Handfasting
You may choose to celebrate your commitment to each
other with a handfasting ceremony, or to include a
handfasting ritual as part of your marriage or
commitment ceremony.
The word "handfasting" has its roots in Old Norse
hand
festa, which means
to strike a contractual
agreement by clasping hands.
The central ritual of a handfasting is the binding
together of the hands of the couple as a symbol and
pledge of their commitment to each other and a visual
demonstration that they are from then on bound together
as a couple.
You can
use one ribbon or cord, or many, create your own
handfasting cord by weaving together many lengths of
fabric, cord and ribbon, choose colours that are
meaningful to you, or reflect the colour scheme you have
chosen. The ritual is a wonderful way to involve others
in your ceremony.
An ancient Celtic custom, handfasting gained renewed
popularity last century and while the revived rite is
seen as the preferred marriage ceremony of pagan
couples, the ritual has become part of mainstream
wedding and commitment ceremonies too.
Because handfasting is a reinvented, rather than
rediscovered ritual, there is no one "authorised" way to
do it. I will work with you to develop and create both a
ceremony, and a handfasting ritual within it, that is
uniquely yours, and that involves as few or as many
people you wish to include.
I love creating and incorporating a handfasting in a
marriage or commitment ceremony. (So much so that for
couples wanting a very simple legals only ceremony I
offer a
Married in a Minute - with Handfasting
option - ask me about it).