Claire and Jamie are thrown together in marriage, but as their emotional and physical relationship unfolds, deeper feelings arise. Claire is ultimately torn between two men in two very different times.
The Wedding starts with Frank and Claire on their way to lunch for Claire’s introduction to Frank’s parents. Frank stops in front of The City of Westminister Registry Office (city hall) and on the front steps and newly wed couple is having their picture taken. Claire is stunned and asks if he wouldn’t rather have a big church wedding. Frank isn’t interested and wants to get married right now. Frank asks her to marry him and she agrees. They kiss and we hear “you may kiss your bride.”
Jamie and Claire, in 1745, kiss to much applause. They stare at each other a moment clearly taken aback.
Claire tells us, “You forget your life after awhile, the life you had before. Things you cherish and hold dear are like pearls on a string. Cut the knot, they scatter on the floor, rolling into dark corners, never to be found again. So you move on and eventually you forget what the pearls looked like. Or at least you try,” as we see Frank and Claire going into the Registry Office to get married.
Claire is sitting at a dressing table in her stays and skirts when Jamie comes into their bridal chamber. Claire can hear the celebrating down stairs and Jamie tells her they will be down there until they are sure the marriage is official meaning consummated. Claire is, at least, grateful they didn’t want to watch and Jamie tells her only Rupert and Angus wanted too, as a joke. She tells him he’s a regular Bob Hope which means nothing to Jamie. Both Jamie and Claire are clearly awkward around one another and Claire suggests a drink. Jamie toasts to Claire giving her three compliments (a lady of grace, woman of strength, and a bride of astonishing beauty). Claire and Jamie drink more and Jamie seems a little astonished at Claire’s nerves. He tries to reassure her by telling her she needn’t be afraid of him that he hadn’t planned to force himself on her. Claire then tells him she has questions. She wants to know why he married her.
We flash to a scene in the stables where Ned is telling Dougal, Jamie and Murtagh that they don’t have much choice and the marriage must be consummated to be made legal. Jamie is concerned Claire doesn’t know about the requirements and Dougal informs him she has no say in the matter. Murtagh reminds Dougal he doesn’t hold with rape and Dougal tells him it is persuasion. He then tells Jamie they can’t pretend they have consummated the marriage when they haven’t. Dougal then expounds on how he wouldn’t mind having Claire himself which Jamie quickly shuts down telling Dougal not to talk about her like she’s a common whore. Dougal reminds Jamie that Claire took a few blows from Randall and didn’t talk (which is more than he expected from any ordinary woman). Dougal asks Jamie what he thinks will happen to Claire if she falls into Randall’s hands again.
Claire seems surprised that Jamie married her to protect her. Jamie tells her she has his name, clan and family. If necessary she also has his body to protect her. Claire is clearly softening towards Jamie and comes to sit with him on the bed. The start leaning in for a kiss when Claire interrupts asking him to tell her about his family. Jamie laughs asking how many generations back he should go. She’s okay with his parents. Jamie proceeds to tell Claire his father is a half-brother to the current Fraser. His mother was the eldest daughter and sister to Dougal and Colum and that they wanted her to marry Malcolm Grant. We hear about an Aunt Janet who is dead and an Aunt Jocasta. Claire tells us that they talk about their families as a distraction and that she did tell him about her family.
Claire tells us Jamie was a born storyteller like most Scots, while Jamie tells Claire that his mother told Malcolm Grant off and he headed home as a result. His father and mother then slipped out of Leoch right under the noses of 300 clans men, a story his father loved to tell.
Rupert and Angus burst into the room wanting to see if the deed has been done. Angus was hoping to get a wee keek at her breasts. Jamie kicks them out and then Jamie and Claire laugh about it. Claire asks if they are related to Jamie and he says only Rupert.
Claire says it is late and perhaps they should go to bed. Jamie wants clarification as to if they are going to bed or to sleep? Claire doesn’t come out and say it but she’s eyeing Jamie. Jamie then helps Claire out of her corset and skirts. Jamie proceeds to explore Claire a bit but Claire tells him it is her turn and takes off Jamie’s belt which dissolves into them kissing. Claire asks, “Where did you learn to kiss like that?” To which Jamie replies, “I said I was a virgin, not a monk. If I find I need guidance I’ll ask.” Jamie turns Claire around and start raising her shirt. Claire turns around on him and we see slight confusion on Jamie’s face before they land on the bed. Jamie begins thrusting and crushing Claire at the same time. Claire tells Jamie he’s crushing her and he holds himself up a bit. Within a moment, Jamie’s finished and rolls off Claire.
