My fiance and I are being married in October. As he was born in Scotland
and both my parents are Scottish, he, the best man and the ushers will be
in kilts and we will have a piper piping us in at the reception. There
will also be a lot of tartan and thistles in the decorations, as well as a
pseudo-Scottish menu ie. cock-a-leekie soup, salad with clover honey
vinaigrette, Atlantic salmon, and a shortbread tart for dessert (the
caterer talked me out of haggis!).

Are there any Scottish wedding traditions anyone knows of that we could
incorporate into our ceremony? I read something in one of my wedding books
about a 'wedding spune' that a Scottish groom gives his bride, but they
didn't go into detail about it.

I am going to the library to research it but if you have any suggestions
we would greatly appreciate it.

Mandy

--
Auraelius

     Mandy,

       Wedding tradition?  Three words - Harp, harp, harp.  The Scottish
Harp (Clarsach) predates the pipes in Scottish culture and history by
centuries.  The harp IS the ancestral instrument of the Gaels, and it's
beautiful mellow, magickal tones will enhance your ceremony.

                                Scott Jorgensen  Clan Mitchell

In article <319DBE04....@xmission.com>, sl...@xmission.com says...

My daughter had a Scottish wedding last December (she married a
Lewis).  We found it was much easier to find piper (thanks to the
local St. Andrews Society), than it was to find a harper.

Mike Watson
Clan Buchanan Society of America, Inc
Kansas City Branch

     That's because the Scottish harp was politically villified during the
Reformation; it was seen as a tool of Papacy.  It was practically banned by
King James of the time, and Queen Elizabeth went so far as to decree that
all harps were to be found and burnt.  For these and other reasons, the Clarsach
(harp) became almost extinct in the hearts and minds of most Scots.

     Historically, it is THE ancestral instrument of the Gael.  There are
friezes carved on Pictish stones of people playing the ancient Clarsach -
looooong before that instrument you call the Great Pipes showed up in the
culture.

                                      sonas,

                                       Scott Jorgensen  Clan Mitchell

Can you sugesest a CD of good harp music and where to get it?  I too am
getting married in Aug but we are useing taped music.

Thanks Michele
___________________________________________________________________________ ____

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    Michele,

         Look for any recordings by Patrick Ball, Alan Stivell, Allison Kinnaird,
Charles Guard, Emma Christian or Maureen Brennan.  There are others, but these
folks are considered some of the heavy hitters in the Celtic Harp arena.

         Good luck!

                                     Beannachd Leibh,

                                        Scott Jorgensen  Clan Mitchell

Hi,
I had a Scottish Wedding last year.  I was born and lived in Scotland
until I was seventeen.  Some traditional things that I know of is that
the youngest girl in your wedding party presents the bride with a
horseshoe for good luck.  This is usually presented right after the
couple have been pronounced man and wife.    I don't know where in the
states you would find the kind used.  They are usually silver plastic
with (lucky) white heather attached to them.  I know it sounds kind of
tacky but...
Also there is a tradition of a scramble.  The groom saves all of his
pennies until he has a substantial amount.  When your car leaves the
church, the groom throughs all the change out of the window and the
children usually "scramble" for the money.  I'm not sure how
appropriate this would be for your wedding as your guests don't all
know the tradition.
In my family it is a traditin for the wedding guests to sing Auld Lang
Syne to the Bride and Groom before they leave the reception.  This is
to wish them well in their new beginning.
Hope you have a beautiful wedding.

: Can you sugesest a CD of good harp music and where to get it?  I too am
: getting married in Aug but we are useing taped music.

You could try Temple records :-

http://www.rootsworld.com/temple/

: Thanks Michele
: ___________________________________________________________________________ ____
:  
:   Michele Armstrong, Assist. Bursar                |InterNet mich...@naropa.edu
:   The Naropa Institute                             |Voice Phone (303) 546-3554
:   2130 Arapahoe Avenue                             |Fax Machine (303) 444-0410
:   Boulder, CO 80302                                |                      
: ___________________________________________________|_______________________ ____

: >
: >
: >        Wedding tradition?  Three words - Harp, harp, harp.  The Scottish
: > Harp (Clarsach) predates the pipes in Scottish culture and history by
: > centuries.  The harp IS the ancestral instrument of the Gaels, and it's
: > beautiful mellow, magickal tones will enhance your ceremony.
: >
: >
: >                                 Scott Jorgensen  Clan Mitchell
: >
: >