George Boyle
Irish Travellers are a community of people who typically live in RVs or campers and travel throughout the country in familial groups. They are often judged and stereotyped by those outside of their community. Weddings are a huge occasion for Irish Travellers, and they are often arranged during holidays. In Gypsy culture, which is distinct from Irish Traveller culture, the marriage process begins without a formal proposal or engagement ring. Instead, a man interested in marrying a woman approaches her father directly to express his intentions. This sets the stage for a year-long, heavily supervised courtship period, where the couple gets to know each other under the watchful eyes of their families. During this time, the man is expected to demonstrate his ability to provide for a family.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Culture | Irish Travellers, Romani Gypsies |
| Lifestyle | Living in a caravan, travelling |
| Fashion | Heavy makeup and tan, flamboyant, over-the-top |
| Education | Often quit school early |
| Occupation | Men do odd jobs, women are housewives |
| Age of Marriage | Teenagers, young |
| Wedding Dress | Long, red |
| Wedding Customs | "Plotchka", "The Grab", "Wedding Over the Broomsticks" |
| Wedding Series | My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings |
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What You'll Learn
Irish Traveller weddings
Weddings are traditionally scheduled for holidays to allow everyone to attend. The families use the holidays to arrange marriages and then organize the ceremony before they return to the road. Irish Traveller girls usually marry young and within their culture. A dowry has been an Irish Traveller tradition for centuries.
It is important to note that the word "gypsy" is considered a slur, especially in Britain and Ireland, and that Irish Travellers are a distinct ethnic group from Romani Gypsies. While both groups may be referred to as "gypsies," they are not the same, and it is important to respect the cultural differences between the two groups.
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British Traveller weddings
Traveller weddings are a huge occasion in the Traveller community. Marriage is a legal binding agreement between two consenting adults, and a child cannot enter into a contract, so underage marriage is not legally recognised. However, it is common for Travellers to marry young and within their culture. Traveller weddings are traditionally scheduled for holidays to allow everyone to attend.
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings has also been criticised for the way it has portrayed Traveller women and girls. The episode "No Place Like Home" caused controversy by showing young girls wearing full make-up and dancing provocatively. However, in the Traveller community, women are generally homemakers and prioritise cleanliness and raising children. From a young age, girls are socialised to take care of younger siblings and cousins and to manage money.
British Traveller communities are often looked down on by wider society and stereotyped as thieves. They typically live in RVs or campers and travel throughout the country in familial groups. The men usually do odd jobs, while the women take care of the children.
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Romani Gypsy weddings
Traveller weddings refer to the weddings of nomadic communities, including Irish Travellers, Romani Gypsies, and Romanichal (British Gypsies). While the terms "Gypsy" and "Traveller" are often used interchangeably, they are distinct ethnic groups with unique cultures and traditions.
In Romani Gypsy culture, the process of marriage is unique. It often begins without a formal proposal or engagement ring. Instead, a man interested in marrying a woman approaches her father directly to express his intentions. This direct approach initiates a year-long, heavily supervised courtship period, where the couple gets to know each other under the watchful eyes of their families, always with a chaperone present. During this courtship, the man is expected to demonstrate his ability to provide for a family by saving enough money to establish a "vada" or home.
After the first year, the couple appears before the Gypsy council, and if all is well, they are instructed to make a decision about their future together. At the end of the second year, they must choose to either part ways or set a date for the wedding. The wedding date is typically set for the third year, and the elder records the marriage in their great book, which lists all the marriages with names and dates. Before the official wedding ceremony, some Romani Gypsy couples participate in an informal tradition called "Wedding over the Broomsticks." During this ritual, the families lay two broomsticks on the ground, and the couple hops over them together to signify their commitment to each other. This act symbolizes the couple's readiness to start their journey together and serves as a prelude to the official wedding planning.
The choice of attire also holds significance in Romani Gypsy weddings. Brides often choose red wedding dresses, which symbolize purity, good fortune, and celebration in many Gypsy cultures. The vibrant colour also serves as a statement of cultural identity and personal joy, reflecting the bride's personality and the family's social standing.
