Scottish Wedding Traditions



It’s St Andrews Day and we wanted to find out about Scottish wedding traditions.
Scotland has a wide selection of superb wedding venues. From chic city-centre ceremonies to sprawling country homes and gorgeous hideaways tucked against gentle shorelines – there’s something for everyone in Scotland.
And if the wedding planning is getting to be too much then there’s always Gretna Green – anything to get out of those seating plans, right?
Looking for a Scottish wedding venue? Visit the Pink Wedding Days website. 

With such a long and fascinating history, it’s no surprise that Scotland boasts some fascinating wedding traditions. 

And here are five of our favourites: 



Blackenings.

The stag-do isn’t as modern as you might think.  Scottish men have been doing it for a wee while now, and they call it a blackening.
It does sound rather ominous but it’s not that far off an inflatable sheep and a lamppost.  The groom is first ‘caught’ by his friends and then stripped out of his shirt and covered in ash, soot, treacle and feathers before being escorted around town for everyone to see.  


A Luckenbooth
This tradition is slightly more romantic and less raucous than the blackening. The man gives an engraved brooch to his fiancée. 


The Wedding Scramble

As the bride steps into her wedding transport, it’s her father’s job to toss a palmful of coins onto the floor for the children to pick up. It’s meant to bring good fortune to the couple (and presumably the children). 


The Wedding Sark
A bride would give her husband a shirt for the wedding and in return, he’d pay for her dress.  Perhaps an unfair and costly trade nowadays for the man judging by the price of today's gowns.  


Foot Washing

Female friends of the bride would gather to wash the bride's feet in a tub or bowl and then cover them in soot.  Coal is often symbolic of good luck.  Afterwards, the bride would place her wedding ring into the murky tub and whichever friend found it would be the next married. 

Looking for more?  The Irish have interesting wedding traditions, too.  And of course, let's not forget the different traditions around the world for clearing up inevitable at a wedding - the next morning's hangover.

What are your favourite Scottish wedding traditions?  And what are your plans for St Andrew's Day?  We'd love to know. Drop us a message on our Facebook or Twitter pages. 

Pink Wedding Days advertises wedding venues to same-sex couples both in the UK and abroad, and want to help promote your venue or service.  

Contact our sales team for more details via 0121 277 4714, email us here or drop us a tweet or facebook message and our social media team will pass your details on. 

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