History of Scottish Weddings

Right Foot Forward

We’ve all heard the expression “put your right foot forward”, but did you know this actually stemmed from an old-school Scottish wedding tradition?

It quite literally involves putting one’s right foot forward to welcome good luck into the happy couple’s new life together. When the bride leaves her home and the church or wedding venue, she is supposed to step out of the door with her right foot first in order to welcome good luck.

Sixpence in the Shoe

Back in the day, on the morning of the wedding, the father of the bride would place a sixpence in the bride’s shoe as a token of good luck and prosperity for the new marriage.

Nowadays, sixpences are no longer a part of Scottish/British currency, but can be purchased online for this wedding tradition, with many brides opting to have the coin attached in the crook of her shoe heel for purposes of comfort.

Tying the Knot

Otherwise known as ‘handfasting’.

If you’ve ever wondered why getting hitched is sometimes referred to as “tying the knot”, it’s because it dates back to this Scottish wedding tradition.

In fact, it dates as far back as Mediaeval times. This tradition involves having a strip of cloth (if you want to go super Scottish – it should, of course, be tartan) tied over one of the bride and groom’s hands, binding them together loosely. The bride and groom will then pull away from each other, which causes the knot to tighten, and is symbolic of everlasting kinship (at least, in modern times, it does).

Historically, this ritual was far less romantic and was initiated in favour of the groom. If the wife wasn’t able to produce a child within one year of the ceremony, he would legally be allowed a divorce; no questions asked!

Having a Dram

Speaking of drams of whisky, another popular Scottish wedding tradition involves “blessing the union” by having a dram of whisky from a ceremonial Quaich (a shallow silver bowl with two handles), which is often given to the couple as a wedding gift and is inscribed with the wedding date.

Traditionally, the Quaich would be filled with whisky and the nuptials are sealed by both the bride and groom taking a swig from the dish before dinner, and then is passed around for whoever else wanted a sip (a dram). Nowadays, if the couple in question don’t favour whisky, it can be filled with a beverage of their choice, including champagne, tea, or even Irn-Bru!

The reason this tradition involves a Quaich (instead of a glass, goblet, or cup) is because the two handles are symbolic of the uniting of two “clans” – who may not always have been on good terms – and if one party or the other were taking their dram, they would need to hold the container with two hand, preventing them from being able to grab a weapon! This would then initiate trust and respect for both clans.

The Quaich

The Quaich is a two-handled lovers’ cup used at the wedding feast. It is filled with whisky by the bride and the wedding party passes it around, each taking a sip to signify the union of the two families. The Quaich would normally be made of wood, sometimes with metal embellishments.

*Image Credit: Iain Struthers