Conference tallis::celt

    A couple of differences (between typical American weddings) include:
    
    1) Groom reading congratulations and wishes of people not in
    attendance at reception.
    
    2) ALL ushers giving a little roast to the groom (and bride).
    
    3) Good food.
    
    4) A dance after the reception where whole town is invited,
    well it seemed like it :-)
    
    5) A picture after the wedding ceremony, outside the church,
    of the whole lot in attendance.
    
    6) More good food.
    
    7) The rush of the bride and groom after they decide to leave reception
    (there must be a word for it but I don't know it)
    
    8) Coming of the hall and seeing the sun
    
    
    These may be peculiar to Cork, but Corkonians are noted for
    their "uniqueness".   [Nothing from the Clare crowd now]

    Thanks for the vital info - we can come up with the drink - half
    & halfs, Irish Coffee & Bushmills...noooo problem!
    
    Regards...Chris
    
    P.S.  What about the wedding vows?
    

    
    
    	Seems to me like there is a STANDARD wedding menu - ALL the
    	weddings I have been to at home had the following (with only
    	Minor variations).  I wonder where the popularity of (Honeydew)
    	Melon came from for socials/weddings etc.?  Its not as if the
    	Irish Population were exactly brought up on Melon! ;-)
    
    	MELON to start 
    
    	MUSHROOM soup
    
    	TURKEY and HAM, ROAST POTATO, MASHED POTATO, BRUSSEL SPROUTS
    	and CARROTS
    
    	SHERRY TRIFLE
    
    	COFFEE and WEDDING CAKE
    
    	Trad. Irish wedding cakes are very rich fruit cakes (laced with
    	whiskey or brandy) 3 tiers each one iced with a layer of Almond Icing 
	(Marzipan) covered with a layer of HARD sugar icing...everyone
        gets a MORSEL with coffee.
    
    	Ann

Re: .4
    
>>    	COFFEE and WEDDING CAKE
    
>>    	Trad. Irish wedding cakes are very rich fruit cakes (laced with
>>    	whiskey or brandy) 3 tiers each one iced with a layer of Almond Icing 
>>	(Marzipan) covered with a layer of HARD sugar icing...everyone
>>      gets a MORSEL with coffee.
    

The way it is with the wedding cakes, you either love them or hate them. (Hmmm,
bit like your spouse I suppose  :-) ).  Anyway, I've made about 6 of these for
myself and for friends.  If you want a recipe, I can dig mine out for you.

Two points.  They're best when:

A)  Made about 3+ months before the event.

B)  Made with lots of uisce beatha.  (Sort of cleanses any problems caused by
    A above.  :-) )


Good luck, and don't forget to enjoy yourselves.

    
    
    	Where I come from the BEST wedding cakes are those made with
    	POTEEN !!!  Last wedding I was at the cake was made about a
        year before it was iced, left for about 2 months after icing
        and STANK of poteen - best cake Ive ever eaten!  8-}
    
    	
    
    	Ann
    

    My grandfather used to make fruit cake in September for December.
    He used to mix up all the ingrediants into a ball, wrap them in
    a towel and put it in the basement for three months.  Potent stuff.

Basically, the rule is the longer it's left and the more alcoholic it is 
the better it tastes.

The man who used ice my cakes for me loved the experience :-).

A trick also is, if you can't bake it at least 3 months beforehand to allow
it mature, then add dessicated coconut flakes to the mixture.

Re: -2.

Didn't you see they're clamping down (again) on poteen makers.  You won't
be able to use the P word soon.  Also, poteen (or poit�n) is like a good
fruitcake, you often need to leave it for several years to mature.  And, like
some other good things I've heard of, too much of it can make you go blind.

    
    I guess it depends on the Poit�n source - I dont like the stuff
    - my father doesnt drink but he always has a bottle of it in the
    house - good for rubbing on his hands when his arteritis (sp?) is
    bothering him - and for the seasoned drinkers to drink too of course!
    my aunt uses it as a cleaning agent!!!!!?????
    
    	Some of the poit�n Ive smelled is DISGUSTING and cloudy and
    I wouldnt drink it to save my life - the good stuff, properly made
    is actually quite fruity and nice in SMALL quantities!  Seems the
    number of times its put through the 'pipes'? the better....seems
    the best Poit�n comes from Co. Wexford???  
    
    	Always wondered why Poit�n was never legalized for export or
    something...or at least a version of it!

    Unfortunately I have never been to a wedding in Ireland, but here
    are a couple traditional (or should I say medieval) suggestions:
    
    1) The ring.  The Claddagh ring is traditionally a friendship/
    engagement/wedding ring.  Alternatively, my brother-in-law has a
    gold band engraved with shamrocks all around (it looks better than
    it sounds).
    
    2) The toast.  How about Mead instead of Champagne?  It's pretty
    sweet, but you probably won't be drinking too much of it anyway.
    According to the label on my bottle of Bunratty Mead:
    
    "Mead is believed to have powers of fertility and virility.  The
    bride and groom at mediaeval weddings drank mead for one full moon
    after their wedding - hence the term honeymoon, still used today."
    
    -----
    Regardless of how you do it, congratulations and have a wonderful
    wedding!
    
    Michael
    

    How about a piper at the church.  It could set a very nice mood.
    
    Good Luck!!
    

    We had the Dallas Girls Choir sing The Irish Blessing and other
    songs.  They perform for a donation and the high pitched voices
    echoing through the church were incredible.  We also a four brass
    ensemble.  The priest said a wonderful Irish prayer at the end of
    the ceremony.
    
    JO'R