Whether you are having a wedding in Scotland or not, there are lots of romantic ways to incorporate Scottish wedding traditions into your day. These practices have evolved and adapted over the centuries to suit changing times and customs, however, many Scottish wedding traditions still take place today. To help get your wedding off to a truly Scottish start, we have compelled a list exploring some of the most famous traditions so you can integrate some Scottish heritage into your special day!

1. LUCKENBOOTH BROOCH

In addition to a wedding ring, a Luckenbooth brooch is given by the groom to his fiancée on the day of the wedding ceremony. It is considered a token of love and commitment and is also thought to bring good luck and keep evil spirits away. This piece of Scottish jewellery features a heart shape or two intertwined hearts, an emblem of the couple's union, which sits beneath a crown. The brooch is usually made of silver and can include engraving or incorporate precious gemstones.

The earliest mentions of the Luckenbooth brooch date to the 15th century. The name comes from an old Scott’s word, meaning lockable stall or booth, a home for silver and goldsmiths and a place merchants could trade jewellery and trinkets many years ago. The jewellery design is thought to have originated from The Luckenbooths (‘Luckenbuiths’) of Edinburgh, located on The Royal Mile and also one of the first permanent shops in the city. It is believed soldiers from Edinburgh Castle would purchase one here to give to their love when they returned from war.

With its long history and symbolic meaning, the Luckenbooth brooch is still considered a memorable keepsake for a wedding today. After the wedding, if the couple decide to have a child, the brooch should be pinned onto the firstborn’s blanket and thereafter an heirloom to be passed down through the generations.

Luckenbooth Scarf Ring (left) and Luckenbooth Brooch (right) in polished pewter.

2. KILTS

A fairly well known Scottish wedding tradition, kilts and tartan are important elements of Scottish culture. They are considered a key part of traditional highland dress and are a popular item of attire worn at Scottish weddings. They are typically worn by men, usually the groom and his groomsmen, traditionally in the tartan of the groom’s family clan. The bride can wear tartan in either her bouquet, sash, or garter to match her groom. Likewise, wearing a kilt (or even tartan trousers) to a Scottish wedding is a great way to join in Scottish culture and show your respect to the traditions of the couple.

The kilt dates back to the 16th century, worn by highland men to representing the clan or family they belonged too. When the Jacobite army lost the Battle of Culloden in 1746, tartan was banned by the British government, meaning kilts were no longer everyday attire in Scotland. After 40 years, the ban was abolished and the tradition of the kilt evolved into formalwear apparel worn at special occasions by Scottish men. If you are attending a wedding in Scotland, it is very likely you will see men wearing their kilts.

Choose a kilt for your wedding outfit and complete your look with our highland dress accessories.

3. FEET WASHING

This Scottish tradition originated in Fife, and commonly took place here, Dundee and Angus, where on the day of the wedding, the bride would sit on a stool while an older, happily-married woman in her family would wash and dry her feet for good luck and good fortune. Sometimes, the feet-washer would drop a ring into the water and the first single lady at the wedding to find it would be married next.

feetwashingSource: Taliesi

4. AT THE KIRK DOORS

One of the oldest Scottish traditions is for the bride and groom to exchange vows outside the front doors to the kirk (church), in front of the guests in attendance. They then enter the church itself for the rest of the ceremony, the Nuptial Communion and blessing of the food. During the Communion, the minister would bless the food bought by the guests for the celebration.

kirkdoors Source: Wikimedia Commons

5. THE CAIM

This tradition is incorporated at the beginning of a Celtic wedding ceremony. The bride and groom draw a circle around themselves, while repeating the words to the Caim, a prayer of protection. This symbolises their unity with God. The Caim can go as follows:

The Mighty Three, my protection be,

encircle me.

You are around my life, my love, my home.

Encircle me. O sacred three, the Mighty

Thee.   

6. THE OATHING STONE

Centuries ago, the couple and wedding guests would gather near a body of water on the wedding day. Here, surrounded by the beauty of nature, the bride and groom would place a stone in their hands and recite their vows of love and commitment, sealing the marriage with the oathing stone.  They would then either throw the stone in the water or keep as a memory of their commitment and guests can do the same with their own stones, known as blessing stones. Some couples would carve a Celtic knot or their names into the oathing stone.

At the time, an oath given by a stone near water was believed to make the vows stronger and the wedding ceremony more binding from ‘setting an oath in stone’. It is believed this is where the phrase ‘set in stone’ originated.

This tradition still takes place during wedding ceremonies today, not only in Scotland but across Europe and the US, as a way for couples to demonstrate their love.

oathing-stoneSource: Max Pixel

7. THE GROOM'S SILLER

In a pledge to ‘provide and protect’, Scottish grooms were expected to bring ‘siller’ (silver coins) to the ceremony. The groom gave the priest or minister 13 silver coins, called ‘arrhae’. The word Arrhae means earnest, it is of Phoenician in origin and was applied in Roman law to denote anything that gave bind to a bargain.

The coins would be dropped into the grooms’ hands by the priest during the ceremony, the groom would drop them into the bride’s hands and then she would drop them back in his. They were then released onto a plate held by the ministerial assistant. The sound of the coins dropping was intended to signify the groom’s promise to provide for his wife and the bride returning the coins represented her pledge that they would share their wealth and manage their money wisely.

8. THE QUAICH

The quaich (pronounced kway-ch) is a shallow two handled ‘loving cup’ that is a symbol for Scottish hospitality and typically used to celebrate special occasions which bring people together, including weddings. Initially made from wood in the 17th century, today these vessels are usually found in silver or pewter and/or with engraving.

After the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom each share their first drink (usually a dram of whisky) as a married couple from the quaich. Drinking from the same vessel signifies the couple’s intimacy, sealing their bond and the union between two families. This tradition is still a part of Scottish weddings today with the couple each taking a drink and then usually passing the quaich around to any guests who would like to drink from the vessel.

