Two Language Wedding

Hi Girls, I'm looking for your ideas, advice and experience! My H2B is French, and although we are having the celebration in Ireland, his family will be coming over. Unfortunately, they do not speak English. Most things can be tweaked to fit, we'll have dual language ceremony booklets, and a reading in both languages, but i'm really worried about the speeches. There are two best men, 1 Irish (actually my ex - if he mentions ANYTHING about that i will kill him stone dead), and the other French. My dad speaks no French, and i have no idea if FoG, who speaks very, very little English, would like to speak! Does anyone have any advice/suggestions for me?

Could you get each of them to learn a few sentences of a greeting or thank you in the other language? jokes probably won't really translate but a couple of sentences would show they'd made the effort and might get a round of applause from each group!

We were at a wedding a couple of years ago and it was French and English speaking cermony, There was a blessing in English, then a poem read out in English, one in Irish and one in French The girl was French and her dad who have lived in Ireland his whole life who hadn't a clue of french learnt a couple of lines of French,...some along the lines to thank everyone who travelled over from France etc and to have a great day...and so did the grooms dad to welcome everyone who travelled and to have a great day... The speeches were short because they didn't want to say to much in English so the French guests wouldn't feel left out..and vice versa, Best of luck with the rest of your plans, dont be stessing out to nuch it will all come togehter in the end!

Oooh, yes, I suppose i could just ask them to learn a sentence or two in the other language. We've already planned for a reading in each language, and have both French and Irish music and food etc. So i think it will be ok, i'm not stressing too much.... I don't have to give the speech! I was wondering though, would it be weird if i translated some typical 'wedding phrases and popped them in the ceremony booklet - you know, like "welcome to the family!" and "would you like a drink/dance etc"?

Hi Not sure where you are based but our priest does a lot of French/Irish weddings both here and in France so if you're looking for a priest pm me and I can send you on his number.

We're actually having a civil ceremony though so no need - but thank you so much for offering. Thanks to everyone with the ideas! H2B loved the idea of 'useful phrases' in the booklet, so we will go with that. If anyone has any other brainwaves be sure to let me know!

We're having a dual-language ceremony in Irish and English. Irish is my first language but H2B and his family have very little Irish, if any at all. But I feel the mass/wedding should reflect both of us. The priest has Gaeilge so he's going to do the mass a little in each language, not doubling up or translating but just interchanging between the two - Prayers and readings will be read some in English, some as Gaeilge, same for the songs in the service. My dad will make his speech a little in each language - H2Bs dad will speak in English - H2Bs speech will be in English and my CBMs will be in both. Invites have a bit of both. We will be sending 'Go raibh maith agat' cards after - just essentially combining both languages through the entire wedding. My suggestion would be just to let people use whatever language they are personally comfortable. That will keep everything very much sincere.

Akashla, I'm marrying a Frenchman as well, so we're asking ourselves the same questions. His family speaks basically zero English (his Dad can remember one phrase from school "It is a foggy day" - which, you know, [i:18p1q62l]might[/i:18p1q62l] come in handy ) and my Dad has bits and pieces from the Leaving Cert (which he did in the 60s and never used again, so not much help ). We're thinking of just doing a mix, and as one of the other posters said, letting everyone just speak in whatever language they're comfortable in. We have enough friends who are bilingual (more or less) so we might ask one of them to be a translator during the speeches. Both mammies are talking about taking language lessons next year (wedding is in 2012, so they have time). Can I hijack a tiny bit? BW Bride, could I ask you to PM the details of the priest you mentioned please? OH and I love the idea of a bilingual ceremony, and I'd be really interested in having a priest who would be comfortable in both French and English. Thanks so much for the suggestion, we thought of trying to find a bilingual priest but had no clue where to start.

Hi Akashla & Cabbagehead, I too am getting married to a French man! Also have the language barrier as none of my family speak French and vice versa, would love to hear about your weddings, need lots of ideas... Thanks!!

i was at a wedding where the groom was German. The booklet was done in both languages, one side of he page was English, the other German. Every so often a German prayer was said, like every 2nd prayer of the faithful. The communion reflection song was also in German. No one could speak the other language bar the bride and groom but it didnt matter, it was lovely.