Scottish wedding Dance

A Scottish wedding processional. © Lucy Cherniak | Dreamstime.com

Scottish weddings are a time of pure revelry. The processional to the church typically starts in the morning, and the dancing, drinking and feasting lasts into the wee hours of the night.

The vibrant drones of the bagpipes, the sweet melodies of the Celtic harp and the thumping rhythms of the bodhran drum are the pulse of the festivities. Pipers serve as escorts, serenading the bride and groom as they enter the church, take a seat at the table of honor or cut the cake.

The boisterous bagpipers may also provide entertainment while the band takes a break.

The traditional Ceilidh band includes a caller who is responsible for guiding guests through the intricate processionals and energetic reels while the soft clarsach (harp) provides the perfect background music during the ceremony and meal.

Creeling the Bridegroom

The ancient Scottish custom of creeling requires the groom to lug a heavy basket of stones around the village until his fiancé finally comes out to kiss him. For a fun, modern twist to kick off the bachelor party, the groomsmen can load the groom up with a backpack full of rocks and challenge him to find his future bride as she traipses around town with her bridesmaids. The best man and maid of honor can work together to arrange a playful scavenger hunt that prevents the groom from finding his bride until the end of the night.

Ceremony Processional

On the day of the wedding, the entire village leads the betrothed couple to the church, where two services are traditionally held.

You can update this ancient tradition by having a piper lead the guests into the church. A piper or a gentle Gaelic hymn often accompanies the wedding party down the aisle while the bride traditionally marches toward the altar to the melodic "Highland Wedding".

Post-Nuptial Processional

A final processional follows the ceremony as bagpipers lead the bride, groom, wedding party and guests to the reception.

If your ceremony and reception are at separate locations, the pipers can usher everyone from their cars to the doors.

Grand March

The first reception dance is the Scottish Grand March, a foursome reel that begins with the entrance of the bride and groom, followed by the wedding party, then parents, then guests. As the processional ends, the bride whisks her grandfather or father onto the dance floor.

Ceilidh

Once upon a time, Ceilidh dances served an important matchmaking function in helping young men find a bride. The tradition is still important throughout many rural regions, and the popular folk dances are still performed at most modern weddings.

The Ceilidh band provides most of the entertainment for the evening. Made up of an assortment of instruments, the band members may include fiddlers, guitarists, drummers, flutists, tin whistlers and accordion players. The accompanying caller leads the guests in a variety of energetic Scottish dances. Similar to American square dancing with steps such as the do-si-do, popular Ceilidh reels include The Circassian Circle, the Dashing White Sergeant, Strip the Willow, the Marmalade Sandwich and Mairi's Wedding.