My Top ten Strategies for giving your Wedding a Scottish Theme So why do you'll need a Scottish Theme for your
wedding? You may or your fiancé were born
there, your folks or grandparents may have
been born there, even a great or great great
grandparent may have been born there. Perhaps
you just like the thought of wearing a kilt and have no
relationship to Scotland at all.
Whatever the reason, welcome to the enjoyment and
exciting realm of Scottish Themed Weddings.
For many couples, everything may have a little tartan, starting with the invites on and on through
towards the honeymoon. For other people, it may be as easy as tartan ribbon in a bouquet. Anywhere you easily fit in
between than the book is made to assist you in determining what’s best for your wedding.
My top 10 tips are :
1. Decide on “how” Scottish you want the marriage to be.
You can’t proceed together with your wedding plans before you clarify your vision for your wedding day. Every choice
you make from here on, will depend on your selected wedding style and theme. There are lots of decisions
to be made and one from the first should be to decide just how Scottish you would like your day to be. Do you want to
have tartan as some part of most items or simply a few. Think about the following :
• Invitations
• Attendants outfits
• Tartan gifts - Family and/or Wedding party
• Bonbonniere or Wedding Favours
• Church and Reception decorations
• Pipers / Pipe bands
• Scottish Dancers / entertainment
2. Research the Family Tartan
An old Gaelic proverb says, “Remember the men and women from whence you came.”
The word ‘surname’ refers to another name that has been ‘added on’ to a first or Christian name. Just how,
and when, your loved ones name was put into a forbearer’s first name can vary enormously. Within the great ancestry
game, you'll earn quickly that the surname is simply the tip of the genetic iceberg.
Spend some time researching your family tartans, there might be many of them that your can wear. Perhaps the
colour of 1 is much more suitable to the colours you are interested in for bridesmaids, think about the various generic
tartans perhaps one of them is much more suitable.
3. Invitations
Wedding invites ought to be personalised, special and different to
you. Normally, this is the first opportunity to introduce your guests to
the theme and style of your wedding day. Tartan can be incorporated
in lots of varied ways, just like other Scottish touches
4. Wedding ceremony Outfits
Research in to the family tartan will often stir up emotion and pride in family history and may begin interesting
discussion out of your families. When it comes to no family tartan, there are numerous generic tartans which are woven
as celebrations tartans and may be worn by anyone
Groom and Groomsmen outfits :
Kilts - they are available in an incredible variety of Clans and
colours. You need to look for a supplier that has a good
selection of tartans, which are full 8yrd kilts, in pure wool.
The recommended weight is 13oz wool for Australia.
The 16oz weight used in the united kingdom has been found to become
too hot for the Australian climate.
Jackets - There are a number of various Jacket styles
- Bonnie Prince Charlie, Argyle and the Jacobean Shirt
(Also called the Ghillie or Highlander shirt). Some
could be worn without or with a waistcoat. Once more
look for a supplier that has pure wool jackets, produced in
the UK.
Shirts and ties - here's where you can put your personal personality in to the outfit. Some jacket styles suit the
standard formal white shirt and black bow tie, others could be personalised to your style with Rouche ties, open
neck shirts, the list really is limitless
Kilt outfit accessories - sporran styles, belt and buckle, brogues (shoes) and hose (socks) all vary in formality
and elegance, look at what style suits your wedding theme and elegance.
Pageboy outfits :
If you're having young attendants, noting is cuter then having them in a kilt outfit. Most little boys will get over
wearing a “skirt”, when shown photos of other little boys wearing one or understanding that he’ll participate the men’s
side from the wedding ceremony where all the men is going to be wearing one.
Flowergirls :
Whilst kilts inside a wedding are usually reserved for the men and boys, you can include a little tartan for your
princess or queen, if you don't take from her gorgeous gown. Consider a tartan sash round her waist, or even
a mini sash worn “Miss World” style. Matching the tartan to the groomsmen or pageboy will tie the theme of
the marriage party together. Tartan ribbon in her own hair or in her bouquet is different ways of subtly including tartan.
Scottish Shop SydneyBridesmaids :
Once again if you wish to include tartan here, consider tartan ribbon within their bouquets, or subtly incorporated
to their dresses too.
Bride :
This is where you can be really creative. Consider wearing a Mini Sash (pinned on shoulder and hangs down
back) or Brides sash (worn Miss World style), all depending on the style of the wedding gown.
5. Invite your guests to wear a kilt or perhaps a touch of tartan
A great way to build inter-family relationship would be to invite your friends and relations to put on a kilt outfit or even a
tartan tie, likewise incorporate your MC in this, to incorporate them into the theme of the wedding.
6. Arrange a piper or Highland Dancers
Lone Piper or Pipe Band - The sound of bagpipes are unmistakable, and awaken Scottish pride for anybody who
hears them. Pipers could be hired individually or even consider asking your local pipe band.
Pipers and bands love any excuse to kilt up and play in public places, and therefore are very receptive of individuals contacting
them to play at their weddings. It is always a good idea to ask are you able to come and listen to them play just before
booking them for your wedding, to ensure you are happy with their song and playing style.
Scottish Dancing - Much like pipers and pipe bands, most Scottish Dancing students love any chance to
perform. Enquire at Scottish Dancing schools about hiring their “principal” dancer for any performance at your
reception as well as whilst guests are mingling with drinks, when you are getting your photos taken. Once again it is
better to watch these dancers perform prior to booking them for the wedding.
