8 Romantic Celtic Wedding Blessings & Poems to Read at Your Ceremony

Add Meaning & Romance to Your Wedding With a Timeless Celtic Blessing or Love Poem

 

Add a timeless Celtic wedding blessing or love poem to your ceremony! Below, we’ve gathered some of the most popular and romantic readings from Irish, Scottish, and Welsh tradition. Consider these passages, old and new, to find something that inspires you! 

 

Need a full length wedding script? Use this one as inspiration:

Celtic Wedding Ceremony Script with Handfasting & Elemental Blessings

 

 

Listen here:

 

1. Traditional Celtic Blessing

Author: Unknown

 

This old Celtic blessing, written by an anonymous author, works well on its own as a special reading, or pair it with other popular wedding rituals such as a unity candle ceremony or hand washing ceremony.

 

► DOWNLOAD TRADITIONAL CELTIC WEDDING BLESSING PDF

 

 

“May the blessing of light be on you, light without and light within.

 

May the blessed sunlight shine upon you and warm your heart till it glows,
Like a great peat fire, so that the stranger may come 
and warm himself at it, as well as the friend.

 

And may the light shine out of the eyes of you,
like a candle set in the windows of a house,
Bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm.

 

And may the blessing of the rain be on you, the soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit so that all the little flowers may spring up,
And shed their sweetness on the air.

 

And may the blessing of the great rains be on you,
that they beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there many a shining pool, and sometimes a star.

 

And may the blessing of the earth be on you - the great round earth;
May you ever have a kindly greeting for people you pass
as you are going along the roads.

 

And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly.”

 

2. Cheerful Celtic Prayer for Weddings

Author: Unknown

 

This cheerful prayer is the perfect addition to a Celtic handfasting ceremony or handblessing ritual, or include it as the officiant’s final blessing before the pronouncement of marriage.

 

► DOWNLOAD CHEERFUL CELTIC PRAYER FOR WEDDINGS

 

 

“May there always be work for your hands to do.
May your purse always hold a coin or two.
May the sun always shine on your window pane.
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near to you, and
May life fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.”

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One of the most romantic Celtic poems to read at wedding ceremonies is A Red, Red Rose (in the passage below), written by Scottish poet Robert Burns -- with it's themes of unending devotion and the promise of lasting love, no matter what ups and downs life brings. (Photo: DaydreamsGirl / iStock)

 

 

3. "A Red, Red Rose"

Author: Robert Burns (1794)

 

This timeless Scottish love poem is a favorite for weddings, with themes of endless devotion and lasting commitment.

 

►DOWNLOAD "A RED, RED ROSE" CELTIC LOVE POEM PDF

 

 

"O my Luve is like a red, red rose
   That’s newly sprung in June;

O my Luve is like the melody
   That’s sweetly played in tune.

 

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
   So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,
   Till a’ the seas gang dry.

 

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
   And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;

I will love thee still, my dear,
   While the sands o’ life shall run.

 

And fare thee weel, my only luve!
   And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my luve,
   Though it were ten thousand mile."

 

4. Excerpt from “Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom” 

Author: John O'Donohue (1996, HarperCollins, p. 14)

 

This Irish wedding reading is about the rare love found between soul mates, or soul friends – anam cara. It talks about the honesty and openness of this love, and seeing someone for who they truly are. 

 

 

“In everyone's life, there is great need for an anam cara, a soul friend. In this love, you are understood as you are without mask or pretension. The superficial and functional lies and half-truths of social acquaintance fall away, you can be as you really are. Love allows understanding to dawn, and understanding is precious. Where you are understood, you are at home. Understanding nourishes belonging. When you really feel understood, you feel free to release yourself into the trust and shelter of the other person's soul. This recognition is described in a beautiful line from Pablo Neruda: "You are like nobody since I love you." This art of love discloses the special and sacred identity of the other person. Love is the only light that can truly read the secret signature of the other person's individuality and soul.”

 

 

5. Celtic-Inspired Folk Blessing for Marriage, Modern

Author: Unknown

 

This short, modern folk blessing is familiar and sweet – the perfect quick addition to a wedding officiant’s pronouncement of marriage or a final blessing before the couple’s first kiss as newlyweds! 

 

 

“May your Past be a pleasant memory,
Your Future filled with delights and mystery,
Your Now a glorious moment
That fills your life with deep contentment.”

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(Photo: Kosamtu / iStock)

 

 

6. Romantic Excerpt from "The Mountain Lovers"

Author: Fiona Macleod (1895; nom de plume of William Sharp )

 

This passionate Irish blessing works well for a wedding, with themes of two becoming one in love. It’s beautiful imagery, with joyful flowers, roots entwined, light, and song, make it a perfect choice for a nature themed wedding. Or add it to a unity candle ceremony as a blessing from the officiant. 

 

 

“Day by day thereafter their joy had grown, like a flower moving ever to the sun; and as it grew, the roots deepened, and the tendrils met and intertwined round the two hearts, till at last they were drawn together and became one, as two moving rays of light will converge into one beam, or the song of two singers blend and become as the song of one…the passion that is deeper than passion, the dream that is beyond the dreamer, the ecstasy that is the rapture of the soul, with the body nigh forgot.” 

 

 

7. Excerpt from "Scaffolding"

Author: Seamus Heaney (1966)

 

This beautiful Irish love poem explores the importance of a strong foundation in marriage, and the courage of two people over time to take down their barriers and trust the strength of their love. This poem is under copyright and can’t be shared here in full – but it’s not to be missed! 

 

► Read the full poem here: Scaffolding, 1966 

 

“So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be
Old bridges breaking between you and me

Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall
Confident that we have built our wall.’”

 

 

8. Excerpt from "Priodas"

Author:  Archdruid Dic Jones / Dic yr Hendre

 

This excerpt of the contemporary Welsh love poem, from the collection "Yr Un Hwyl a'r Un Wylo," is a blessing for ease and comfort, for gentle love and long life, and the safety two people find together in love. 

 

 

"Dwy galon, un dyhead,
Dwy dafod ond un iaith,
Dwy raff yn cydio’n ddolen,
Dau enaid ond un taith.
Mi fydd cwmniiaeth yn parhau,
Nid oes unigrwydd lle bo dau...

 

...Doed eich breuddwydion oll yn wir,
Boed fyr eich llid a’ch cof yn hir."

 

Loose English translation from the Welsh:

 

Two hearts, one desire,
Two tongues, but one language,
Two ropes joined,
Two souls, but one journey.
Companionship will last,
There is no loneliness where there are two...

 

...May all your dreams come true,
May your anger be short and your memory long

.
 

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More Celtic Themed Wedding Ideas From American Marriage Ministries

 

• 5 Irish Wedding Traditions for an Inspired Ceremony

 

• Colorful Claddagh Marriage Certificate

 

• How to Have a Scottish Quaich Wedding Ceremony
   
• The Oathing Stone: A Modern Twist on a Traditional Scottish Unity Ceremony

 

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