Since I first started blogging about my Scottish fiancé, many of you have been asking if we will be having a Ceilidh (kā-lē) band at the wedding, and the answer is a resounding YES!! A Ceilidh is technically a big Scottish party with lots of music and dancing, and most of the time (in Scotland), it follows a wedding but sometimes it’s just a stand alone rockin’ good time! Each Ceilidh band usually has their own caller or person who directs the dancing, and this is KEY for our wedding, because I know this will be the first Ceilidh for most of our lovely guests!
I first alluded to how we found our band back when I wrote about my brother renting his kilt for the wedding. My parents really saved the day by attending the Minnesota Scottish Fair and hunting down the lead person of our band to ask him if they performed at weddings. And thank goodness they did, because you’re sadly mistaken if you think there are a plethora of Ceilidh bands roaming the Midwest. I think I found about three, including the one we booked! Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a hold of any of them, and at one point I was considering nixing the whole idea, but fortunately it didn’t come to that!
Luckily, we found The Gunn Slingers, and while we were in Minnesota this summer we met with their accordion player and caller, Neil Gunn. He is Scottish and married to a girl from Minnesota. His drummer is Scottish and married to a Minnesota girl as well. Does any of this ring a bell? I can’t make this stuff up people!
Meeting with Neil happened to be our latest appointment of the whole planning trip, and only a true night owl (or Scottish person) could stay up this late! Just kidding—it was like 9 PM, but still, that’s only one and a half hours before my bedtime. LAME. Naturally, we met at a bar, and it was a great time! We could have chatted all night (if it weren’t for my blasted bedtime). Neil shared with us that he had a bit of a learning curve when he first started calling for Ceilidh’s in Minnesota. He quickly figured out that people will just stare blankly at you if you say, “Now, turn anti-clockwise!” Counter-clockwise works much better here. 
Neil was nice enough to take a picture with me when I told him I was blogging about my wedding.
Finally, I leave you with some video gems of random wedding guests dancing at a Ceilidh.
video via YouTube from AnvilCeilidhBand
Mr. Sword really doesn’t like it when I compare Ceilidh dancing to American square dancing but the simple moves, spins and partnering off just remind me of it! I know this isn’t the most common type of dancing to be done at an American wedding, but I figure we will have enough Ceilidh dancing veterans to get the party started, and I’m not too worried about people dancing because my family LOVES to dance and are really looking forward to hearing the band. Plus, the DJ will be taking over after an their hour set to finish out the night with a nice mix of classic and contemporary tunes for everyone to shake their asses to (anything but the chicken dance please!). Clearly, I want our guests to be sweaty and exhausted by the end of the evening!
I’m so happy that we have a band for our big day and I’m super excited about attending my very first Ceilidh!! Have any of the UK readers been to a Ceilidh before? What was your experience? Anyone else have a family that loves dancing? Anyone else crazy enough to do a band AND a DJ?
Another great post !!
If you guys are looking for a bit of Scotland closer to home… you need to visit Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Wikipedia – Cape Breton Island = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Breton_Island
Cape Breton Tourism = http://www.cbisland.com/#
Mr TTR and I enjoy travelling… and we LOVE Canada’s Atlantic Provinces (aka “The Maritimes”)… Nova Scotia will truly steal your heart away !!
Sounds like fun! I can’t wait to see the pictures/video! My fiance is American, though he has a lot of Scottish (from a few generations back) in him and while we probably won’t be having any big cultural nods in our wedding, I’m finding it fun to fantasize through yours! He’d totally rock a kilt if I said I wanted it, lol. I’d love to go to Scotland one day.