7. Church and Reception Decorations
Church / Reception Decorations - tartan ribbon and tartan table runners and table centre decorations could be
used for the church pews or tables at the reception.
8. Buying gifts
Bombonaire or Wedding Favours - Fundamental essentials little take-home tokens of appreciation you can give out to
the wedding guests. They can be decorative or practical, modest or elaborate, the choice is yours! There are
great Scottish themes ones available.
Bridal Party gifts - Express gratitude for your bridesmaids, maid of honour and best girlfriends, best man, grooms
men, mums and dads its their support throughout the preparation for your wedding by spoiling all of them with a
gorgeous gift. Celtic jewellery is unique and can forever remind them of the wedding. Gifts can also be
personal and simple - tartan boxers for the guys also provides them something practical to wear “under their kilt”.
Tartan ties - Buying a tartan tie to see relatives members to wear could be a lovely gesture thanks parents or could be
provided to new in-laws to welcome these to the clan, or share with parents / grandparents / uncles / brothers etc as
gifts.
Kilt9. Welcoming the bride to be / Groom towards the Clan
Pinning of the Tartan - Following a proclamation that they were now man and wife, the pinning from the tartan
would take place. Each family would customize this, based on if the bride or even the groom had been
accepted into the other’s clan.
For instance, if the bride were marrying into the groom’s clan, any member of the groom’s family would present
the bride with clan tartan. This might have been a rosette or perhaps a sash fashioned using their tartan. It might be
fastened with the clan badge to the bride’s dress symbolically accepting her into the groom’s clan. Many times
your daughter's groom himself would pin on the rosette or sash. It may be quite emotional once the groom’s mother does
the pinning.
Likewise, if the groom is being accepted in to the bride’s family, the roles are reversed.
Whichever way you would choose, this is among the marriage ceremony customs that’s easy to incorporate in
your Scottish theme wedding plans.
10. Other Ceremonies
Hand Fasting
We have all heard the expressions "tied the knot"
or "giving one's hand in marriage". But perhaps you have
ever wondered where those sayings originated from?
With no, it's not in the same category as the "ball
and chain"! It's in reference to the ancient tradition
of hand fasting. This provides an overview of the
ancient tradition of Hand fasting in Wedding
ceremonies.
What Is Hand fasting? The term Hand fasting is
obtained from Old Norse "hand-festa" meaning "to strike a good deal by joining hands". Hand fasting is the tradition
of lightly binding the hands of a couple together utilizing a cord, rope, ribbons, a shawl, tartan or strips of material. It
is supposed to signify a couples coming together as "One". (or maybe to help keep your daughter's groom from running away!)
Whatever it's original intention, it is a popular new tradition for today's couples seeking new and
Spiritual ways to honor their love
Hand fasting has seen an up to date resurgence owing partly to the movie Braveheart, by which William
Wallace and the girlfriend are joined together having a hand fasting ceremony. It has especially been true in
Scotland in which the movie relies.
Quaches
The Quaich would be a two-handled loving cup for that wedding feast.
From it the couple took their first communion together as a married
couple. They also used the quaich at the reception for their first
toast together.
Synonymous with the sharing between your couple, this is an ancient vessel
utilized by two families or clans, to celebrate a bond, with each leader
partaking of the offered drink.
• Centuries ago quaichs were made from wooden staves. By
the 17th century, silver mountings or metal quaichs were
often used.
• Today, the quaich is usually of pewter or silver, by having an
overlay of wood. Pre and post the ceremony the quaich
sits on the plinth, or decorative stand.
• The underside was sometimes made from glass, so the
drinker can keep a watch on his companions or enemies.
• For the more romantic, a double glass bottom held a lock of hair from his real love, sandwiched
between. Thus, the owner could drink from his quaich to his ladylove.
Sir Walter Scott had a quaich which was especially precious to him. In 1745, a Bonnie Prince Charlie carried a
quaich because he travelled from Edinburgh to Derby with the Scottish Army. In 1589, King James VI of Scotland
gave Anne of Norway a quaich like a wedding gift.
The cup was presented using both hands, and received with both of your hands. This insured the safety of each
warrior, as each of his enemy’s hands were busy.
How often perhaps you have sung Auld Lang Syne on New Year’s Eve? While you sang, you "pledged just one cup (quaich) of
kindness for old Lang Syne", that is old time’s sake.
Unity Candle Ceremony
This is synonymous with two clans joining. There have been three candles ~ two
tapers placed on both sides of a central candle, representing the 2
families. The bigger central candle, put into between, symbolized the
new family being formed by the marriage.
As one of the Scottish marriage ceremony customs, the marriage unity
candles were often decorated with ribbons, flowers, Celtic knots,
Claddagh, thistles, or Lukenbooths.
A member of each family would light an outside taper prior to the
ceremony. After their vows, the bride to be and groom would use those two
candles to light their central candle. As they blew out the two family
candles, the implied meaning was they meant to subject their
individual must the higher good of the union. The candles were
kept, then lit on anniversaries, or any other family celebrations.
This ebook continues to be proudly delivered by Jennifer McAdam from Sydney Kilt Hire.
Visit www.sydneykilthire.com.au or call Jennifer on 0419 464 723 for further information.