is the preserving (or freezing) of the final piece of wedding cake for the enjoyment of the couple as the dessert course on the evening of their one-year anniversary, a full blissful twelve months later. As the lucky pair prepare to dig in and reminisce on the magic of their big day, they’ll be warmed to the core in putting this beautiful cake server to use for once again. How time flies!