| Irish wedding toasts are becoming more and | | | | Irish wedding toasts, "In your life I hope you do |
| more the norm these days. Not because it is only | | | | four things: lie, steal, cheat and drink. When you lie, |
| Irish couples getting married, but because many | | | | do it to save a friend, when you steal, steal |
| people have finally seen the timeless elegance and | | | | someone's heart. When you cheat, cheat death, |
| beauty of traditional (and even non traditional) | | | | and when you drink, drink with me." |
| Irish wedding toasts. | | | | The traditional version of this toast goes along the |
| It is not unusual to hear a "Sláinte!" (meaning | | | | lines of, "There are four things in life that you |
| good health and pronounced something like | | | | must never do: lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if |
| "Slawn-tche"), at a wedding these days. In fact it | | | | you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love, |
| has become so popular that you will even hear | | | | If you must steal, steal away from bad company, |
| some of the guests replying kind - even if they | | | | If you must cheat, cheat death, And if you must |
| aren't Irish. | | | | drink, drink in the moments that take your breath |
| Some examples of good Irish wedding toasts are, | | | | away." |
| "May the light of friendship guide your paths | | | | One of the best Irish wedding toasts though is |
| together, may the laughter of children grace the | | | | this very traditional one where the bride and the |
| halls of your home, and may the joy of living for | | | | groom give the toast, and the guests reply to it. |
| one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle | | | | "Friends and relatives so fond and dear, 'tis our |
| from your eye." | | | | greatest pleasure to have you here. When many |
| You can also have something along the lines of, | | | | years this day has passed, fondest memories will |
| "May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, | | | | always last. So we drink a cup of this Irish mead |
| slow to make enemies, quick to make friends. But | | | | and ask God's blessing in your hour of need." |
| rich or poor, slow or quick, may you know | | | | The response to this very traditional of Irish |
| nothing but happiness from this day forward." | | | | wedding toasts, goes along the lines of, "On this |
| There are other good Irish wedding toasts to be | | | | special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the |
| found, such as, "May your troubles be less, and | | | | old, and the best of the new. May God bless you |
| your blessings be more. And may nothing but | | | | both who drink this mead, may it always fill your |
| happiness come through your door." | | | | every need. |
| This is a twist on one of the more often heard | | | | |