The reason this type of vessel is used for this Scottish tradition is that is must be held by both hands. Centuries ago, marriages would bring two clans together who were potentially rivals, and drinking with two hands on the quaich meant no hands were holding a weapon, demonstrating trust in the opposing clan and a sign of honour and respect. Traditionally, the bride drinks from the vessel first and then the groom, with the clan leaders each taking a drink afterwards.

Quaichs | Celtic Knot Design (left), Thistle Design (right) made from polished pewter.

9. THE UNITY CANDLE

In Scottish history, the unity candle ceremony symbolized two clans joining together. The bride and groom each light an individual candle and after they are legally married, they use their candle to light a third ‘unity’ candle. The central larger 'unity' candle symbolises the new family being formed by marriage, with two thinner candles on either side representing the two individuals coming together. As part of the traditional Scottish wedding ceremony, the wedding candles were often adorned with ribbons, flowers, Celtic knots, Claddagh, thistles, or Luckenbooths.

10. GOOD LUCK CHARMS

Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue is the traditional requirements to bring the bride good luck. Scottish traditions also offer some interesting charms for luck that are still used to this day:

  • In the Scottish Borders, people believed that hiding a sprig of white heather subtly within the bride’s bouquet would bring good luck and happiness to the marriage.
  • In Aberdeenshire and Angus, a sixpence piece was placed in the bride’s shoes on the day of her wedding. This traditionally occurs between the bride and her father. The father places the sixpence piece in her shoe to wish his daughter good luck and prosperity before she walks down the aisle.
  • When the bride is leaving her home to attend her wedding she should step out with her right foot forward for luck.
  • The Wedding Scramble is an older tradition that takes place just before the bride leaves in the wedding car for the ceremony, where her father would throw a handful of coins into the air. Although this usually happens outside the church prior to the wedding and is to signify good luck and financial fortune to the couple.
  • As the bride leaves the church with her husband it is traditional for a toddler to hand her a horseshoe for good luck.

horseshoeSource: Foto-Rabe

11. WEDDING RINGS

Wedding rings date back to the Roman times, where they believed that the fourth finger of the left hand was connected to the vena amoris or vein of love. An ancient Scottish custom was that the bride should have two rings, one for everyday wear and another more expensive ring for special occasions.

wedding ringsSource: Kgorz

12. PINNING THE TARTAN

Pinning the tartan takes place once the couple are married. In this act, a rosette or crest is at­tached to the bride by a member of the groom’s family in their clan tartan and vice versa, signify­ing their acceptance and that they are now part of their partner’s family.

Incorporate a bespoke Tartan Mini Rosette Sash into your wedding outfit.

12. HANDFASTING

Hand fasting is a unique way of celebrating your Scottish heritage. Originally a Celtic tradition, handfasting takes place during the wedding ceremony and involves the couple placing their hands one over the other and a strip of fabric is tied around their wrists. This fabric is usual­ly their clan tartan but today ribbon or rope can also be used. The material is tied in a particular fashion so that as the couple move their hands apart the material should tie together creating a knot. This symbolises the bond between the couple and their families by them literally ‘tying the knot’.

Handfasting is a Scottish tradition steeped in history. Although now it is often used as part of the wedding ceremony to celebrate the union of the couple and something to be kept as a physical memory of the special day, this was not al­ways the case. The practice of handfasting began in the Middle Ages and was used in place of a marriage, where the couple were ‘married’ for a year and a day. This practice was often used in rural villages, where priests were rarely present and to marry the sons and daughters of clan chiefs, if a son was born this would unite the two clans, if not they were free to separate, and the union was broken.

Thinking of including hand fasting as part of your wedding ceremony, we have a wide range of tartans available in our custom-made Hand Fasting Ribbons.

14. BAGPIPES

Bagpipes have been playing at Scottish weddings for centuries and today many feature a piper. Not only is it a beautiful way to celebrate your Scottish heritage but the playing of bagpipes is said to be lucky, and the sound was thought to ward off any evil spirits nearby. The piper stands at the door of the church playing as the guests arrive for the ceremony. After the ceremony, the bagpipes are played as the bride and groom make their way to their dinner, as it was believed to offer a form of protection as the couple enter their marriage. He also plays as the newlyweds cut the wedding cake and as they leave the ceremony to get into their car.

bagpipesSource: Public Domain Archive

15. DANCES

A wedding reception wouldn't be complete without lots of dancing to liven up the celebrations!

The Traditional Grand March

In Scotland, the Traditional Grand March is often the first dance to take place at the wedding reception. This dance begins with the newlyweds marching to the playing of bagpipes or a live band. On the dance floor, the best man and the maid of honour would join in, before being joined by the in-laws and the rest of the guests.

Ceilidh dancing may then follow at a Scottish wedding, which involves couples dancing to ‘upbeat Gaelic folk music’, usually each dance is made up of 4 – 8 couples in a ‘set’. This dancing can liven up a wedding as it creates very fun and energetic atmosphere.

The Lang Reel

The Lang Reel is a traditional Scottish dance taking place as you leave a wedding and originates from the fishing communities in the Northeast of Scotland. The wedding party, accompanied by villagers, begin by dancing at the harbour. This dancing fiesta then processes through the village, with each couple leaving as they pass their house until only the newlyweds are left and have the last dance. Today, the wedding party dances to the Lang Reel, with couples dropping out until the only remaining is the bride and groom.

dancing

Source: Erik Fitzpatrick. Performance Group : The Red Thistle Dancers

And there you have it, we hope we have inspired you to add some Scottish heritage to your day and decide to incorporate some of these timeless Scottish wedding traditions into your celebrations.