Wedding Coin

Tradition:
The custom of the groom presenting his bride with a coin is said to date back to the time when the groom paid luck money to the family of the bride, in order to bring happiness and blessings upon them.

After the exchange of the wedding rings, the coin would be presented to the bride as a symbol of worldly goods. There is a contemporary custom where the bride and groom exchange coins, and it is said that if the coins clink as they are exchanged, the couple will be blessed with children. After the wedding, the gift is often preserved as a family heirloom, and is passed from mother to eldest son on his wedding day.

In Spain the groom gives his bride 13 coins in memory of Christ and his twelve apostles. The bride carries them in a small bag during the ceremony, as a symbol of the groom's promise to support and care for her.

The coin's saying "Ta lan notai i bport an bhanais" translates as "There are a lot of notes in the wedding tune." This teaches us that there is much to learn of each other if we are to sing in tune and live in harmony. The back of the coin reads "Gra Go Deo" which translates as "Love Forever" and is pronounced "Graw Guh Joe".

This has been placed above the Claddagh, the Irish symbol for love, loyalty, and friendship.