Yes it is pretty
much exactly what it sounds like – Blackening of the Bride. In this Scottish
ritual/tradition the poor bride is subjected to being covered in some
disgusting concoctions and substances all in the name of easing her
worries. Luckily for the poor bride this takes place in the days leading
up to the wedding and never on the day or even the day before.
The most common way of ‘blackening’
the bride is for her friends (debatable) to take her out into the streets and
smother her in every awful substance they can find, usually including things
like fish guts and molasses, spoiled milk and rotten eggs and occasionally
topped off with flour, feathers or anything else that may help her to look
ridiculous and smell terrible.
Believe it or not, it is thought
that being subjected to this ultimate humiliation will mean that any problems
or humiliations the couple may see in the future and within the marriage will
seem so much less worrisome or and have little meaning in comparison.
Sadly that is not the end to the ordeal – Completely covered from
head to toe in the foul mix and smelling worse than you can imagine, the poor
thing is then paraded through the streets, on show for all to see. Her
‘friends’ who walk ahead of her bang pots and pans to ensure the attention of
the crowd and then usually lead her to a local pub or club for a celebration of
her coming marriage.
Although probably pretty awful and stinky, all in all this would
probably be a pretty fun ritual/tradition (or a slightly less foul
version of) to do with a group of girlfriends. The photos and the laughs
would definitely last a lifetime.
The Wedding Gurus
xxx
