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Step 1
Find a dance hall for your ceilidh (pronounced “kay-lee”). A ceilidh is an evening dance that focuses on traditional Celtic dances and music. In Scotland, ceilidhs are held after the wedding breakfast (dinner) and include those people who were not invited to the actual ceremony.
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Step 2
Hire a ceilidh band. You might be surprised to find out how many ceilidh bands are scattered about cities and towns in the United States. A good ceilidh band will have a “caller” who can walk your guests through the different dances, and should have at least one fiddler and guitarist.
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Step 3
Use tartan ribbon (your clan’s tartan, if you have one), thistle and heather to decorate. Include Celtic knots or thistle on your invitations.
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Step 4
Ask a child to make your horseshoe. A horseshoe is an emblem of good luck and is hung from the bride’s shoulders or carried as an accessory. It can be made of anything, and is usually decorated with flowers. Never turn the horseshoe upside down, as it’s rumored that the luck will fall out!
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Step 5
Choose a tartan wedding dress. They can be made in all different clan tartans, in wool or silk and in many styles.
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Step 6
Ask the groom and groomsmen to wear kilts, sporrans, sgian dubhs, and ghillie brogues, with heather for a corsage. A man who wears a kilt to a wedding always wears heather in his lapel.
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Step 7
Hire a piper to pipe your guests into the ceremony and reception, and to pipe the bride down the aisle.
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Step 8
Toast with some nice whisky. “Slanj” (the phonetic form of the Gaelic word “slainthe”) is the traditional Scottish toast meaning health, with “slanj-a-va” (good health) as the response.
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Step 9
Give shortbread or tablet as wedding favors. Both are traditional Scottish food items. If you’re daring, consider serving a menu that incorporates haggis, black or white pudding and oatcakes.