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Dowries and other rituals
Another important ritual in Traveller weddings is the "Plotchka", symbolizing the formal engagement and blessings for the couple's future. During this ceremony, the groom's father presents a bottle of wine or brandy wrapped in a brightly coloured silk handkerchief, with a necklace of gold coins attached, signifying wealth and prosperity. The father places the necklace around the bride's neck, welcoming her warmly into the family and publicly announcing her engagement. The bottle is then shared among the guests, fostering a sense of community and celebration.
Traveller weddings often include other unique rituals, such as the unbraiding of the bride's hair by her family, symbolizing her new marital status, and the knotting of the "diklo" by the mother-in-law, marking the bride's acceptance into her husband's family. The choice of wedding attire also holds significance, with brides often opting for flamboyant, long dresses that reflect their personalities and social standing. The colour red is particularly important in Traveller culture, symbolizing purity, good fortune, and celebration, influencing both fashion and decorative choices.
In addition to these rituals, Traveller weddings are known for their joyous and festive atmosphere, with music, dance, and abundant food and drink. The weddings are usually scheduled during holidays, allowing the entire community to gather and celebrate. These celebrations can extend over several days, with grand feasts, traditional fireside cooking, and lively receptions that honour the heritage and strengthen the bonds between the families involved.
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Wedding attire
Traveller weddings, specifically those of Irish and British Traveller communities, have been the subject of TV shows and documentaries, including My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and Big Fat Gypsy Weddings. These shows have been criticised for their portrayal of Traveller communities and their wedding traditions. While the shows depict lavish weddings with extravagant dresses, heavy makeup, and full coverage of the events leading up to the wedding, it is important to note that such ostentatious weddings are quite rare even among Travellers.
When it comes to wedding attire, there are a few key aspects that are often associated with Traveller weddings. Firstly, it is common for Traveller brides to wear very distinctive and extravagant dresses, often with a lot of silk, lace, and crystal embellishments. These dresses are typically one-of-a-kind and made to be very recognisable. The brides often wear full makeup and heavy jewellery, with an emphasis on a tanned complexion. While second-hand wedding dresses are an option for some, it is not a common practice within the Traveller community due to the unique nature of their gowns.
The groom's attire in a Traveller wedding is typically more subdued in comparison to the bride's. The groom might wear a suit, but with a flashier style than is traditional for grooms in other cultures. This could include a colourful or patterned jacket, waistcoat, or cravat. It is also common for male guests at Traveller weddings to dress up, with some wearing suits and others opting for more casual attire.
For female guests, the dress code is often just as extravagant as the bride's, with female guests also wearing very distinctive and ornate dresses. Similar to the bride, female guests may wear heavy makeup and jewellery, and style their hair in an elaborate manner. It is common for the female guests' dresses to be just as unique and eye-catching as the bride's, which can lead to a very colourful and glamorous wedding party.
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Frequently asked questions
Traveller weddings are a reference to weddings in the Irish Traveller community, who are a group of people that typically live in RVs/caravans and travel throughout the country in familial groups. Traveller weddings are a huge occasion in their culture and are often portrayed in TV shows such as "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding".
In Gypsy culture, the process of marriage begins without a formal proposal or engagement ring. Instead, a man interested in marrying a woman approaches her father directly, after which there is a year-long courtship period where the couple gets to know each other under the supervision of their families. After this, the groom presents a dowry to the bride's family, followed by a ritual called "The Grab" where the groom symbolically demands the bride from her home. Before the official ceremony, some couples also participate in "wedding over the broomsticks", where they hop over two broomsticks laid on the ground to signify their commitment.
While the term "Gypsy" is used for both groups, they are not the same. Irish Travellers are a specific community with unique cultural traditions and should not be confused with Romani Gypsies or Romanichal (British Gypsies). Irish Traveller weddings tend to occur when individuals are teenagers, whereas Gypsy weddings do not have this restriction.
Traveller weddings are often associated with heavy makeup, over-the-top fashion, and full skirts or long wedding dresses. They are also portrayed as having young girls provocatively dancing, which has caused controversy and allegations of racism and bullying.
"My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" and its spin-offs are the most well-known TV shows about Traveller weddings, although they have been criticized for not accurately representing the community and for perpetuating stereotypes. Another documentary is "Big Fat Gypsy Weddings" on Channel 4, which focuses on both Irish Traveller and Romani Gypsy communities.
