The following is a slightly condensed version of my own Handfasting Ceremony which was put together from a few different ritual ideas. Please keep in mind that my husband & I had a Wiccan/Renaissance wedding.
Items needed:
1 tall silver candle (Goddess)
1 tall gold candle (God)
sage incense
cauldron
bowl of salt
cup of water
incense & burner
incense & burner
chalice of wine
loaf of bread
4 corner candles
4 corner candles
ceremonial rings
cord or ribbon
athame
wand
unity candle
unity candle
Personal vows and pledge
rose petals
rose petals
_________________________________________________________________________
Before start of the ceremony, privately bless and charge the rings, salt, water, bread and wine. The rings are then placed on the wand and the cord or ribbon is loosely wrapped around it. The rings will then be placed on the altar for the High Priestess to use later. The HPS must cast the circle and call the corners. While the Bride's Matrons discretely close the circle portal behind her with rose petals, sealing it.
HPS: (Rings bell to announce the ceremony is about to begin. She then begins to call the corners) -
"Be with us here, O Powers of Earth! Bless this couple with tenderness, compassion and sensuality."
(HPS lights North corner candle and bows)
"Be with us here, O Powers of Air! Bless this couple with communication, intellectual growth and wisdom."
(HPS lights East corner candle and bows)
"Be with us here, O Powers of Fire! Bless this couple with harmony, creativity and passion."
(HPS lights South corner candle and bows)
"Be with us here, O Powers of Water! Bless this couple with friendship, understanding and the deepest of love."
(HPS lights West corner candle and bows)
HPS: "May the place of this rite be concecrated before the elements of nature. Blessed be!"
(HPS joins couple at the altar):
HPS: "We come here today in a ritual of love, asking the blessings of the Lord and Lady to be with and grant everlasting happiness, thy love and thy protection to this couple, (couple's names)."
HPS then takes the athame and holds above the Bride's head, saying) -
"Do you, (Bride), come freely of your own will?"
BRIDE: (responds) "I do."
HPS then holds the athame above Groom's head, saying):
"Do you, (Groom), come freely of your own will?"
GROOM: (responds) "I do."
HPS: (Recites a prayer to the Lord and Lady) -
"Gracious Goddess, Maiden of the dancing waves and glittering stars, Mother from whom all life is born and Crone who is full of the wisdom of great age. Be with (Bride) now and with her love as they are joined together in love."
"Gracious God, Hunter of the Forests, Lord of the sun, bringer of warmth and light and consort of the Lady. Be with (Groom) now and with his love as they are joined together in love."
HPS: (Turns to Groom) -
"If you dost truly desire, O (Groom), to marry this woman, I bid you present to her your pledge, that which is an expression of the love that you have for her."
GROOM: "I pledge to thee my love, to cherish, aid and protect thee through all lifetimes."
HPS: (Turns to Bride) -
"If you dost truly desire, O (Bride), to marry this man, I bid you present to him your pledge, that which is an expression of the love that you have for him."
BRIDE: "I pledge to thee my love, to cherish, aid and protect thee through all lifetimes."
(HPS loosely binds the couple's wrist together using the cord or ribbon)
HPS: "As your hands are bound together now, so your lives and spirits are also joined in a union of joy, trust, love and mutual support. May the Lord and Lady smile upon this union and bless you both with health and prosperity. May neither ever take advantage of the other; for remember, what one may not provide, the other may."
(HPS unties cord. Now the exchange of rings and vows) -
GROOM: (While placing ring on Bride's finger)
"By love and life, in the name of all I believe, I, (Groom), take thee, (Bride), to my hand, my heart and my spirit, to desire thee and be desired by thee, at the setting of the sun and the rising of the stars. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people and thy ways as I respect myself. This ring is a token of my promise to be your campanion, friend and lover. I offer it to you as I offer you this vow. I will be honest and open with you always, I will strive for your well-being and happiness. Whatever life presents to you, it presents to me also."
(Bride places ring on Groom's finger and repeats the same vows to Groom)
HPS: "Is it your wish, (Groom), to become one with this woman?"
GROOM: (responds) "Yes."
HPS: "Is it your wish, (Bride), to become one with the man?"
BRIDE: (responds) "Yes."
(Bride & Groom then light the unity candle using the God & Goddess candles)
HPS: (Performs the symbolic Great Rite. She then offers the couple the chalice of wine) -
"This is your first drink together as husband and wife. May you never thirst!"
(HPS askes the couple to break off a piece of bread and feed it to eachother) -
"This is your first meal together as husband and wife. May you never hunger!"
(HPS tells the couple to face eachother holding hands) -
"Above you are the stars,
Below you are the stones,
As time passes, remember -
Death does not part, only lack of love.
Like the stars should your love be constant,
Like the earth should your love be firm,
Circles represent eterinty and although our lives are finite,
love is everlasting,
The force that binds us together,
The force that gives new life.
As your family, friends, the elements and the Lord and Lady are witness to this rite,
I now proclaim you are husband and wife -
Thus your hands fasted, the two are now one.
You may seal your union with a kiss."
HPS: "We thank the Lord and Lady for their attendance this day and ask that they go forth and herald this union."
(HPS then proceeds to open the circle) -
(While raising the cup of water):
"Hail, O Powers of Water! We thank thee for thy attention. Go forth and announce to all this union!"
(While raising the South corner candle):
"Hail, O Powers of Fire! We thank thee for thy attention. Go forth and announce to all this union!"
(While raising the incense burner):
"Hail, O Powers of Air! We thank thee for thy attention. Go forth and announce to all this union!"
