Handfasting-by-Design            

                       Tami and Ken's Central Park Handfasting
Photo courtesy of Karen Schuld of True Love Photography
 
This next section below was culled by Chelsea, an Oklahoma Bride, from 145 pages of Handfasting info that she found while researching her own ceremony. Still need more input? Love this stuff and want to chat about it? The regular Brides helping Brides not very helpful? Well for you Chelsea has founded
Yahoo groups Handfastingsandalternativeweddings 
 
                                                                  
 
This was originally a temporary page that I threw together for a Pagan couple, living in another state, who needed ideas for their handfasting.... Well in short I never took it down, and have given it to many other couples since, but this page was never intended for public viewing. If you're reading this chances are that you're writing your own ritual and I've sent you this as a resource page. This is why some of it is still in a rough draft form. If you are in the Saratoga NY area and looking for an officiant or location for your Handfasting I reccomend Wendy Lyon of WiccanWeddings.com Sorry this page is sloppy but if you can stand the hodge podge there's some great stuff here and some more mainstream wording on my website http://www.churchofancientways.org
Sandra and Michael
June 19th, 2004  

                                                                                                                                           

~ Preamble ~

“Good afternoon and welcome! As we will be beginning shortly I would ask that those of you with telecommunications devices, Cell phones, beepers and such, if you will please turn them off or switch them to vibrate at this time.

What you are about to witness today is a celebration of love and of life. The words and traditions you will hear and see reflected in this ceremony are based on our Bride and Groom’s connection to each other, and to the divine nature that is alive in all things, from the world around them to their relationship itself. It speaks of the importance of Friends and of Family, and the honor rightly given to these things, as well as the highest of honors that they pay unto each other this day as they lay the groundwork for that which shall be their life together.

Michael if you now join me with your Best Man Eric and your Groomsmen James, Keith, Robert, and Donald,
your beautiful Bride awaits!”

~ Opening ~

Sacred Space is created before the guests arrive

Celebrant lights incense and candles,

Preamble is delivered

Michael the Groom, with his Best Man Eric & Groomsmen, James, Keith,
Robert, and Donald step up into traditional places

Brides Maid Carolyn enters

Brides Maid Dawn enters

Brides Maid Kelly enters

Brides Maid Casey enters

Kristin the Maid of Honor enters

Sandy the Bride enters on her Father Leopoldo‘s arm,
inspiring awe in all

Michael steps forward to meet her
and together they step up to the altar

With all in place, we begin!

~ Declaration of Intent ~

“Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. As with any aspect of life, it has its cycles, its ups and its downs, its trials and its triumphs. A couple who wed are joined not only by the mutual affection and love they share, but also by their hopes, dreams and by their resolve, come what may, to remain together through time. The promises and vows that they make together shall aid them in this pursuit, and guide them into their common future. Therefore a wedding is more than a celebration of the Love which lives in our Bride and Groom’s hearts today. It reaches into the future and proclaims their intentions for that which tomorrow shall hold, fixing like a star on the horizon their worthy goal. I will ask you now if you are prepared to make these promises.

Others would ask, at this time, who gives the bride in marriage, but, as a woman is not property to be bought and sold, given and taken, I ask simply if she comes of her own will and if she has her family’s blessing.”

“Sandra, is it true that you come here today of your own free will and accord?“

Sandra: “Yes, it is true.“

“With whom do you come,
and whose blessings accompany you?“

Leopoldo: “She comes with us, her mother and Father,
and is accompanied by all her family and friends blessings.”

“Sandra, Will you love Michael, comfort him, honor and keep him all the days of your journey?”

Sandra: “I will.”

“Michael, Have you come here today of your own free will to take Sandra to be your wife, that you may live together as equal partners sharing all that life has to offer?”

Michael: “I have.”

“Will you love her comfort her, honor and keep her all the days of your journey?”

Michael: “I will.”

“Living by these promises that you make today, may your future be blessed even beyond that which all of those who are gathered here, who love you both so dearly, would dare to wish for you.”

~ Traditional Pagan Blessing ~
by Ed Fitch

“Please join hands with your betrothed and listen to that which I am about to say.

Above you are the stars,
below you are the stones,
as time doth pass, remember...
Like a stone should your love be firm
like a star should your love be constant.
Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect
guide you in your marriage,
let the strength of your wills bind you together,
let the power of love and desire make you happy,
and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable.
Be close, but not too close.
Possess one another, yet be understanding.
Have patience with one another,
for storms will come, but they will pass quickly.
Be free in giving affection and warmth.
Have no fear and let not the ways nor the words of the unenlightened
give you unease, for the Old Gods are with you always.

~ Elemental Blessing ~

“Since ancient times, people have communed with nature to learn more about themselves by example. Since it is within nature that we all do abide, we ask for Sandra and Michael the blessings of Nature’s Elements, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. We do this that they may fully come to understand the lessons each element has to offer. The attributes of which are examples of those aspects they mirror not only within divinity but within ourselves as well.”

“We ask the spirits of Air to keep open the lines of communication between this couple. May their future be as bright as the dawn on the horizon. As Air flows freely to and from and through us all, may their hearts and minds and souls come to know the world and each other in this manner. Seeing not only with their eyes, may they together grow wise with wisdom.”

“Spirits of Fire, we ask that Sandra and Michael’s passion for each other and for life itself remain ever strong and vital, fortifying each day with a vibrancy rooted in boldness, and courage. As Fire clears the way for new growth, may they know that this power is theirs: to create change and bring about the richness and quality that comes with a true love of life.”

