Wedding Bagpiper

So you’ve booked your venue, started shopping for dresses and now it’s time to think about some entertainment. But where do you begin? You know you would like a piper but you don’t know what he could do for you. Well, that’s why we are here to help with planning your Wedding Bagpiper choices.

Below is a list of duties that the piper could perform for you throughout the ceremony and reception. Arriving roughly fifteen minutes before your guests he will be ready to play as they arrive until the moment you sit down for the first time as husband and wife.

Wedding bagpiper at Church

Photo: Bluesky

Ceremony

  • Arrive and set up in position to greet your guests
  • Playing as guests arrive at the ceremony, for about half an hour
  • Pipe the bride from the wedding car to the ceremony. Settle any last-minute bridal nerves!
  • If requested play her up the aisle
  • Play a few tunes as guests leave the ceremony
  • Be on hand for any photos you may wish to take
Wedding bagpiper in Edinburgh

Photo: Ewa Labuda

Reception

  • Pipe as guests arrive at the reception venue and welcome the newly married couple
  • Pipe guests to the lineup, before piping in the top table, if required
  • Return to play in the bride and groom.  If you are cutting the wedding cake at this point, the Piper would be more than happy to announce this
  • Often at this stage, the bride will present the Piper with a dram, and he will toast the newly married couple, before piping himself out

Most weddings will last roughly three and a half hours from guests arrival until you are seated for the wedding breakfast. The piper will be offered a dram of whisky from the bride to toast the newly married couple before being dismissed from his duties.

Wedding Piper

Wedding Bagpiper 

The Wedding Bagpiper would be dressed in a full highland outfit and the furry bonnet can be worn upon request. If you are looking for something slightly less formal we can offer a piper in number two dress consisting of a kilt, shirt, waistcoat, and kilt jacket.

Roddy Bagpiper Haggis address whisky

Photo: Ewa Labuda

With a wide variety of tunes on offer, it can be hard to know where to start.  Some of the most popular are Highland Cathedral, Scotland the Brave, Mhairi’s Wedding, and The Rowantree. If you’re not sure what you’d like to hear we are more than happy to discuss the difference between tunes and the most suitable songs for different parts of the day.

Some of our couples choose to add a Haggis Address to the list of pipers duties.  We just need you to make sure there is a Chieftain Haggis organised. Robert Burns wrote ‘The Address to the Haggis’ and one of our pipers will take four to five minutes offering a theatrical rendition for you and your guests. You will then be asked to toast the haggis before it is served for dinner.

To finish off the piper will then play himself out of the venue allowing you both to enjoy the rest of your special day.

Hopefully, now you’ll have a better idea of how to begin planning your wedding bagpiper.

For further ideas or inspiration, find out more and take a look at Roddy’s Wedding Gallery.  You should also check out Roddy’s Wedding Bands!