The ultimate unity ritual - your marriage tartan
Unity rituals generally focus on the couple, but
using tartans, a symbol of family and community,
highlights the fact that it is not just two people,
but two families, and perhaps two communities, who are
joined by the marriage.
A significant part of the traditional Scottish
wedding is the sashing of the bride. In this ritual
the groom's clan tartan is presented by members of his
family and put on the bride to signify that she is now
part of his clan.
Lovely - and patriarchal!
Another way of incorporating tartan in a symbolic way
is through a handfasting, using the clan tartan of
both bride and groom.
And now there is a third option, one that can be
highly symbolic and quite lovely.
With countless varieties of patterns, it is now possible to design and name your very own tartan, so you could design a tartan that symbolises your marriage, the joining of your two families, to be used as your new family tartan and passed down in the family you are creating. As long as the tartan you design is unique, and it complies with the standards laid down, it can be placed on the Scottish Register. I'll be happy to talk you through the process.
For more information about tartan
