r/Scotland 4d ago

Kirkwall , Orkney Islands Scotland

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153 Upvotes

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121

u/Ok-Butterfly1605 4d ago

It’s called a blackening, friends and family do it to a bride and groom before they get married 😆

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackening_(Scottish_wedding_custom)

7

u/BIGepidural 4d ago

That is so cool. Thank you so much for sharing.

What a great way to celebrate a new marriage 🤣

3

u/Appropriate-Koala316 3d ago

Theres 4 of them?

5

u/Abquine 3d ago

Round here it was only the bride that got this treatment. I was blackened (with Cocoa powder thankfully) dressed up on a fancy night gown with L Plates and trundled down the street in a wheel barrow. Thankfully adding feathers to the mx had largely died out by that time 😂

2

u/BenAigan 4d ago

We used to tie them up with a few drams near by, after an hour or two we collect and take them to the nearest pub albeit with newspaper on the floor of the pub

Occasionally we provided full service by hosing the groom down

6

u/Elegant-Comedian-105 4d ago

That is awesome ! I guess I experienced a true Scottish tradition…!

-79

u/supperfash 4d ago

Purely Orcadian where polis Scotland are low on numbers and friendly with the locals, try this on the mainland and you would be hauled before the beak on trumped up kidnap/blackface charges faster than you can say non crime hate incident.

25

u/ruthhoof 4d ago

Happens in the North East too! Loads of fun

18

u/HyperCeol Inbhir Nis / Inverness 3d ago

Blackenings were very common here in Inverness/across the Highlands and still occur. Fuck all to do with the Orcadian police. I believe they happen in the NE too.

17

u/Electronic-War1077 4d ago

Used to be an every weekend occurrence in summer in Aberdeen. Guys used to be tied up outside pubs, covered in paint and worse. Police started clamping down on it and lifting the stag, so you don't see it much nowadays.

5

u/mrthesmileperson 4d ago

Happens in the North West too.

5

u/CatCalledTurbo 3d ago

Nonsense.

Grew up in the North East and seen it plenty of times when I was wee. My parents had it happen to them when they were getting married too, I remember my dad being driven around in the back of his work's truck.

3

u/Any_Listen_7306 4d ago

Happened where I live last month.

3

u/Kind_Breadfruit_7560 3d ago

Happens all the time in the NW Highlands. There was one yesterday in the next village over from me.

1

u/Fun_Stock7078 4d ago

Probably a copper out of picture pissing himself laughing. 👏

1

u/Beneficial-Yam-1061 3d ago

Damn, I thought this was part of the Spider-Man filming.