The bagpiper is a globally recognized icon of Scottish heritage, music & culture.
Throughout the ages people in Scotland and around the world have come to expect the bagpiper to perform at various traditional events including the Wedding.
Having a Pipe Major play at your wedding is a custom that's been going strong for hundreds of years, as our ancestors believed that if a bagpiper met with the bride first, she was guaranteed a happy marriage.
Bagpipe player Harry Farrar has performed thousands of great weddings since 1981 in Southern California. Harry is known for his renowned playing, integrity and generosity. Harry Farrar adds that memorable touch to any wedding event.
originally it was a Scottish custom that originated in medieval times that was, and in fact still is, practiced during marriages. In Scotland today, many couples (including myself!) literally tie-the-knot on their wedding day! What happens during the ceremony is that the bride and groom both provide a strip of cloth, usually their clan tartan, but it can be anything, and in fact rope, scarves and even dog-leads have been used for this purpose
The tradition of bagpipes continues today and have been played at Scottish weddings for centuries. The Piper stands at the door of the church playing as the guests arrive. He also plays as the newlyweds leave the ceremony and make their way to their car. Traditionally played as the couple make their way to the tabletop, bagpipes are also played as they cut their wedding cake.
A Wedding Bagpiper for your special day, For Wedding bagpipers and pipers of quality. Pipers for your wedding. Bagpiper wedding specialists. Dressed in full number one uniform of feather bonnet and tartan plaid we can assure you that your wedding bagpiper will be a welcome addition to your wedding day.
We're up in the highlands with this video! We've picked out the 10 most popular tunes which our bagpipers perform at weddings to help provide you with inspiration! The sound of the bagpipes are truly timeless: the immemorial sound of Scotland. Bagpipes are a mainstay of Scottish weddings, and are usually played to pipe in the bride to ceremony. A wedding bagpiper can also play as guests arrive.
We’ve added some information about each tune, giving you a little backstory you may not have known before.
Highland Wedding. A very popular tune for bagpipers, it is notorious for its relative difficulty and use as a competition march. Seeing a piper play this one is certainly something special.
Get started on your journey up the aisle by checking checking my handy guide on what you need to do to hold a Scottish marriage ceremony! When it comes to getting married, Scotland has some (good!) differences compared to many other countries, including England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
There is nothing uniquely Scottish about the bagpipes
Bagpipe bags are sometimes made out of animal bladders
The earliest manuscript of bagpipe music in Britain dates from 1733
England has bagpipes too
10th March is International Bagpipe Day
Highland Bagpipes
Highland bagpipes are so famous that they have long been synonymous with Scottish culture. In Scotland, Ireland, and many parts of England, bagpipes are commonly played at important ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, parades or processions, and military events
At the wedding ceremony I will be playing to greet guests as they arrive at the venue, play some lively tunes while the guests find their seats. The bride will be welcomed and piped into the ceremony.
Some historians believe that bagpipes originate from ancient Egypt and were brought to Scotland by invading Roman Legions. Whilst historians can only speculate on the actual origins of the piob mhor, or great Highland bagpipe, it was the Highlanders themselves that developed the instrument to its current form, establishing it as their national musical instrument both in times of war and peace.
Wedding Piper from Thistle Piping Central Scotland plays on the banks of Loch Goil for a wedding drinks reception at the Lodge on Loch Goil
Perhaps nothing captures the spirit of Scottish culture better than the sight of Highland dancing being performed at some Highland gathering in some far flung corner of the world. According to tradition, the old kings and clan chiefs used the Highland Games as a means to select their best men at arms, and the discipline required to perform the Highland dances allowed men to demonstrate their strength, stamina and agility.
Read the top 10 romantic Scottish wedding traditions and be sure to look out for them when you turn up at your next Scottish wedding! With a wealth of rich history and culture, it is no wonder that the Scots are well-known for having some of the most romantic wedding traditions which make the union even more special.
Travellers to Scotland over the past several hundred years have noted the Tartan worn by its inhabitants. These records refer to it as ‘mottled’, ‘marled’ and ‘sundrie coloured’, but perhaps the best description comes from the Gaelic word breacan, meaning chequered. For several centuries, tartan remained part of the everyday garb of the Highlander.
Great Britain *Great Highland Bagpipe: the world's most commonly played bagpipe.
Ireland *Uilleann pipes: Bellows-blown bagpipe with keyed or un-keyed chanter and keyed drones (regulators). The most common type of bagpipes in Irish traditional music.
France *Musette de cour: French ancestor of the Northumbrian pipes, used in folk music as well as classical compositions in the 18th century French court.
The Netherlands and Belgium
An essential piece of Highland dress to accompany a Scotsman’s kilt is the ornately decorated pouch that hangs down the front, commonly referred to as the sporran. As early as the twelfth century Highland warriors were described as being “bare-legged, with shaggy cloaks and a scrip [small bag] …” Such dress was, at that time, confined to the Highlands, as Scottish Lowlanders considered such apparel as barbarous, referring with contempt to their Highland kinsmen as “redshanks”
The Evolution of the Great Highland Bagpipe by Robert Worrall.
The bagpipe is an instrument of great antiquity, an instrument which has its origins in the Middle East and traveled through and evolved in Europe alongside the diffusion of early civilization. The “Oxford History of Music” makes mention of the first documented bagpipe being found on a Hittite slab at Eyuk. This sculptured bagpipe has been dated to 1,000 B.C.
The Highland Bagpipe is an important part of Scottish culture and tradition. You can enjoy bagpipe music across the country at celebrations such as weddings, during Highland Games, at Pipe Band Festivals. You can even hear it on the streets of our cities thanks to the street musicians who entertain passers by. Our Tour Leader Fergie sometimes treats his passengers to a little tune too as you can see in the image on the right.
Nine Irish Wedding Traditions to Include on Your Big Day
Tie the Knot
Incorporate Irish Music with Uilleann Pipes
Keep a Lace Handkerchief
Have Sixpence in the Shoe
Get Your Good Luck Horseshoe
Wedding Rings That Incorporate Irish Symbolism
Honey Wine Before the Honeymoon
Traditional Irish Wedding Cake
Celebrate in Ireland
