Scotland is known for its independent thinking. That independence is clearly in evidence vis a vis weddings both in olden and modern rites.

Wedding traditions in the Old Days

As far back as the thirteenth century, the church would announce each proposed wedding for three successive Sundays. This practice continued for more than six hundred years. Finally the announcements in church gave way to a simple announcement of intent to get married and the obtaining of a marriage license from the local registrar.

Creeling the bridegroom is another ancient custom. This custom required the bridegroom to carry a creel (basket) filled with stones on his back. He had to carry this basket around until his intended came out of her house and kissed him.

Another old custom involved the entire village. The villagers formed a procession and led the couple to the church. Interestingly, two ceremonies were held, one outside the church and the other inside the church. the difference being that the in church ceremony was conducted in Latin.

At the conclusion of the in church ceremony the couple exchanged rings; the rings symbolized never-ending love. After the exchange of rings, the couple kissed in front of all. As you know, this tradition is very much alive today.

Following the ceremony, bagpipers led the entire village to a nearby home (usually a close relative) for the wedding reception/party. The merry making usually lasted the entire night. The wedding couple led the first dance of the night. After that, everyone joined in.

When the celebration wound down, the newlyweds were led to their house. The groom lifted the bride and carried her across the threshold to keep her feet from touching the threshold where evil spirits often resided. At this point, the priest blessed the home and the couple in their wedding bed!

Modern Scottish wedding traditions

Wedding ceremonies these days are not as formal or ritualistic as they were in the past. However, many modern practices can be traced to the traditions of the past. There are also aspects of today’s weddings that do not seem all that related to past practices. What follows is an overview of how current Scottish Weddings often proceed.

One practice is the “show of presents” held by the bride’s mother about a week before the marriage ceremony. This event is similar to the bridal shower in the US. During this event the presents are opened (only women are present) and cakes/tea are served.

On the men’s side is the groom’s stag party. Not long before the wedding, the groom’s friends take him out for a night of partying and drinking. The object is to get the groom is so drunk that he allows his friends to leave him near his home, naked and tied up.

To return to saner practices, the bride wears a white wedding gown for the wedding ceremony, while the groom dresses in traditional Highland kilt, kilt jacket and sporran (a practice that is becoming commonplace in the US as well). At the beginning of a traditional ceremony, the couple is led down the isle by a bag piper (another practice is to play Gaelic hymns as the couple walks to the alter). A universal practice is to play The Highland Wedding.

At the alter the couple often recites their vows in Gaelic (becoming more common as Gaelic regains ground in Scotland) or in English if need be. After the ceremony, a strip of the groom’s clan tartan is pinned to the bride’s wedding dress signifying that she is now a member of the groom’s clan.

After the ceremony the wedding party/guests partake in a lavish reception feast. At this event, the couple is piped to the head table where the couple slices the wedding cake with a dirk (dagger) provided by the piper. As the bride cuts the first slice, the groom guides her hand.

As you would expect, the reception is full of merriment (music, toasting, drinking…all centered around the bride and groom). There seems to be no ending time as the celebrating goes on til early morn.

When the couple arrives at their new home, tradition demands that the groom carry the bride over the threshold. It is doubtful he does it to ward off evil spirits as they did 700 years ago, but it is done nonetheless.