Would really love some help and tips on wedding ceremonies.
I am getting married next september and the pagan/spiritual way is the way its going to be done.
I know about hand binding a little as my brother and his partner did this around a tree.
We will have to legally wed in the registry office and have a simple ceremony for that.
Have seen one idea of circle casting with candles and an altar with a candle each side.
After saying our intended vows to each other extinguishing the alter candles and then walking around the circle doing the same before leaving the way we came in.
One plus for me is that we live near avebury stone circle and stone henge so the setting is not to hard a venue to find.
Any ideas will be very welcome so we can come up with something (especially as none of our friends that have got married have done this they did the church thing!!!!) memorable for us and all that come.
Many Thanks,

Happyjack

Happyjack you should check out the BOS Lady Elaine has some good information posted I did however copy this from that section and it gives some books you may want to check out. Since each pagan has its own ways.
(best) please post some pic of the wedding I here it is lovely in your part of the world.


General Handfasting

* Magickal Weddings: Pagan Handfasting Traditions for Your Sacred Union by Joy Ferguson
* Handfasted and Heartjoined : Rituals for Uniting a Couple's Hearts and Lives by Maeve, Lady Rhea
* How to Have the Wedding You Want (Not the One Everybody Else Wants You to Have) by Danielle Claro
* Alternative Weddings Recommended! An Essential Guide for Creating Your Own Ceremony by Jane Ross-MacDonald
* The Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions: Readings, Rituals, Music, Dances, Speeches, and Toasts - It does have some handfastings, an Afro-centric, a Wiccan and an Egyptian + some other useful stuff.
* The Ultimate Wedding/Ceremony Workbook For The 'Planning-Impaired'
* Weddings by Design: A Guide to the Non-Traditional Ceremony
* Your Wedding Your Way
* Anti-Bride Guide : Tying the Knot Outside the Box
* Green Weddings That Don't Cost the Earth
* Into the Garden : A Wedding Anthology by Robert Hass (Editor), Stephen Mitchell (Editor) -source of possible readings.

Hello Happyjack.

Congrats on your upco,ong wedding/handfasting! Lodemai is correct we have a whole section in the BOS here on info regarding everthing from herbs and flowers to use and rituals, to how to plan a recption....loads of info....and under our streaming section on the sidebar there is a station dedicated to wedding/handfasting music you cna listen to and choose for your handfasting. if you choose to have a celtic/classical theme.

Again conratulations on your upcoming wedding.....lots to plan for, lots of memories, and loads of fun! Keep us informed, and we will do what we can to assist you.....and please, pictures!!!


Blessings Bright and Dark,

Lady of the Earth

I just had my handfasting 3 weeks ago at The Ky Highland Renaissnace Faire and it was amazing. We put together our ceremony using things we found on this site. There are several rituals listed and we took parts we liked from those and put one together that we liked.
We also threw in the jumping the broom. And if i have one suggestion...have the person performing the ceremony say mostly everything. We had one line we had to remember and had it memorized, but when we got into the grove where it was held and saw how many people were there we got so nervous we messed up our lines...but it still turned out great so no big deal

Paganfairy,

I think it's great that you used this site for finding rituals for your ceremony. And at a Rennaisance fair--that sounds so cool. Many blessings to you and HappyJack in your unions!

Congratulations Happyjack! There are so many ideas for a handfasting..much like the many ideas people have for Christian style weddings. It really goes by what you and your future husband wants.
I would suggest reading what is offered here in the BOS and other searches online. And then just write out your ideas of what your both wanting and go from there.

Personally, if my husband and I ever get enough money to have our handfasting we are going with a Rennaisance feel and style. We know what we want to wear and what those who will be in the circle with us will wear..whether they want to or not. lol And we will be including both the tying of the hands and broom jumping. But, then I have had 11 years to discuss this and search online.

Just know this..no matter what you choose to do, that day will be special and full of love and celebration.

I am the husband / slave to be he he many thanks for the renaissance idea that sounds awesome to say the least and broom jumping top tip thank you more ideas the merrier.

Oh, sorry about that Happyjack. Didn't mean to insinuate that you were less of a man. lol It is hard sometimes to know genders from names..although if I had looked at your username differently I probably could have figured the gender out.

I'm not sure when your planning on having the handfasting, but if you have time to order things..garbtheworld.com has some things you might be interested in.
There are also a lot of other sites that you can find nice medieval/ren clothing if you two decide to go that route.