They lie next to each other and Jamie seems happy. Claire asks if it was like he thought. Jamie starts to tell her what he thought but fears she’ll laugh. Claire promises not to but when Jamie tells her he didn’t realize you did it face to face that instead he thought you did it the back was like horse, Claire dissolves into laughter while apologizing. Jamie asks if Claire liked it and when she doesn’t say anything Jamie thinks Rupert, Ned and Murtagh (three) are right that woman don’t like it. Claire tells him she did like it and chastises herself for being a bigamist and adulterer and liking it.
Claire seems overwhelmed by the fact she is enjoying being with Jamie and decides to go downstairs and get food. On the landing, Jamie and Claire endure ribald remarks about their sex life including Angus offering to take Jamie’s place and Rupert commenting on Jamie not doing it right if she can still walk. Jamie tells her to go back into the room and he’ll take the teasing. Jamie goes downstairs and is asked if “he bleed” and other such comments about his first time. On his way back upstairs, Dougal tell him he hasn’t thanked him and that he should sit down with him so as not to let Claire think he’s too eager to please her because it gives her too much power.
Jamie is now back in the bridal chamber and Claire asks what Jamie said to Dougal’s remark. Jamie says he told Dougal, “I was completely under your power and happy to be there.” Claire is pleased with Jamie and asks for a bit more whisky. Jamie brings her some and then brushes her neck. Claire pulls away and Jamie looks hurt. She apologizes to him and gives him a smile. Jamie comes back to her and calls her mo neighean donn (my brown haired lass). Claire says she’s always thought brown and dull color but Jamie expounds on it’s beauty and comments on the auburn when the sun touches it meaning Jamie’s been watching her. Claire distracts him by asking about his kilt which are Fraser colors.
We see Murtagh and Jamie in the stables. Jamie is unwrapping the kilt Murtagh brought him from a neighboring Fraser family who’s husband died. Murtagh is a bit annoyed Jamie wants to wear Fraser colors because there are Red Coats all over. Murtagh wants to know what will happen when he walks out with his red hair and his Fraser colors. Jamie tells him he plans to be wed only once and he’ll do it in a way that will make his mother proud. Murtagh seems to soften to this. Jamie asks if his mother would have approved of Claire. Murtagh seems annoyed at first but then talks to Jamie about Jamie’s mother’s sweet smile and how Claire too has a sweet smile.
We return to the bridal chamber to a stunned Claire. She wouldn’t have expected Murtagh to say something so romantic and Jamie tells her, “still waters run deep.” Jamie tells us Murtagh’s name is Murtagh FitzGibbons Fraser. Claire is surprised Dougal would wait for Murtagh to go get him a kilt and Jamie tells her he slowed Dougal down with three conditions.
First, they must be wed properly in a church before a priest. We see Dougal and Willie trying to coerce a priest to rush the wedding. The priest isn’t so inclined (he wants the bans read three times on three separate weeks) despite Willie’s command of the Bible (three verses) but changes his mind when Dougal promises proper windows for the Priest’s cold church.
We return to the bridal chamber where Jamie is saying the Priest barely skipped a beat before asking what time the ceremony should begin. Jamie kisses Claire’s wrist and she asks the next condition.
Rupert and Angus are going to a blacksmith with a key to be turned into a wedding ring. They aren’t to use the blade and bow. They spend a lot to see it down much to Rupert’s dismay.
Claire asks what it was a key to but Jamie tells her it was nothing just something in his sporran, which clearly isn’t the whole truth. She asks his third condition.
Ned is in a whorehouse looking for a dress. The whores are showing him their dresses and trying to entice a very flustered Ned. The madame appears with a dress a gentlemen paid her with when he had no money to pay for his visit to the whorehouse. She comments that she’s waited to put it on until there was another gentlemen but never had the chance which is best because no woman should have to wear another dress on her wedding day. The woman notice Ned has money and make excuses to keep him there and get him upstairs.
