WHEN it comes to our wedding day, we all want it to go as perfectly and flawlessly as it can.
So it’s no wonder that many brides and grooms embrace several superstitions and traditions for all the extra luck they can get for their big day.
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Whether it’s giving away the bride, wearing something borrowed and blue, or throwing confetti on the newlyweds, it all adds to the atmosphere and makes it that extra bit special.
But there is one strange sausage tradition that has left countless Scots baffled – but many couples swear that it works.
The superstition sees the bride gather with her bridesmaids the night before the wedding.
Together, they dig up a little bit of ground and bury a sausage before covering it back up.
The bizarre tradition is said to keep the rain away on a couple’s special day and make sure they wake up to lovely, bright weather and sunny skies.
It is believed that the ‘planting the sausage’ tradition started in the UK – either in Scotland or the north of England – but the exact origins are unknown.
Wherever it began, the quirky practice is carried out all over Scotland, and it is seen as a funny, lighthearted way to keep the rain away.
There is some debate over whether or not the sausage should be cooked before it is buried, but most brides tend to just plant it raw.
There is also some uncertainty over the exact location where it should be buried.
But most brides either do it in the garden of wherever they are staying the night before, or outside the wedding venue.
The tradition may sound incredulous, but there are many brides and grooms who swear it worked after they did it the night before their big day.
Countless videos of brides carrying out the tradition have gone viral on social media, and users have been quick to flock to the comments to talk about it.
And several have urged others to take part after it worked wonders for their wedding.
One person said: “We did this on mine and it worked”.
Another added: “This 100% works!”
A third posted: “Worked for me!”
While others were shocked by the tradition and had never heard of it before.
A user wrote: “That’s a new one!”
While a second shared: “The wedding venue gardeners at all these venues are gonna be so baffled”.
And someone else said: “Never heard about the sausage!”
However, superstitious followers were impressed and several vowed to try it for themselves.
One gushed: “I get married in less than three weeks and will definitely be doing this”.
Another chimed in: “We’ll be doing this”.
While one commented: “So many of my friends have done it, hoping it works for myself”.
Of course, some people said they tried it, but unfortunately, it still poured down on their wedding day.
Scottish Wedding Traditions
THERE are a number of other Scottish wedding traditions that many couples still embrace on their big day.
Piper and Bagpipes – This is a common one in Scotland, almost every wedding in the country has the couple follow the piper as they leave the ceremony and enter the hall for their dinner. It is said that the playing of bagpipes brings good luck whilst scaring off evil spirits.
Quaich Ceremony – This one is seen less often, but it sees the couple drink from a shallow, two-handled cup during their ceremony. It is a symbol of trust, unity and togetherness.
Handfasting Ceremony – This is an ancient Celtic tradition that has become popular again in recent years. During the ceremony, the couple’s hands are bound with a special cord to symbolise their union, commitment, and the joining of their lives.
Something Old, New, Borrowed, Blue – This is a well-loved tradition that has Scottish roots but is used widely across the globe. On the day of her wedding, the bride needs to have four items on her: something old as a connection to her past; something new that represents hope and a bright future; something borrowed, which signifies the happiness and support from loved ones; and something blue as this colour represents purity, fidelity, and love, and reminds the couple of their loyalty and commitment.
Sixpence in the Bride’s Shoe – This is the last line of the poem about the above, and is meant to bring prosperity and good luck to the marriage.
White Heather – This can be placed in bouquets, woven into buttonholes or used in the favours. It is a Scottish token that is set to bring good luck.
One posted: “I did this and everywhere flooded with rain”.
A second added: “Didn’t work. Rained all day”.
Weighing in on the debate, a wedding expert has said that it can considered lucky if it rains on a couple’s wedding day.
Speaking to Metro, Alison Hargreaves, CEO of Guides For Brides, urged couples not to get too upset if it rains on their day.
She said: “This has to be one of the strangest wedding traditions. No one seems to know how it came about, but there are couples who still follow it, believing that burying a sausage in the garden the night before a wedding will tempt the sun out from behind the clouds.
“Our advice to couples: if following traditions like this make you feel that you’re doing all you can to make your wedding run as planned, it doesn’t do any harm.
“However, there are a few aspects you really can’t control, and the weather is probably one of them.
“Other traditions suggest that it is lucky if it rains on your wedding day; as those ‘tying the knot’ in wet weather can be assured of a long marriage, as a wet knot is harder to untie!”
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