Scotland's tradition of approaching things its own way and in its own style is no modern notion – and Scottish weddings are no exceptions to this long standing unique culture.
As a company with over 150 years of kiltmaking expertise behind us, we have definitely seen our fair share of wedding trends come and go. From dress styles to flower fashion, we have seen it all and look forward to giving you this brief tour through the centuries of Scottish weddings.
Celtic Weddings
Celtic Scottish wedding practices were part of ceremonies for hundreds of years and had their roots in pagan rituals. The phrase 'tying the knot' originated from the bride and groom ripping their wedding plaids (clan tartans) and tying the two strips together as a symbol of the unity of the two families. This is replicated today with a handfasting ribbon being used in the ceremony.
Medieval Weddings
Medieval Scottish weddings were full of rituals that took place both before and after the wedding ceremony itself. One of these rituals was the Highland custom of 'creeling the bridegroom'. This involved the groom carrying a large creel (or basket) filled with stones from one end of a village to the other. He would continue doing this until his bride came out of her house to kiss him. Only if she did, would his friends allow him to escape from the ‘creeling’, otherwise he had to continue until he had completed the circuit of the town.
Modern Scottish Weddings
There is no doubt that traditional Scottish outfits add a touch of class and splendour to a Scottish wedding day. The use of Highland Dress and the kilt, jacket, dirk, and sporran in Scottish weddings has continued over the centuries, whilst the bride's white gown and veil has its roots in more modern times.
Another tradition that has continued is the piping traditions, where the married couple is piped to the top table of honour along with the bridal party. With the cutting of the cake, again a piper is often asked to perform and a dirk, 'sharp highland dagger', is traditionally handed over by the piper to start the 'cutting of the cake'. As the bride slices the first piece of cake, custom dictates that her hand is guided by that of her new husband.
2021 Wedding Season
In the aftermath of this past year, wedding experts are envisioning more of a shift towards couples opting for smaller weddings instead of the popular large gatherings that were more commonly organised prior to last year's pandemic outbreak.
Whether you are planning a small intimate wedding or are waiting for the restrictions to allow you the large gathering that you have always dreamed of, we at Kinloch Anderson with you all the best and look forward to seeing you in store for any kilt fittings you may require before the big day.