About Wedding Traditions & Meanings

Showing posts with label Quaich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quaich. Show all posts

Monday, March 9, 2020

Adding a quaich ceremony to your wedding


Couples looking to add something vintage but unique to their wedding experience might want to consider adding a quaich ceremony to their plans. This involves a traditional Scottish two-handled cup known as a quaich (from the Scottish Gaelic cuach which means “cup”). While it is called a cup, I'd say it looks more like a shallow bowl with two handles. It is sometimes called the “cup of friendship” and often is referred to as the “love cup” but no matter what you call it, it brings a rich tradition to any wedding with a quaich ceremony. It can also be used at the reception for the couple to take their first toast together and it makes a lovely keepsake to be handed down to future generations.



History of the quaich cup

The meaning behind the traditional quaich cup is not a legendary love story like the German Bridal Cup. What history we do have is permeated with myth and conjecture. What we do know is that its original purpose was as a vessel to drink whiskey or brandy. Some say the invention of cup was inspired by the fact that Highlanders drank a dram from scallop shells before they had the quaich. Others date it back to the Celtic Druids who are said to have used them in their ceremonies. The fact is, no one really knows for sure. 

Another thing we do know is that the original cups were much simpler than what we have today. They were carved from a single block of wood and were commonly offered to a visitor with a welcoming drink.

Meaning of the quaich cup

Originally, the humble wooden quaich represented friendship. So offering the cup to welcome a visitor was kind of like a handshake presented by a clan chief or a crofter. But it was more than a handshake, because as the cup was passed from one man to another it required them to use both hands. That meant they couldn’t be holding a weapon. It was a symbol of trust between fellow drinkers.

It wasn’t until the 17th century that goldsmiths started to craft quaich cups using precious metals. At this point, the shape of the cup was also adapted to be less clunky and daintier in order to suit the refined tastes of the upper classes of the Scottish Lowlands.



Quaich wedding ceremony

A simple quaich ceremony practiced at weddings taps into the use of the quaich as a symbolic gesture of welcome to the drinker. One possibility is to first have the groom's parents hand the cup to the bride. Then have the bride's parents hand it to the groom. As this is done, everyone takes a sip from the cup as a gesture of welcoming new members to the family. 

Some couples pass the quaich to the wedding party too as a symbol of everyone sharing in the happy couple's love and happiness. I suggest if you want to go that route, that you supply individual quaichs for each person to drink from. For a special touch, have them engraved with the date of the wedding and the couples’ names. 

There isn't an exact script to follow or a specific practice when it comes to the quaich ceremony. If you are looking for more inspiration, the Argyll and Butte Council offers a wealth of ideas. If you plan to add the quaich ceremony to your wedding because you have Scottish ancestral roots, you might want to pair it with the handfasting ceremony as another strong cultural element that offers layers of symbolism and special meaning.
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Tuesday, May 8, 2018

6 Scottish wedding traditions you can make your own


Thinking of planning a Scottish themed wedding? Whether you want to celebrate your Scottish heritage or just want to add a Celtic flair to your wedding, you will find a wealth of Scottish wedding traditions available . Before I get into some of these customs, I have to mention that one tradition historically practiced was a “trial wedding.” This was still a ceremony and was formalized by handfasting, but this trial marriage lasted for one year and a day. When it “expired” the couple chose to get married or to separate. Children produced during this time were considered legitimate, and really it was considered a way to determine the bride’s fertility. Today, many Scottish wedding traditions have evolved to suit modern times. Here are a 6 wedding traditions you can adapt for your own wedding.


The Caim is a prayer of protection for the marriage.

Caim: Prayer of Protection

The caim is a prayer said while the bride and groom stand in a sacred circle at the altar. The purpose of this prayer is protection of the bride and groom at the time of marriage and the circle is thought to symbolize unity, community and a connection to the greater universe. Historically this circle was drawn by a sword or lance around the couple. 


Today, the tradition of cutting the circle has vanished, but the prayer remains and is said as the couple draws a circle around themselves. These caims follow a certain rhyme and meter which gives  the ceremony a more revered feeling. Today’s brides and grooms can create their own prayer just like they write their own wedding vows to make their wedding ceremony more meaningful or can choose a historic celtic prayer if they want to hold on to that historic element.


Oathing stone

The ancient Celtic tradition of the oathing stone is tied to the origins of the wedding vow. Back then the Celts were tribal people and closely connected to the spirit of the place where they lived. As a result, important vows were made in very precise places and were considered sacred because they believed certain ancestral spirits were associated with these places. This connection was a critical element for gaining a blessing on any new venture including marriage. 


The oathing stone was held by the officiant and represented a way to link the couple with the land as well as those ancestral blessings like a bridge as they said their vows. Today, couples decorate small stones by etching or painting the bride’s and groom’s names or initials or the date of their wedding on the stone. It is thought to root the couple’s future in the wisdom of the past at the beginning of their life together. Then the stone is thrown into a lake or the sea, or can be reverentially placed in a place special to the couple.

Scottish handfasting tartan

Handfasting is the Scottish tradition with a couple of meanings. It was used as a way to show an intent to marry (engagement) and part of a betrothal ceremony. But in this case, if the couple had sex following a handfasting ceremony, they were considered married rather than just engaged. As part of the actual wedding ceremony, this tradition of handfasting can also be traced back to the 1500s as part of the Celtic tradition. During this ceremony the guests circled around the bride and groom as they made their vows to one another, and as they did, their hands were gently fastened together using a cord or strip of cloth (preferably a tartan).


3 other Scottish wedding traditions

Standard Kells Pewter Quaich


  • The bride and groom exchange their vows outside the church doors before going inside for the rest of the ceremony.
  • Drinking from the quaich, a two-handled ‘loving cup.’ The couple also drinks from this cup when taking communion together and then they drink from it together during the first toast as a married couple. It represents the couple’s united lives.
  • Throwing of wedding confetti. Today Scottish wedding confetti can consist of paper colored like Tartan plaid and includes shapes like shamrocks.


For those who want to learn even more about Scottish wedding customs, the groom can wear a kilt, you can pin tartans after vows are exchanged, and include bagpipe music. If you have more ideas, I’d love to hear them.

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