Folk Roots Bands in Bristol & Bath

You don’t have to be Scottish to appreciate Scotland (although it probably helps). The breathtaking natural beauty of the landscape, both lowland and highland, combined with the historical mystique of a powerful, colourful, unique and indomitable culture, lends the territory north of the border an unparallelled attraction steeped in nostalgia and tradition.

Such a romantic kaleidoscope of vivid imagery makes an exciting and inviting wedding theme, the more so if there happen to be any Scottish connections in either or both families.

In keeping with its proud history, Scotland boasts a rich tapestry of traditional music and dance within its fiercely-preserved culture, and this can offer a hugely enjoyable opportunity for wedding entertainment in true Scottish style.

Round off your wedding celebration with a rip-roaring ceilidh

Find out more about booking a Scottish band for your wedding.

No Scottish-themed wedding or anniversary celebration would be complete without a rousing ceilidh as the finale to the day’s proceedings. As traditional as bagpipes, kilts and haggis, a ceilidh is a session or two of organised country dancing to the music of a live band playing energetic Celtic dance-tunes.

The dancing is supervised by an experienced instructor or ‘caller’ who explains and demonstrates the various steps and moves for each new dance. Don’t worry if some of your guests have never been to a ceilidh before – the caller will be able to tailor the dances to suit their ability level, ensuring that even Sassenachs with two left feet can join in the fun!

Ceilidh dancing is an extremely popular social activity all across Scotland, and indeed the UK as a whole, and not just at weddings. Many an enjoyable evening is whiled away ‘Stripping The Willow’ to favourite tunes like ‘The Flowers Of Edinburgh’ and ‘My Love Is But A Lassie’.

The iconic sound of traditional Celtic music

If there’s a single national instrument that summons up the essence of Scotland, it would the bagpipes, and if you want a wedding with a real Scottish flavour, having a bagpiper in full national regalia to announce the arrival of the bride (and other important moments during the day) would be an excellent idea.

Bagpipes occasionally feature in ceilidh bands, but the accordion is a more regular choice to drive the music along. Add fiddles and maybe flute to carry the tune, and piano, bass and drumkit to pin down the rhythm, and there you have a typical Scottish ceilidh band line-up. The exciting tempo and infectious rhythm of the traditional dance-tunes quickly gets people up on their feet, ready for ‘The Gay Gordons’ or ‘The Dashing White Sergeant’.

For an inspirational wedding theme steeped in romance and heritage, you can’t go far wrong following the traditional Scottish example of how to celebrate your marriage in style. The Gaelic word ‘ceilidh’ loosely translates to ‘a visit’, or ‘a gathering of the clan’ – and if a wedding celebration isn’t precisely that, then precisely what is it?