Handfasting Rite

The bride, groom, and guests at this rite should be dressed in clothing of the medieval era, or in fantasy costume. Ceremonial swords may be worn.

This rite is best performed at the time of the New Moon. The place of the marriage rite should be decked with flowers of many kinds and fruits and vegetables in season. The altar should be arranged as usual with a sword, a willow wand, and two white candles. Incense may be flower scent such as apple, rose, cherry blossom, or such. The couple to be wedded may dress as they desire, though it is an ancient Celtic custom that the Bride wear a veil or net, and an article of red or scarlet. The couple should obtain and wrap a small symbolic gift each for the other; these gifts should be placed on the altar before the start of the ceremony, and are opened later on. Wine and cake or cakes should be provided for the revel to follow. The Wedding rings should be given to the Priestess just before the ritual. He will fit them over the wand and replace them on the altar. The groom shall wear a sword for this ceremony, and the Bride should wear a jewel, which she particularly treasures.

Somewhat earlier in the day, the Priestess or Priestessess should consecrate the area in which the rite is to be held. The bridesmaids shall pass the word to the Bride that this has been accomplished.

To begin, the Priestessess and Priestess light the candles and incense. They turn toward the others in the rite, the Priestessess to the right of the Priestess. The Priestess and Priestessess join hand, raising their arms aloft at the same time, and the Priestess calls:

May the place of this rite be consecrated before the Gods for we gather here in a ritual of love

With two who would be joined, Dana and Nyla, come forward to stand before us, and before the gods of Nature.

The two to be wedded come forward at this time, the man to the right of the woman, and stop before the Priestessess and Priestess. The Priestessess and Priestess alternating, then invoke the spirits of the land.

Be with us here, O powers of the air!
With your clever fingers tie closely the bonds between these two

 Be with us here, O' power of fire! give their love and passion
You're all consuming ardors!

 Be with us here, O powers of water!
Give them the deepest of love
And richness of body, of soul and of spirit! 

Be with us here, O powers of earth!
Let your strength and constancy
Be theirs as long as they desire to remain together!

 Gracious Goddess, Mighty God,
Give these before us, we do ask
Your love and Protection!
Blessed be!

All: Blessed be!

The Priestess says to Dana:

If you truly desire, Dana to marry this woman, I bid you pledge your weapon to her,
unfailingly ever to be at her service.

Dana draws his sword and kneeling, offers it to the bride, saying;

Gracious and lovely one, accept my pledge of love to thee.
I pledge this sword, as I pledge my soul, Ever to be in your service.
Like this blade shall my love be strong,
Like this steel shall my love be enduring.
Accept it, O beloved one,
For that which is mine
Shall also be yours.

Nyla takes the sword silently in her hands and touches it to her forehead for the time of three heartbeats. Then she returns it to Dana and bids him to rise saying:

My Lord, I accept your pledge of love
As I do accept the pledge of your blade.
Thou knowest what is in my heart
As I know what is in thine.
The magic of my will, and of my love
Shall ever be yours.

The Priestessess then says to Nyla:

If thou dost truly desire, __________,to marry this man,

I bid you present to him a jewel of great value as a token of the love that you have for him.

Nyla takes the jewel from here gown and kneeling before Dana, holds it out to him saying:

Thou who art handsome and strong,
Accept my jewel, my treasure,
As I pledge that all which I am
And all that I possess
Shall be yours,
My love shall ever endure,
And shall flourish as the vine
And the tree.

Dana takes the jewel silently in his hands and touches it to his forehead for the time of three heartbeats. Then he returns it to her and bids her rise, saying:

My Lady, I accept your pledge of love
As I do accept the pledge of your jewel.
Thou knowest what is in my heart
As I know what is in thine.
All which I have now, or shall have,
Shall ever be yours.

The Priestessess then takes the wand and holds it over the top of the brides head, saying:

Thou shalt be the star that rises from the twilight sea
Thou shalt bring a man dreams to rule his destiny.
Thou shall bring the moon-tides to the soul of a man,
The tides that flow and ebb, and flow again,
The magic that moves in the moon and the sea;
These are thy secrets, and they belong to thee.
Thou art the Eternal Woman, thou art she…
The tides of all men's souls belong unto thee.
Isis in heaven, on earth, Persephone,
Diana of the Moon and Hecate,
Veiled Isis, Aphrodite from the sea,
All these thou art, and they are seen in thee.

The Priestess then takes the wand and holds it over the top of the groom's head saying;

In thee may the lord of the Forests return to earth again;
Hear the ancients call, and show thyself to men.
Shepherd of wild things, upon the wild hill's way,
Lead thy lost flock from darkness unto day.
Forgotten are the ways of sleep and of night;
Men seek for them whose eyes have lost light.
Open the door, the door that hath no key…
The door of dreams whereby men come unto thee.
Shepherd of wild things, may you one with him be!

The Priestess picks up the rings and wands and holds one end of it before him in his right hand, the Priestessess likewise holds the other end with her left hand, the rings on the exposed wand before them. The Priestess then says to the two before;

Place your hands over this wand…and your rings…

His hand over hers.

The Priestessess then says:

Above you are the stars
Below you are the stones.
As time passes, remember
Like a star should your love be constant,
Like the earth should your love be firm.
Possess one another, yet be understanding.
Have patience each with the other,
For storms will come, but they will go quickly.
Be free in giving of affection and of warmth.
Have no fear, and let not the ways or words
Of the unenlightened give you unease.
For the Old Gods are with you,
Now and always!

After a pause of five heartbeats the Priestess asks:

Is it your wish,Nyla,to become one with this man? (The answer is given by the bride.)

Is it your wish, Dana, to become one with this woman? (The answer is given by the groom)

Does any say nay, to this marriage?

The exchange of rings then takes place. Dana first takes the ring for Nyla off the wand. She takes the ring from him, placing it first on her thumb, then on her index finger, then on the middle finger, and finally one the ring finger, saying:

In the name of the Triple-Goddess
I pledge thee my troth
To love and cherish thee through all lifetimes,
For even though our paths may later diverge,
Yet will I always be thy true friend,
To love thee and lend thee aid and protection
By the power of the starry mill of heaven,
Beyond the imaginable reaches of time and knowledge.

Nyla then takes the ring for Dana off the wand. He takes it from her hands as she offers it to him, repeating the process, and also the same pledge.

When this is complete, the Priestessess then says:

Then as the Goddess, the God and the Old Ones
Are witnesses to this rite
Thus are thy hands fasted…
The Two are One,
The work of joy is done,
And yet begun!

A kiss is appropriate at this time. The Priestess calls for the men of the group to step back and to raise a sword arch through which the couple passes. Afterwards there may be held a circle dance of the guests about the wedding couple of procession.

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Šall original material copyright: Freya Owlsdottir, 1986-1998