I went to my first ceilidh a couple of months ago and it was so much fun. I’d like to think that Mr CL and I were really quite successful at stripping the willow! And we’re also having a band and a DJ, although the band is more of a soft-rock kind of get-up 
I am SO excited you are having a Ceilidh during your reception! I can’t wait to hear all about it! I studied in Scotland in college and the Ceilidhs were one of the greatest parts of that. You are right that American Square dancing is a hand me down from Scottish and English folk dancing, and contra-dancing is even closer to Ceilidh dancing, IMHO. I have managed to get my guy to go contra-dancing here in the States (it is popular in New England and the East Coast, as well as in parts of Canada (Nova Scotia, obviously)). He surprisingly liked it and I would kill to have a Ceilidh at my wedding, but I am not sure if it will be viable for several reasons. But I like that you are having a DJ after, what a great compromise for the Minnesotans!
I love all the scotish traditions you are incorporating, one would think poor Mr. Sword would be stuck with an american wedding, but you guys are doing this in such a great way.
That sounds like so much fun! Can I come to your wedding? 
I went to a Ceilidh when I lived in Ireland, and it was a blast.
This sounds like such a fun tradition to include, I can’t wait to see pictures from this!
Your American guests are in for a real treat! I went to my first ceilidh last year in Scotland and had an absolute blast. I’m not much of a dancer and love how they the person calling the dances gives instruction and makes it easy for all to know what to do. We are having a ceilidh band at our wedding as well. Luckily, we were able to find a band in Scotland that does ceilidh and contemporary music as well. I think the band is what my fiance is most excited about. I’m not sure how easy ceilidh dancing in my wedding dress will be but I can’t wait to give it a shot.
We’re hoping to find someone here in the US to teach our bridal party the basic dance moves of a ceilidh prior to the wedding. I think this will encourage them to dance the day of the wedding.
What a neat tradition to include! It looks like a blast.
@Miss Treasure: I’m with Miss Treasure, can I come?! Guess I’ll settle for reading about it. . . so exciting!
I have never heard of this before — it sounds like SO much fun!! Also, apparently Scots like Minnesota girls?!
haha, we totally need to have a Weddingbee Ceilidh!! Thanks everyone!
@Shortbread: I am a bit nervous about dancing in my dress as well, but I don’t plan on letting it slow me down!
@Mrs. Coyote: Seriously!! how bizarre!
Wow! This is actually really similar to what I am doing at my wedding! We are having a contra dance band for the first part of the night (and I bet that contra dancing is really similar to a ceilidh, mostly because when I try to describe it to people I say “um, it’s like square dancing but not really!” haha. We’re finishing out the night with an iPod, though I’m a little nervous at the flow of things. Who will be you MC? We went with the iPod because I thought it would be too expensive to do both, though honestly I didnt research it. Is your dj charging by the hour? So excited to learn about a similar wedding!!!
My mum is Scottish and i’m a big fan of twirling! You’ll have a fantastic time – I don’t think anyone could have a bad time at a ceilidh
I can’t wait to hear how everyone on your side of the family enjoys it!
@farmergirl: Hi girl! So, our DJ was sort of a reduced fee if we booked the company recommended by our hotel venue, so we did that! It’s actually a bit pricey to do both but the DJ will emcee the grand march, first dances, and all that as well as close out the night with tons of good music! I hope!
That looks awesome! For a while I thought I would have a contra reception like @farmergirl but my fiance’s not as into contra as I am. If ceilidh is like contra-ing, once people get into it they’ll have a ton of fun–it’s not hard to learn.
Mrs. Sword, Chicago Age and Occupation: 28, Nanny/Actress Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Software Engineer Engagement Date: February 19, 2012 Wedding Date: March 2013 Venue: Embassy Suites Bloomington West in Bloomington, MN About Me: I am a true girly-girl originally from the great state of Minnesota and my fiancé hails from the beautiful country of Scotland. We met and fell in love in our favorite city, Chicago, and are having a blast blending our cultures for "A Highland Fairy Tale" wedding! We are truly a case of opposites attract in that he’s a world traveling introvert and I’m a social butterfly who is never too far from home. We both love hanging out with family and friends, fine dining, and laughing at ourselves. He drinks a lot of beer and I talk too much. We wouldn’t have it any other way!
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