About a Scottish wedding in a Castle...

[tpa]

In a pretty long life I must have been to at least a couple of hundred weddings in the Scottish Highlands and thus far I have never seen a "hand fasting" ceremony at a wedding, or ever for that matter.

I always thought the tying up bit was what went on later behind closed doors. No personal experience, mind.

[Father Bill]

I've seen it done. (The public part) It's not my cup of tea, but to each his own.

[Alan H]

It's your wedding and you should do what you and your lad want.

That said, if you'd like to view a couple of pretty usual recent Scottish weddings, two Highland Athletes that I know...one, distantly and another fairly well, have "tied the knot" in Scotland in the past year or so. Here are a few photographs.

Lovely setting for a civil ceremony, attending by about a dozen people. Marischal College, which the groom attended.



Presenting the bride in some sort of classroom or chambers...

[Alan H]

The groom and family men. The kilts were all personally made by the grooms grandmother. As an aside, dear X Marks purists.... this is a wedding in SCOTLAND attended by SCOTS with hand-made, personally tailored kilts and the men are wearing WHITE SOCKS. I'm sure the day was ruined by that, though. I mean, doesn't the bride look utterly miserable? If only some knowledgeable X Markers had been there to save their special day and hand out cards that say: "Any color but white". This on top of the unmitigated horror of the mixture of sporrans on display, and the fact that the kilts set lower than the upper 1/3rd of the kneecap.

Ok, enough of the nasty barbs, back to the pictures.



The bride, groom and grooms brothers, father and mother. The family business is a farm near Aberdeen.



No handfasting to be seen. No swords, quaiches, or ancient rituals.

[Alan H]

Signing the ledger...



Mr and Mrs Sinclair...

[Alan H]

All that said, if YOU want to get married in a castle, with a handfasting and a storyteller and pipers and traditional dancing and so on, that's great. I mean, it's YOUR wedding!

But honestly, I don't think it's anything like what most actual contemporary Scots do on their wedding days.

[Nella Fragola]

All that said, if YOU want to get married in a castle, with a handfasting and a storyteller and pipers and traditional dancing and so on, that's great. I mean, it's YOUR wedding!

But honestly, I don't think it's anything like what most actual contemporary Scots do on their wedding days.

Exactly. My husband-to-be really want to do it: so we're going to do it! But that's all we'll do. We don't want a very long ceremony - we avoid church because of that!- so 15 minutes max. Handfasting, exchange of our vows and rings and go to the party right away! (With whisky of course)

He already have his kilt (he owns 2 from Farquharson, tailored by Stewart & Christie in Edinburgh) and I'm going to offer him a kilt jacket and waistcoat to match te tweed cape I planned to wear: both by Stewart Christie (again).

We went on Skye 3 weeks ago to see in which room in Dunvegan we're going to have the ceremony, dinner and see the best locations around the castle to eat and sleep. We already find an hotel where my bridesmaids, his bestman and close relatives can stay with us and our two children!

Tanks to you all for the messages and comments! It helped a lot.

[Jock Scot]

Wonderful choice of castle, but then, I am biased! Good luck to you both.

[Alan H]

I hope you have a wonderful day... all the best!

[MacRobert's Reply]

As a minister in Scotland I have been involved in rather a lot of Scottish weddings, usually in a medieval Priory but once in a castle. Kilted men are common, sometimes in tweeds and sometimes in black barathea with silver buttons. I prefer the tweeds. Pipers are also common, as is dancing at the reception, usually to a ceilidh band. I have never seen a hand fasting although I have heard of one.

Stewart Christie make very fine clothing. I am sure you will both look very grand!

Enjoy your wedding whatever you plan to do!