(While raising the bowl of salt):
"Hail, O Powers of Earth! We thank thee for thy attention. Go forth and announce to all this union!"
(HPS thanks everyone and officially announces the couple to all) -
"On behalf of (Groom & Bride), I'd like to thank everyone for being here to share their special day. I now present to you, (Mr. & Mrs. __________)!"
HPS: (Rings bell to announce the ceremony is about to begin. She then begins to call the corners) -
"Be with us here, O Powers of Earth! Bless this couple with tenderness, compassion and sensuality."
(HPS lights North corner candle and bows)
"Be with us here, O Powers of Air! Bless this couple with communication, intellectual growth and wisdom."
(HPS lights East corner candle and bows)
"Be with us here, O Powers of Fire! Bless this couple with harmony, creativity and passion."
(HPS lights South corner candle and bows)
"Be with us here, O Powers of Water! Bless this couple with friendship, understanding and the deepest of love."
(HPS lights West corner candle and bows)
HPS: "May the place of this rite be concecrated before the elements of nature. Blessed be!"
(HPS joins couple at the altar):
HPS: "We come here today in a ritual of love, asking the blessings of the Lord and Lady to be with and grant everlasting happiness, thy love and thy protection to this couple, (couple's names)."
HPS then takes the athame and holds above the Bride's head, saying) -
"Do you, (Bride), come freely of your own will?"
BRIDE: (responds) "I do."
HPS then holds the athame above Groom's head, saying):
"Do you, (Groom), come freely of your own will?"
GROOM: (responds) "I do."
HPS: (Recites a prayer to the Lord and Lady) -
"Gracious Goddess, Maiden of the dancing waves and glittering stars, Mother from whom all life is born and Crone who is full of the wisdom of great age. Be with (Bride) now and with her love as they are joined together in love."
"Gracious God, Hunter of the Forests, Lord of the sun, bringer of warmth and light and consort of the Lady. Be with (Groom) now and with his love as they are joined together in love."
HPS: (Turns to Groom) -
"If you dost truly desire, O (Groom), to marry this woman, I bid you present to her your pledge, that which is an expression of the love that you have for her."
GROOM: "I pledge to thee my love, to cherish, aid and protect thee through all lifetimes."
HPS: (Turns to Bride) -
"If you dost truly desire, O (Bride), to marry this man, I bid you present to him your pledge, that which is an expression of the love that you have for him."
BRIDE: "I pledge to thee my love, to cherish, aid and protect thee through all lifetimes."
(HPS loosely binds the couple's wrist together using the cord or ribbon)
HPS: "As your hands are bound together now, so your lives and spirits are also joined in a union of joy, trust, love and mutual support. May the Lord and Lady smile upon this union and bless you both with health and prosperity. May neither ever take advantage of the other; for remember, what one may not provide, the other may."
(HPS unties cord. Now the exchange of rings and vows) -
GROOM: (While placing ring on Bride's finger)
"By love and life, in the name of all I believe, I, (Groom), take thee, (Bride), to my hand, my heart and my spirit, to desire thee and be desired by thee, at the setting of the sun and the rising of the stars. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people and thy ways as I respect myself. This ring is a token of my promise to be your campanion, friend and lover. I offer it to you as I offer you this vow. I will be honest and open with you always, I will strive for your well-being and happiness. Whatever life presents to you, it presents to me also."
(Bride places ring on Groom's finger and repeats the same vows to Groom)
HPS: "Is it your wish, (Groom), to become one with this woman?"
GROOM: (responds) "Yes."
HPS: "Is it your wish, (Bride), to become one with the man?"
BRIDE: (responds) "Yes."
(Bride & Groom then light the unity candle using the God & Goddess candles)
HPS: (Performs the symbolic Great Rite. She then offers the couple the chalice of wine) -
"This is your first drink together as husband and wife. May you never thirst!"
(HPS askes the couple to break off a piece of bread and feed it to eachother) -
"This is your first meal together as husband and wife. May you never hunger!"
(HPS tells the couple to face eachother holding hands) -
"Above you are the stars,
Below you are the stones,
As time passes, remember -
Death does not part, only lack of love.
Like the stars should your love be constant,
Like the earth should your love be firm,
Circles represent eterinty and although our lives are finite,
love is everlasting,
The force that binds us together,
The force that gives new life.
As your family, friends, the elements and the Lord and Lady are witness to this rite,
I now proclaim you are husband and wife -
Thus your hands fasted, the two are now one.
You may seal your union with a kiss."
HPS: "We thank the Lord and Lady for their attendance this day and ask that they go forth and herald this union."
(HPS then proceeds to open the circle) -
(While raising the cup of water):
"Hail, O Powers of Water! We thank thee for thy attention. Go forth and announce to all this union!"
(While raising the South corner candle):
"Hail, O Powers of Fire! We thank thee for thy attention. Go forth and announce to all this union!"
(While raising the incense burner):
"Hail, O Powers of Air! We thank thee for thy attention. Go forth and announce to all this union!"
(While raising the bowl of salt):
"Hail, O Powers of Earth! We thank thee for thy attention. Go forth and announce to all this union!"
(HPS thanks everyone and officially announces the couple to all) -
"On behalf of (Groom & Bride), I'd like to thank everyone for being here to share their special day. I now present to you, (Mr. & Mrs. __________)!"
Beautiful. I was thinking, if you have time I wanted to see if you have time to help us with our family commitment ceremony. It will either be next fall or the following one. We want to do it at the Ren Faire!
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