Claire tells Jamie he’s just making this up now and Jamie says he’s telling it just as it was told to him. He asks if she saw the strumpet at the wedding with Ned. She had no idea all that was going on. Jamie asks what she did and she picks up the bottle of whiskey.
We see Murtagh uncovering a drunken Claire. He tells her to get to her feet that she doesn’t want to look like a melted candle on her wedding day.
Jamie asks if she remember anything. She tells him she did and that she had a monstrous hangover.
Jamie tells her he remembers everything. “It was as if I stepped outside on a cloudy day and suddenly the sun came out.” We see Claire standing in her gorgeous dress looked, well hungover and scared. Everyone else looks pleased with the outcome. Jamie approaches and bows to her. She tells him she can’t marry him because she doesn’t know his name. He tells her it is James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser. She introduces herself as Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp. Dougal says if they are finished they should get on with the wedding.
Claire remembers to herself putting Frank’s ring in her bodice and going into the church. Claire and Jamie exchange wedding vows and Jamie puts the ring on her right hand. Dougal comes forward and slits both of their wrists, pressing them together and tying a strip of cloth around their wrists, binding them together. They repeat a different vow in Gaelic.
Claire asks Jamie what the words meant.
You are blood of my blood and bone of my bone.
I give you body that we two may be one.
I give you my spirit ‘till our life shall be done.
And then we see the kiss again and this time it is clear that the kiss lingered.
Jamie tells Claire after she kissed him like that he didn’t think she was so sorry to marry him after all. She tells him to take of his shirt so she can look at him. Jamie removes his shirt and Claire circles him running her hand over his pecks and ass.
Jamie tell her fair is fair. He tell her to take of her shift and she drops it. Jamie steps back to take her all in and she asks if he’s never seen a naked woman before. Jamie tells her he has but not one so close “and not one that is mine.” Jamie and Claire kiss again and Claire picks Claire up and sits down on the bed with her. He quickly changes positions and they are on the bed making love. This time Claire orgasms and when she cries out Jamie is concerned he harmed her. Jamie is stunned that woman can and asks if it happens every time. She tells him only if the man is a very good lover. He tells her she’s so small and he doesn’t want to hurt her. She starts nipping at him and asks if it hurts. He tells her it does a bit and she asks if he wants her to stop to which he says no.
Claire clearly goes down on Jamie and he clearly enjoys every moment telling her he thought his heart would burst. Claire lies down beside him and Jamie falls asleep. Claire smiles at him feeling happy.
She get up looking for something to drink and finds nothing. She wraps a plaid around her and goes downstairs. Dougal comes in and tells her he met with Captain Randall and told him Claire is no longer at his beck and call. Claire asks what Randall said and Dougal says, “there are likely limits to even your tolerance of foul language.” Dougal reassures her it is likely the end of it. Claire is happy to hear it. Claire turns to go and Dougal stops her. He commends her for doing her duty but tells her it needn’t stop her from sampling other pleasures, meaning him. “I find you to be the most singular woman, Claire.” She tell him she’s Jamie’s wife. Dougal looks stunned. Rupert enters and Claire thanks him for his kindness and tells him she love the ring. He congratulates her and leaves. Rupert comments that Claire looks well ridden and Dougal punches him much to Rupert’s surprise. Dougal starts drinking sending Rupert to check on the horses again.
Claire is sitting in front of the fire when Jamie wakes up and pulls pearls out of his sporran and then puts them over her head. He tells her they were his mother’s, one of the few things he has left of her, and now they belong to his wife. He tells her the pearls are precious to him as she is to him. Claire turns to him and kisses him and then come together again as Claire straddles him and they make love again (three).
The next morning, Jamie is getting dressed telling Claire he’s hungry enough to take a bit out of her to which she replies he’s already done that. He tells her he’s looking forward to it again soon. They give a quick kiss goodbye.
Claire picks up her dress and shakes it out. Frank’s ring comes out and rolls off landing between two floorboards. Claire puts it back on her left and looks down at the two rings as the screen goes black.
