Weddings and Weaponry in Queensland

by Jennifer Cram - Brisbane Marriage Celebrant © (03/11/2021 updated 25/11/2025)
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |

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A Scottish sgian dubh, sheathed, lying on
a tartan kilt Carrying a knife is part of the traditional male Scottish Highland Dress. And I'm sure you've seen photos of grooms and groomsmen with the handle of a traditional sgian dubh sticking out above their socks.

Heads Up. Carrying a knife in a public place in Queensland can land you in prison. It all depends on the characteristics of the knife and on the situation.Other states in Australia also have laws relating to carrying of blades.

What is a Sgian Dhuh

The knife you'll see tucked into the hose (sock) on the side of the wearer's dominant hand as part of traditional Scottish Highland dress, is the Sgian Dubh (Black Knife), a small, sharp, single-edged dagger.

It is one of a trilogy of weapons, carried by clansmen in earlier times, the others being

The Claymore - a very heavy doubled edge sword that was wielded with two hands
The Dirk, a large dagger carried in the belt

The sgian dubh is the only one worn on social occasions, and the only one with a practical, domestic use. If it has a functional blade (many modern ones are just for show so don't) it's fine to use it to cut food. The 3 inch blade, the size of the typical kitchen paring knife, makes it perfect for peeling oranges or cutting up fruit or cheese.

The name "Black Knife" referred to it being secretly concealed, usually in the armpit. But this went against Highland etiquette that demanded that, as a sign of respect and friendship, no hidden weapons be carried into the home of a friend. So tucking it into the top of the hose, where it is firmly held by the garter, ensured it was revealed but still available for practical use.

Swords

While a sgian dubh is part of formal dress, you would only include a sword in a Scottish wedding for a specific reason

The ritual of presenting the family sword to the groom
If a Highland Sword Dance was going to be performed as entertainment, either during the signing or at the reception
To cut the cake.

All of the above are relatively rare in Australia.

If men in the bridal party are wearing military uniform or you are planning on having an arch of swords guard of honour, sheathed swords are worn, and only unsheathed for the actual moment.

What does the law say?

Section 51(1) of the Weapons Act, 1990 states "A person must not physically possess a knife in a public place ... unless the person has a reasonable excuse."

It goes on to clarify that it is a reasonable excuse to participate in a lawful entertainment, recreation or sport; or for use for a lawful purpose, giving, as one example:
"A person may carry a knife as an accessory while playing in a pipe band."

It is also a reasonable excuse to carry a knife for genuine religious purposes (for example, the Sikh kirpan).

What are your venue's policies?

If you are planning on including a sword in the ceremony or to cut the cake, you should check with your venue in case they have any restrictions or safety requirements. At a recent wedding where the couple had decided to invoke Viking tradition and include an exchange of axes in the ceremony, the venue was very specific about safety requirements, including keeping them in a locked box until the ceremony and returning them to the locked box immediately after.

What's the solution?

Better safe than sorry is my motto. And thankfully, suppliers of Highland Dress have been all over the restrictions for many years. The answer is simple. From the visual point of view, only the handle is important.

You can choose a replica, imitation, or dummy sgian dubh (the terms are used interchangeably), which doesn't have a blade. This makes it a safety Sgian Dubh you can wear in public without any concerns, either legal or about safety.

Photograph by Figtree Pictures

You can go really cheeky (and very Aussie) and choose one that has a bottle opener rather than a blade (neatly hidden in the hose, of course).

Either way, it will be made from moulded plastic, sheath included, with metal accents or decorations, but no blade.

And just as if you were choosing a "real" sgian dubh, you will have a choice of a wide variety of accents, including clan crests, other symbols, and coloured stones.

These replicas will pass scrutiny at an airport. You can't get better than that!

Thanks for reading!

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