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Updated Oct 02, 2024The Best Scottish Wedding Music to Play on Your Big Day
We're here to share 27 Scottish wedding songs for your special day. Yaldi!
Photo: Fox & Owl Studio
Whether you're tying the knot in the States or stealing away to the lush rolling landscapes of Scotland, there is a wide range of sentimental, emotional and lively Scottish wedding music to choose from. Traditional Scottish songs include a blend of Celtic sounds, most notably the bagpipe, fiddle and accordion, that is often performed by a ceilidh (or social gathering) band.
From Glasgow to the Highlands, we've rounded up a list of the best wedding songs for Scottish couples. So browse our list and be sure to ask your wedding DJ (or ceilidh band) about your selections. Then all that'll be left to do is break out your kilts and party!
Scottish Wedding Music in this Story:
- Bagpipe-Heavy Processional Songs
- Scottish Instrumental Processional and Recessional Songs
- Scottish Unity Ceremony Songs
- Scottish Wedding Reception Dance Music
Bonus: Listen to our picks with The Knot's Scottish Wedding Music playlist on Spotify.
Bagpipe-Heavy Processional Songs
These processional songs feature the bagpipe prominently, offering a distinctly Scottish sound that will be sure to command your guests' attention as you walk down the aisle. If you are hiring pipers or a full ceilidh wedding band, these songs are the perfect opportunity for them to get involved.
1. "Highland Wedding," Ballycastle Players
2. "Flower of Scotland," The Royal Scots Dragoon
3. "The Rowan Tree," The Drums & Pipes & The Cape Town Highlanders
4. "Highland Cradle Song," The Drums & Pipes
5. "Highland Cathedral," The Royal Scots Dragoon
6. "Scotland The Brave," Cape Town Highlanders
7. "Braveheart Theme," Celtic Bagpipe Orchestra
8. "The Heights of Dargai," Pipe Major Bill Hepburn and Bill Hepburn Jr.
Scottish Instrumental Processional and Recessional Songs
If you're looking to make your entrance to something a bit more cerebral and understated, there are also plenty of Scottish wedding songs without bagpipes to choose from. Consider "Unst Bridal March" for a pretty piano ballad, or channel your inner Claire and Jamie Fraser with "Skye Boat Song," made famous by the hit series, Outlander.
9. "Unst Bridal March," Catherine Strutt, Julian Thompson
10. "Skye Boat Song (Outlander Theme Song)", Bear McCreary, Raya Yarbrough
11. "Will Ye Go," Lassie, Go, The Corries
12. "Pad The Road Wi Me," Malinky
13. "Marry Me Now," Fèis Fhoirt Cèilidh Trail
Scottish Unity Ceremony Songs
If you're getting married in a traditional Celtic ceremony, it may include the traditional handfasting ceremony or another ceremony symbolizing unity. In the handfasting ceremony, the couple is bound together with cords and rope, which symbolizes how they will never be separated. This is one of the most impactful parts of the wedding, and an opportunity for your wedding musicians to play gorgeous folk music with slow fiddle and beautiful harp sounds.
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14. "Red Is The Rose," The High Kings
15. "Carraroe Jig," The Corrs
16. "The Mist Covered Mountains of Home," Maggie Sansone
17. "My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose," The O'Neill Brothers Group
18. "Ye Banks And Braes of Bonny Doon," Suzanne Weller
Scottish Wedding Reception Dance Music
One of the most iconic parts of the Scottish wedding reception is the folk dancing, which will often take place to music by the ceilidh band. Scottish ceilidh dancing is typically set to a lively eight-bar phrase of music, with dancers breaking off occasionally into couples or sets of three, four, six or eight, as they continue throughout the dance floor. These dances are often easy to learn, since there is typically a dance-caller who explains the moves as you dance. In addition to ceilidh dancing, there are also waltzes, swings and step dancing to incorporate—so make sure to send these Scottish wedding music selections over to your wedding DJ and get your guests on the dance floor, stat.
