Doric double-act seals ‘A div’ wedding vows
Entire marriage service is conducted in the north-east dialect
Published:
A COUPLE were wed yesterday in an unusual civil marriage ceremony.
“A div” rather than “I do” was the response from groom Colin Wilson and his bride Fiona Henderson, as the couple were wed at the Udny Arms Hotel at Newburgh, near Aberdeen.
The entire service was spoken in the distinctive Doric dialect of the north-east.
A visitor may have been “fair dumfoonert” at first, but the sentiments were clear as the Aberdeen couple were asked to “face ane anither, jyne haunds, and say yer vows tae ane anither”. Before 40 guests, the 50-year-old computer software expert groom took human resources officer Fiona as his “lawful guidwife” and she Colin as her “lawful guidman, tae hae and tae haud, fae this day on”.
The pair each pledged: “Aw that I am, a’ll gie tae ye; An aw that a hae, a’ll share wi ye.”
The ceremony was conducted by Ellon registrar Gail Duthie. While some might have “ta’en a fleg” — or freaked out, in modern style — the Strichen official never missed a moving note.
She said afterwards: “I have been a registrar for over 15 years and taken 100 and more weddings, but never done one in the Doric before. It may well catch on.”
Family friend Derek Singer set the mood of the Doric service as he gave an opening reading that included the verses:
“Ye’ll hae heard plenty wirdies o’ wisdom afore, fan the secrets o’ mairrage wis spoken.
“Bit ye ken thit the answer hidden inside, faur the bond of true luve is unbroken.
“Sae bide happy thegither as luvers an freens, it’s the daun o’ new life for ye baith,
As ye staun there thegither wi luve in yer een. Fae the meenit ye fusper: A div.”
Georgia Buchan’s reading was on what makes a good marriage: “A mairrage is a promise twa herts be gled tae mak, A promise tae be tender, Tae help, tae gie an tak.
“A mairrage is a promise, Tae be kind, tae unnerstan, Tae be thochtful and consid’rit, Tae be fair an nae demand.
“A mairrage is a promise, Tae share ae life thegither, Fill’t wi luve an meant tae be, Keepit lik yon foriver.”
Culter-born Colin said after the ceremony: “Doric is a living language, and we were both keen to highlight that on our big day.”
Six years ago he wrote the first published Scots language course, the Luath Scots Language Learner.
He and Fraserburgh-born Fiona will make their home in Aberdeen’s Bonnymuir Place, and will honeymoon “doon unner” in Australia.
