Scottish Wedding Bands

[zeronine]

I pulled out an old copy of Braveheart for whatever reason, guess the mood struck me, and noticed when William Wallace (Mel Gibson) married the other woman in secret, that they hadbands of cloth on their wrist which I interpreted to possibly be some sort of symbolism much like the ring. Is this Hollywood dramatization or is there any information I could find about this or the tradition. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[mell]

i am not so sure if i am right,please anyone correct me if iam . it kind of sounds like the informal way of marriage, called hand fasting or hand binding,it was a way of saving a couple from the trouble of separation later, they would stay binded for a year if after that they decided to not be together they could part the realationshop with no judgment, any children had in that time were considered legitmite... if they stayed together they were considerd by society as married.. it was a practice that the churches did not like... very much though like todays realationships dont ya think....

[zeronine]

Very interesting, thanks for the info!

Since its not a marriage legimately at that point, the whole reason the woman was killed was because she resisted being with an english noble on her first night of being married. Wonder if there is more to the story of the bands or just something that was overlooked by the director.

[mell]

can't say i know that one... while i am very much a fan of the movie.. i have heard others say it was a little inaccurate... ibelieve i have seen other posts like yours about the movie on this very website... have a look around and you may find someone who knows more than i do.....

[Polwarth]

Hello there!

I think you should assume that nearly EVERYTHING about Braveheart was 'Hollywood'.... the history is not accurate and some of the customs and living conditions are also inaccurate..

If 'Scottish' sites on the internet are to be believed, Handfasting seems to be a subject of great interest to lots of Americans of Scottish descent who seem to wish to revive something from hundreds of years ago

I have also read that lots of people of Scottish descent seem to have evolved a wedding ceremony giving the new wife a piece of tartan of her husband's family. Well, in all the weddings I've attended in Scotland in the past 30 years, I have NEVER seen anything like that in the wedding ceremony

[mell]

ahhh, good ol hollywood.. they know how to make a buck or two... you know that there is a website for braveheart, not the william wallace but the mel gibson.. not that i have anything against mel.

[Polwarth]

What I find so frightening is that, like Chinese Whispers, these 'modern' practices are seen at one wedding, repeated at another - and then become accepted as 'real' ceremonies.....

As for there being a site for Mel Gibson's Braveheart - why not? After all, a lot of people really believe he WAS Wallace!

Sad, but true.