wedding quaiche

[DWFII]

I hope this isn't in the wrong place...I just couldn't find any other topic more relevant. I ask forgiveness if it is out of place.

When, during a wedding ceremony, is it customary or appropriate to bring out a quaiche-ful of Lagavulin to be shared by the bride and groom?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Generally, at weddings in Scotland, only the piper is given the quaiche, while the Bride and Groom (lucky fellow that he is) share champaign with their guests. It is considered the height of poor form to drink "better" than your guests. Etiquette being what it is, I'm afraid you and your lady will have to content yourselves with a glass of the bubbly...

Oh, and the piper is given his quaiche after he pipes the Bride and Groom to their place at the head table at the reception. As a special thank you, if you know the piper's clan, you might want to get him one of those quaiches with his clan badge set into the bottom. I think either Art Pewter or Gaelic Themes makes them.

Lang may your lum reek!

[Chef]

I rarely do, but I will disagree with my colleague. It is true that it isn't used as much these days, but if you would like to use a quaich in your ceremony it is perfectly acceptable and there is a tradition that goes with it.

If you are being married in a church with communion (and if the celebrant allows it) you could use the quaich to share your first communion together. The quaich may then also be used for your first toast together. Should you use the quaich for your toast you will then pass the quaich to both families. You may choose to pass it to one representative of each family (usually the fathers) or you may choose to share it with all members of both families. My preference is for just the fathers as passing to all of the family members can be lengthy and distracting. At no time should the quaich be completely drained until the last person. (This is different than toasts at other events where the drinker specifically shows that they finished the whisky.) If you are passing the quaich to all family you would obviously not have one big enough to hold whisky for all. In this instance you would send an attendant with the bottle of whisky to keep the quaich topped up.

By the way if you have a family toast as well as a toast to the piper you will use a different quaich since you will want to keep the quaich you toasted with and not give it to the piper to take home.

Small quaichs are often given as groomsman gifts as well these days.

[Ancienne Alliance]

This is interesting thank you.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I rarely do, but I will disagree with my colleague. It is true that it isn't used as much these days, but if you would like to use a quaich in your ceremony it is perfectly acceptable and there is a tradition that goes with it.

If you are being married in a church with communion (and if the celebrant allows it) you could use the quaich to share your first communion together. The quaich may then also be used for your first toast together. Should you use the quaich for your toast you will then pass the quaich to both families. You may choose to pass it to one representative of each family (usually the fathers) or you may choose to share it with all members of both families. My preference is for just the fathers as passing to all of the family members can be lengthy and distracting. At no time should the quaich be completely drained until the last person. (This is different than toasts at other events where the drinker specifically shows that they finished the whisky.) If you are passing the quaich to all family you would obviously not have one big enough to hold whisky for all. In this instance you would send an attendant with the bottle of whisky to keep the quaich topped up.

By the way if you have a family toast as well as a toast to the piper you will use a different quaich since you will want to keep the quaich you toasted with and not give it to the piper to take home.

Small quaichs are often given as groomsman gifts as well these days.

Chef is, of course, absolutely correct! (There is no discord between Kilt Snobs on the finer points of etiquette. )

[JS Sanders]

I've only piped a handful of 'no-kidding Scottish weddings' over here, so my sample size is a bit small.

Of these, the couples presented me my own quaich for piping them to their table and after the subsequent toasts. The quaichs used by the wedded couple were 'family-sized'.

On one occasion a couple presented me a liter of Highland Park as well, while another lovely bride & groom awarded me a bottle of Glenfiddich Special Reserve.

Slainte yall,
steve

[cacunn]

On one occasion a couple presented me a liter of Highland Park as well, while another lovely bride & groom awarded me a bottle of Glenfiddich Special Reserve.

I knew there was a reason I wanted to learn the pipes other than I love the music.

Now I must make it perfectly clear that the Highland Park and Glenfiddich Special Reserve would be for display only. I would not want to upset anyone on this forum by suggesting that distilled beverages be consumed.

[Bob C]

After the best man toasted us, we toasted the piper. She drank from the quaich, which we presented to her. My best man, clever guy that he is, substituted some of my homebrew for the champagne at the head table.

I was proud of him.

[Galician]

If a piper plays at many weddings, what does s/he do with all those quaiches???

[JerseyLawyer]

If a piper plays at many weddings, what does s/he do with all those quaiches???

I don't think there are all that many people who follow that tradition, at least in the USA, where one piper would get a ton of them.

It'd be a nice problem to have, though.