Wiccan Forum Handfasting rituals

Handfasting Ritual
Preparation
Long ribbon or soft rope (~ 3 feet)
Vows to exchange (written by the couple)
Small gifts (or rings) to be exchanged by the couple.
5 rose candles (Quarter and god candle (god candle can be
red))
1 white candle (Goddess candle)
Gifts from the coveners/guests for the couple.
Ritual
Cast the circle normally.

Invoke the Goddess and God normally, or as below.

HPriest: We call upon you in the guise of Eros,
Kindler of desire,
Bringer of love,
to join us here and witness the bonding
of and .

HPriestess: We call upon you in the guise of Aphrodite,
Always desirous one,
Sensual lover,
to join us here and witness the joining
of and .

Grounding meditation.

The HPriest and HPriestess motion the two people to be handfasted to join them before the altar.

Couple faces the altar.

HPriest: (to one of the couple, the female if the couple are of
opposite gender) Do you _name_ join us here
of your own free will, to acknowledge before
the Lord and Lady the bond that is shared
between yourself and _other_name_.

Person1: (responds (hopefully this will be a yes :) if not,
go to closing).
HPriestess asks the other the same thing and gets response.

Couple turn to face each other and join their left hands.

Each now recites the vows they have prepared.

HPriest: (taking the joined left hands, and the rope)
Here before witnesses, and have
sworn vows to each other. With this cord, I bind
them to the vows that they each have made. (wrap
the cord loosely around both arms) However this
binding is not tied, so that neither is restricted by
the other, and the binding is only enforced by both
their wills.

Couple: (turning to face each other, in unison)
Heart to thee,
Soul to thee,
Body to thee,
Forever and always,
So mote it be.

Coven: So mote it be.
Couple unbind thier left arms.

Couple exchange the gifts they have brought for each other. Coven members and guests give couple good wishes and/or gifts.

Great rite and Cakes and Ale.

Bid farewell to God and Goddess as usual, or as below.

HPriestess: We thank you, Aphrodite, for your presence among us,
And as you take your leave, we ask that
you leave among us, in each of us, the
ability to each be Sensual Lover, and
desirous one.
Hail and farewell.

HPriest: We thank you Eros, for your presence here this day,
And ask, as you take your leave, that you
leave in each of us, the ability to be
a Bringer of desire, and kindler of love.
Hail and farewell.


Dismiss the Quarters, and open the circle. Relax, talk, and party!

This is a nice ritual, did u write it yourself?

No i didn't write it.

I've always wanted to know about this...thank you for posting this.

Yira Simone,

There is no thanks needed here. But your welcome anyway....Be careful what you do with alot of the rituals and spells that i will be putting on here.

Oh thank goodness you posted this. Someone was just asking me about a handfasting ritual yesterday. Now, I can show this too her. thank you. ~Liv

P.S. How do we add a poem to this group?

Hey no problem. Good luck and best wishes.

Blessed be
Dancing Wolves

Always wanted to know how this one went, thanx for posting it hun XX

My wife and I did one May 2006.  Ours was a combination of Celtic and Egyptian rituals.  It's was great.  Beautiful surroundings, beautiful people.  We only had the High Priestess and her husband there.  Small, personal, but wonderful.  I couldn't have imagined a better handfasting.  This one here is a good one.  Where was this found?  I unfortunately don't have a copy of the vows that we took or the ceremony.  I'd love a copy.  Perhaps I'll just have to ask if I could get a copy of them.