Having both grown up in Mount Sinai, a small town on the north shore of Long Island, we chose a beach theme for our wedding. In keeping with the theme, the wedding was held at a harborside location in late summer. The wedding invitations had a seashell border. The wedding cake was decorated with sugar-cast seashells and coral. The favors for the wedding guests consisted of decorative bags of scented seashell potpourri and matchbooks with an engraved seashell pattern on the cover.
The Wedding Party
The bridesmaids wore navy blue dresses and received pearl jewelry for gifts from the bride and groom. The groomsmen wore grey strollers and received navy blue ties decorated with a small seashell pattern as gifts. Roses and tulips in shades of orange, apricot, burgundy, coral, and vanilla were used along with touches of hypericum berries and heather for the look of the fast approaching fall foilage.
The Ceremony
The ceremony took place at Infant Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Port Jefferson. Our Irish heritage was encorporated into the ceremony in the exchange of Claddagh wedding bands, which symbolize love, loyalty and friendship. The rings were carried down the isle on a ring pillow with the Claddagh symbol embroidered on it, and a pewter unity candle holder with the Claddagh symbol on it was also used during the ceremony.
After the wedding, a two week honeymoon was taken in Ireland! Coincidently, the term "honeymoon" actually comes from Ireland. Since medieval times, newly-weds would enjoy in plenty a gift of mead, a clear golden honey drink, for the traverse of one full moon (one month), hence the word "honeymoon". Mead is the result of marrying pure honey, fruit of the vine, and selected herbs. For centuries it has been the traditional drink of those in love. It is sweetly seductive in aroma and believed to have special properties that enhance fertility and verility.
Our Trip to Ireland Some Pictures of Ireland from the Honeymoon CIE Irish Classic Tour Itinerary (Updated for the Year 2000)