What makes a Scottish Wedding?

Weddings are an age old celebration of love and as in all other cultures around the world, Scotland has its fair share of traditions surrounding the wedding day itself and the time around it. Here are just some of the traditions which make your wedding a particularly Scottish affair.

Luckenbooth
This traditionally silver brooch engraved with two entwined hearts can be given as a token of your love upon engagement or as a gift on the wedding day. The brooch would traditionally be used to pin the blanket of the couples first child.

Show of gifts An excuse for more wedding, after the actual day perhaps but this tradition is one held in many cultures. Wedding gifts are opened and shown at the mother of the brides home, the day after the ceremony.

Stag night
Not strictly reserved for Scottish weddings but definitely well adhered to by Scots grooms, the stag night or stag do is a chance for the groom to have a night out on the town with his male friends and paint the town red. This last night of 'freedom' before settling down to married bliss has in more recent times become an opportunity to push the boat out and extend the traditional celebrations with a Stag weekend, a weekend away, often to a cheap European destination where much alcohol and high jinx commence. The Stag do is often associated with behaviour even the most laid back of wives-to-be might not be too impressed with, strip and lapdancing clubs are a favourite along with the opportunity for his mates to play tricks and generally make the groom look a fool.

Evidence suggests the stag do has its origins in Roman times where Spartan comrades would feast and toast one another on the eve of a friend’s wedding and depending on the groom in question, this simple getting together with friends might be all he wants from his 'stagger'.

Hen nights
Hen nights are a later version of the stag do, a chance for the ladies to get together with similar trends to the men's stag do. Depending on the type of bride you are the hen night can a great opportunity to relax before the big day with pampering sessions at hotels offering massage packages for groups, a weekend away partying in a new city or a simple meal out with friends and female family. As with the stag, 'hens' are usually marked out in some way from their friends, from a demure 'blushing bride' badge to full on veil, L-plates and bucket for collecting 'kisses' for a pound from the men in the pub!

Blackenings
Blackenings can be visited on either the bride or groom by friends before the big day. A Highland tradition common in the Western Isles and mainland, will involve the unfortunate bride or groom to be 'captured' by their friends and egged, covered in treacle or anything suitably sticky. The sticky bride or groom will then be paraded around town to the general hilarity of the crowd.

A Sixpence in the Bride's Shoe
Not sure how traditionally Scottish this one is but it's one that has definitely stuck around. A small silver coin, traditionally a sixpence but more commonly now a 5 pence piece was placed in the bride's shoe for good luck.

Heather
It is a traditionally good luck symbol to hide a sprig of heather in a bride's bouquet. White heather is luckier than purple according to myth and legend and can often be found in the men's buttonholes as well as in decoration around the church and reception.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
As the saying says, the bride brings good luck to her future married life by the wearing of something old (a family piece of jewellery), something new (usually most of the outfit!), something borrowed (again perhaps jewellery or even the veil or tiara) and something blue (often a garter or underwear).