Get Married In Scotland!
by Kimmie Brown

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 modernized, 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 symbolized constancy in marriage. Hence the "something borrowed, something blue" from the traditional verse. She will have two to 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!