Scottish Weddings vary little from modern customs anywhere else,
but where they are so different is by the ability to hold this special
occasion in one of many castles around Scotland. Internally they
have been refurbished and modernised, making them warm and inviting
with roaring log fires and tartan clad floors, unlike in olden days
when the winds would have howled through the small unglazed turret
outlooks and every step could be heard on the stone flagged flooring.
The vista from almost all castles is breathtaking - normally elevated
for protection purposes from unwanted clansmen, and so your eye carries
across either rolling hills and heather, or beautifully landscaped
gardens and lochs. By the very presence of a fully dressed Piper
in traditional No. 1 regalia, he steals and sets the very scene of
a Scottish wedding before the bride appears for the beginning of
her special day.
Scots people are always ready for a celebration and merry making, in bygone days
the whole village, or in certain places, the whole island, would be extended
an invitation but for many reasons this rarely happens in this modern age, predominantly
cost. The groom will normally wear traditional Highland Dress with a black jacket
called a Prince Charlie, it's worn on special occasions and to formal functions.
Whether he is a true Scotsman - one would never know, and never dare to find
out!! The Bride will normally wear a traditional white wedding gown in traditional
fabrics of satin, silk, organza or taffeta, but design and style is endless and
ever changing.
On the morning of the wedding the Bride to be should put a silver coin in the
toe of her right shoe, and step out right foot first for her last walk as a single
lady. The coin is said to bring good luck. She should also borrow an item from
a happily married lady, it was supposed to bring happiness of the lady to the
new bride. A blue item symbolised constancy in marriage. Hence the "something
borrowed, something blue" from the traditional verse. She will normally have
two or three bridesmaids and a flower girl and page boy. After the ceremony,
and on stepping out of the church, the page boy will normally present the Bride
with a silver horseshoe for luck.
The Piper ever present will pipe the newlyweds to their awaiting transport, be
it Vintage, a Horse Drawn Carriage or a beautiful Rolls Royce, before leaving
for their reception. The Groom will traditionally throw handful's of small change
out of the car window for the children gathered outside the church to view the
newly married couple. The Piper will be given a dram once the couple depart for
their reception.
The guests will make their way to the reception and after partaking of one or
two celebratory drinks, the Bride and Groom will be piped first to their wedding
cake where the Piper will hand them his dirk to cut the cake and make a wish
- and then to the top table, along with the wedding party, where the Bride this
time will offer the Piper another dram in her thanks for his services. Newly
weds were not considered married until they had eaten breakfast together - hence
the term Wedding Breakfast. As with most weddings, there is musical entertainment,
and a true Scottish wedding will have a Ceilidh band who will play traditional
music for Scottish dancing, reels and traditional waltzes in to the wee small
hours!