Last week’s episode was full of reunions (both long-awaited and surprising) as well as a joyous union! Join me for a behind-the-scenes look at how it all came together.
The Set
Outlander has traditionally showcased deep, rich, dark sets. This season, the team wanted to experiment with lighter tones, first with the Hunter cabin in Part 1, and then with Mercy Woodcock’s house in Part 2.
Nothing on TV can truly be white, or it will create glare in filming, so the Production Design team went through many paint tests. They aged and wore down the paint, creating a textured patina on the “busy spots” of the house.
Mercy’s entire house is actually a giant Easter Egg for all you eagle-eyed fans out there! It’s made from the foundations of the burnt down Fraser’s Ridge house, reconfigured and redesigned. The Outlander teams did an incredible job of making a new world out of an old one.
The breezeway is Mercy’s hallway. Claire’s kitchen is now Henry’s convalescing room. Even the music room still has the trap door under the rug!
Even the cast was enamored with this set.
Said Caitríona Balfe, “I think everybody wanted to move into Mercy Woodcock’s apartment. It’s so cool. Gloria was hilarious. She said, “Oh. I’ve done well.” … It’s the kind of house that you would walk into today and, I might change out some of her furniture for something a little more comfortable, but it just has this beautiful feel to it. That was definitely my favorite set to shoot in.”
The Wedding
Now onto the wedding (Ian + Rachel forever)!
How do you shoot a wedding built around long pauses? Said Director Jan Matthys, “I had to find the balance so it didn’t become boring, so there’s a bit of tension. I discovered there was a lot of beauty in these individual shots where people are almost meditating and waiting for that right moment. There was one surprise on the day and it was the presence of Rollo the dog… He guided us. It felt like he felt the spirit before the characters did.”
It must have been hard to keep a straight face during these proceedings because fun fact: all the crew were in Christmas sweaters!
Said Joey Phillips, “That day was so fun. It was our last day of filming before Christmas. Everyone was in a really good mood. All the crew were in Christmas jumpers. At lunchtime, we had a Christmas jumper competition and they showed us a highlight reel of everything we’d filmed so far… it was a really nice way to end the year, with all of us back together.”
Modern brides and grooms take note, if you’re looking for a beautiful wedding on a budget, this is the one to follow!
Said Set Decorator Stuart Bryce, “Since it was a Quaker Wedding, we were careful not to add much additional decor. Our concept was that they used what was already established within Mercy Woodcock’s house. We just brought in more chairs. The only additional piece was a wedding declaration on a music stand.”
Costumes
Though the bride’s dress was simple, she looked absolutely radiant. Hear more from Costume Designer Trisha Biggar about what Rachel wore for her big day below.
Though the Murrays couldn’t be at the ceremony, Young Ian kept them close in spirit via clothing, as he’s wearing the coat his dad gave him at the end of Episode 709.
Costume Designer Trisha Biggar speaks to the evolution of Young Ian’s look as he balances his Scottish-American and Mohawk identities.
The bride and groom were the stars of the show, but the guests looked dashing too! Take a look at some of the costume sketches for Denzell and Claire.
Jerry MacKenzie
The wedding wasn’t the only moment tugging on heart-strings this episode… Roger meeting his father Jerry was so bittersweet and filled with emotion.
The actors had a challenge: acting in 10°F weather! Said Director Jan Matthys, “The temperature helped Richard get to that emotional level… What I’ve learned in Scotland is you’d better embrace the temperature and weather and use it in the scene. It’s special effects. The condensation from breathing… that adds to the heroic atmosphere.”
Jerry’s costume not only established his character as an RAF pilot, but helped Roger and Buck track him down as they locate parts of his uniform on the road.
Military plane cockpits at this time were very cold, so while Roger and Buck found Jerry’s uniform jacket, pilot’s helmet, and leather helmet, we still find him wearing a woolen sweater and leather jacket with lining, which were standard issue for pilots in those days.
The Stones
The Errochty Stones that Jerry goes through mark yet another set of iconic standing stones for Outlander! See some of the original renderings below.
Because Outlander gained access to working dam sites, shooting time was limited. That meant that the scenes of Brianna in the tunnels in Part 1 and Jemmy in the tunnels in Part 2 were actually shot at the same time.
Jem & Mandy (Blake & Rosa)
Can we give it up for Blake Johnston-Miller and Rosa Morris, who play Jemmy and Mandy this season? Hear from Director Jan Matthys and Sophie Skelton about what it was like to work with these stars in the making.
