“The Wedding” is episode seven of season one of Outlander.
In the previous episode, “The Garrison Commander”, it looked like Claire was going to get a redcoat escort to Inverness, allowing her to then make her way home through the standing stones. Unfortunately, the brigadier general commanding went after some Scots who had fired on his troops, leaving Captain Randall in charge. Claire’s outburst in defence of the Scots probably didn’t help matters either.
It seemed that Claire was managing to win Randall over, especially when he starting talking about how the man he was would not recognise the man he had become, but what he didn’t mention, at least initially, that he was now perfectly happy to be the monster he was. The captain was also convinced that Claire was hiding something (which she was, but saying that she came from the future where she was married to his far nicer descendant would probably not have helped). So he was prepared to question her – in the torture sense.
Dougal rescued her from Black Jack’s clutches and, after having her drink from a ‘magic spring,’ is now convinced that Claire is not an English spy (apparently Randall punching her in the stomach then getting a man to kick her whilst she was on the ground wasn’t convincing enough). The only way she can remain free from Black Jack is if she becomes subject to a Scottish laird on his own land. Which means she has to marry – Jamie, as it happens, to whom she has seemed to be attracted. Although she is still/will be married in the future as well. It was predicted back in “Sassenach” that Claire would have two husbands, but in an odd way.
This episode opens in the future, with Claire and Frank walking down a street when he stops her. Outside a registry office. He plans for them to get married now, even though Claire is on her way to meet Frank’s parents for the first time. It then cuts back to the 18th century where Claire is kissing Jamie after they have been officially married.
Afterwards, Claire is in her bedroom and obviously a little bit uncomfortable. Jamie enters, and he is a bit as well. The wedding party is not going to go to bed until they know that the wedding has been officially consummated. Claire is making use of a fair bit of Dutch courage. Jamie is concerned that she might think he was going to force himself, but Claire has other concerns (such as bigamy and adultery, even if her husband and her marriage is a couple of centuries in the future). She also wants to know why Jamie agreed to marry her.
It then goes back to Jamie being told by the clan’s lawyer, Ned Gowan, that in order to keep Claire out of Randall’s hands, the wedding must be consummated immediately, with witnesses. Dougal says that Claire has no choice if she wants to keep out of Black Jack’s hands, as Jamie should know just what the captain is capable of. Ned says that what they are planning is purely down to the letter of the law, so everything needs to be just right. Before she consummates her marriage, Claire wants to know more about the man she has just married – other than his real name, Frasier. Jamie is completely inexperienced and he comes from what is probably a less worldly time as well.
Most of the episode takes place on the night of the actual wedding, with more flashbacks as everyone rushes around arranging the wedding, with some amusing scenes, including a Bible-verse reciting bit between a priest and one of the MacKenzie men.