“We ask the Spirits of Water, that their love for each other and the comfort of loved ones, like the serenity of the deep blue ocean, be the oasis that forever surrounds our Bride and Groom. May they be well loved, and love well, letting the surety with which Water makes its journey to the sea, flowing over rocks or around trees, even turning into vapor and riding a cloud, ever serve as a reminder that with love all is well and will endure.”

“Spirits of Earth, we ask that you give unto those you see standing before you this day, the rock solid place to stand and fulfill his destiny. May their journey mirror the vast planes and fertile fields, expansive and alive. May they find the right seeds to sow to ensure a bountiful harvest. And when they look up at the Northern Star, may they know that it is as bright and constant as their love for each other as well as the love of the divine is for them.

May Eternal Love forever continue to shine upon
And from Sandra and Michael,
Blessing them with prosperity and abundance,
Health and happiness, joy and peace
In both the physical and spiritual world
All the days of their journey.”

~ Sand Ceremony ~

“Will you now step up to the altar and hold close to your heart the bag of sand representing the essence of all that you are and all that you possess. As you do so, embody the grains with all your hopes and dreams for the future. Bring to mind all that you are, all that you aspire to be and all the particles that make you unique and wonderful in the eyes of your beloved.”

Bride and Groom each take their own bag from the altar

“Within a marriage each person is both their own and each others. Their personal integrity does not diminish by their union, in fact it is enhanced. Their hopes and dreams remain their own, as individual as each grain of sand. Yet they have a new life ahead with endless possibilities and new dreams that are theirs together.”

Addressing the Bride and Groom

“Will you now join the contents of that which you hold in the palm of your hand, join your essences, and create this physical representation of the sacred place in which souls touch.”

Bride and Groom intermingle their sand

~ The Rings ~

“May I have the rings please?

A circle is the symbol of the sun and the earth and the universe. It is a symbol of holiness and of perfection and of peace. In these rings it is the symbol of unity, in which your lives are now joined in one unbroken circle, in which, wherever you go, you will always return to one another and to your togetherness. The circle, is one of nature’s simplest forms. The arc of the rainbow, the halo of the moon and the smallest of raindrops simulate the circle. Even when a stone is cast upon a pond, it generates waves in ever expanding circles. Consider this marriage as being two stones meeting the water simultaneously. The ensuing waves interlock, and the growth of the enlarging circles show the combined energies of the lives of Sandra and Michael. The joining of these two lives will be symbolized in the exchange of rings.”

~ Ring Exchange ~

“Michael, I have not the right to bind you to Sandra, only you have this right.
If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring in her hand.”

Michael: “It is my wish.”

Michael places the ring on Sandra’s finger

“Sandra, I have not the right to bind you to Michael, only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring in his hand.”

Sandra: “It is my wish.”

Sandra places the ring on Michael’s finger

~ Ring Vows ~

“Michael as it is your wish for Sandra to be bound to you, repeating after me,
will you now give voice to that which is in your heart:

I Michael,
In the name of the spirit of Love that resides within us all,
By the life that courses within my blood,
And the love that resides within my heart,
Promise that I shall not seek to change thee in any way.
I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways
As I respect myself.
I take thee Sandra to my hand,
My heart and my spirit, to be my chosen one.
To desire thee, and be desired by thee,
Without sin or shame,
For naught can exist in the purity of my love for thee.
I promise to love thee wholly and completely
Without restraint, in sickness and in health,
In plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond,
Where we shall meet, remember, and love again.”

“Sandra  as it is your wish for Michael to be bound to you, repeating after me,
will you now give voice to that which is in your heart:

I Sandra,
In the name of the spirit of Love that resides within us all,
By the life that courses within my blood,
And the love that resides within my heart,
Promise that I shall not seek to change thee in any way.
I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways,
As I respect myself.
I take thee Michael to my hand,
My heart and my spirit, to be my chosen one,
To desire thee, and be desired by thee,
Without sin or shame,
For naught can exist in the purity of my love for thee.
I promise to love thee wholly and completely
Without restraint, in sickness and in health,
In plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond,
Where we shall meet, remember, and love again.”

~ Cakes and Ale ~

celebrant hands chalice of mead to the Bride and Groom saying

“May you drink your fill from the cup of love.”

Groom offers chalice to bride while she sips
then bride takes chalice and holds it for groom while he sips.
The chalice is then handed back and put on the altar.
The plate of bread is then offered to the couple.

“As food nourished the body so does love nourish the soul.
In this way shall each of you be as sustenance to the other.“

The Groom feeds the Bride, the Bride feeds the Groom and the plate is placed on the altar.

~ Handfasting ~

“As this knot is tied, so are your lives now bound.
Woven into this cord, imbued into its very fibers, are all the hopes of your friends and family, and of yourselves, for your new life together. With the fashioning of this knot do I tie all the desires, dreams, love, and happiness wished here in this place to your lives for as long as you both shall live.”

Bride and Groom’s hands are bound

“By the power vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce that you are now as your hearts have always known you to be, Husband and Wife. May your love so endure that its flame remains a guiding light unto you.”

“You may kiss your beautiful Bride!”

~ The Broom & Sword ~

“Both in every day and magikal terms brooms are used for sweeping away the remnants of the past which no longer serve us, while the sword symbolizes the wielding of power and personal responsibility. As the Bride and Groom jump they are reminded that remaining vigilant over these aspects of life shall help them to achieve the quality of life they aspire to.” 

Maid of Honor lays down Broom
Best man crosses it with his sword

“Now putting the past behind you,
and remembering always that the power to create your tomorrow is your own,
jump together into your common future!”

Couple jump, kiss again, and

She is a truely amazing officiant.  Her insite into her couples needs is incredable.  If you are from her area she is a MUST HAVE officiant.

Still have questions? Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.

http://www.churchofancientways.org