You’ve said the “I do’s” and signed the licence. You are now officially married and looking forward to your wedding night - your first night as man and wife!

Are you planning to slip away quietly from the reception and journey off to a wonderful honeymoon, perhaps to a secret holiday destination? Odds are your friends will also have plans to decorate your car with tin cans, old boots and anything else that’ll make lots of noise as you drive away.

It’s something that happens at weddings all over the world, it’s become something of a tradition…

But did you know that it’s a modern day version of an old Celtic tradition?

It was quite usual in old Gaelic cultures for the newlywed couple to spend their first wedding night in a barn. The bride would be readied for bed by her girl friends whilst other friends would keep the groom occupied and prevent him from seeing her.

When the bride was ready the couple would be brought back together and retire to the barn but the festivities and merry making would continue outside. Friends and family would disturb the union by making lots of noise until they fell into a drunken stupor, finally, leaving the newlyweds alone.

Eventually, in an effort to avoid this kind of ritual newly married couples would sneak away from the celebrations to a secret location so they could enjoy their wedding night undisturbed and in peace!

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