The modern concept of a honeymoon has now eliminated the Scottish wedding tradition of Hystin’, which was explained on the At The New Home page. In older times, a wedding couple didn’t travel away from home after the wedding ceremony. After the
Ceilidh
, or wedding reception, their friends and family walked them home, often accompanied by the
whistle-benkie
, or itenerant bagpiper. The whistle-benkie would pipe the couple and their guests on the path home, into the house for the minister’s blessing, as the marriage bed was prepared, and the couple placed in their bed.
Basically, the time apart, getting to know another better, really began the next morning, after the bride’s mother helped her don her Breid Tri Chearnach. Though I doubt the bride gave thought to watering her shamrock the first day.
The couple spent time alone, in their new home. Honey was believed to increase fertility, so for one cycle of the moon, the couple was expected to stay home and drink Mead, a honey wine ~ thus the name Honey Moon.
