Memberi am of Celtic heritage and always thought handfasting was a cool tradition and meaningful (no i am not wiccan) anyone else thinking about or doing handfasting in their ceremony? and if so how and where are you incorporating it into your ceremony? =]
MemberMemberit’s basically a literal “tying of the knot” if you will. back in the day it was signifying more of an engagement period but today it is used within ceremonies. you get different colored ribbons or cords and can either braid them together or place them over the hands and then lightly fasted them together over the hands, this is an example of what will be said during ours:
Bridesmaid: [bride], please face [groom], and hold his hands, palms up, so you see the gift that they are to you. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief fill you. These are the hands that will give you support and celebrate with you in your accomplishments.
Groomsmen: [groom], please hold [bride’s] hands, palms up, where you may see the gift that they are to you. These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. They are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick or console you when you are grieving. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness. These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to fulfill your dreams. Together, as a team, everything you wish for can be realized.
[TYING OF THE RIBBON CORD]
Officiant: God, bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring, and devoted in reaching for your perfection. May [groom] and [bride] see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter and guide. We ask this in your name, Amen!
it really depends on how traditional you want to be as to how you do it, we will be doing a braided cord of colors representing different things
MemberMemberFutureMuniz no problem! it’s a really cool tradition, i think a lot of people just don’t know about it or are under the misconception that it’s wiccan since quite a lot of wiccan’s use it, but there are a lot of things they use from celtic culture
MemberI’ve got Irish heritage & we’re using a handfasting in our ceremony – I love it!
Member
MemberWe didn’t end up doing it, but since DH is of Celtic heritage, I pitched the idea to him. He declined, which surprised me because he’s so enthusiastic about that part of his family background. The German and Italian, not nearly as much.
MemberMemberWe’re only going to use one cord, rather than 6 or so. We’re going to have my partner’s parents bring up the cord & wrap it around our hands. They’ll have been married over 50 yrs by the time of the wedding, we thought it was a nice way of including them & maybe some of their “luck” will rub off on us!
Membermcgoo ooh ok cool, we’re doing a few cords but my mom is braiding them into one for us so it will be easier to tie, i think it’s cool when people do where several people all place a cord on but that is just too much for me, i think it will be easier if we just do one collective one and also so we can put it in a shadow box later.
aw that’s so awesome, yes that’s a great idea to have them do it! i think we are using one of our bridesmaids and groomsman for ours, the bridesmaid was my first ever best friend since we were 3years old and the groomsman is my Fiance oldest brother
good luck to the both of you =]
Memberstrawbabies hmm that’s curious, my Fiance didn’t know really wot it was when i suggested it but he is also of Celtic heritage and when i explained it, he got on board, though i really don’t think he cared too much how the ceremony goes cause i’ve pretty much had to be the one to put it all together
bebefly awesome, how did y’all go about doing yours?
MemberI want to do this, but keep forgetting to ask Fiance if he is interested.
MemberMr. LK is German-Irish-Scottish and we did our own version of a handfasting ceremony. Ceremony text here-
http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/our-ceremony-full-text
And here we are, all bound with our cords.
MemberWe are getting married this Monday and are doing a Handfasting. We spoke to our officiant last night about working it in (Non-denominational ceremony). We’re doing the vows, then ring exchange then the Handfasting. We made our own cord by each braiding 3 strands (mine 3 types of green, his three types of blue) and together braiding 3 strands of white patterned ribbon. Then braided the 3 braids and sewed little flowers on it. After the ceremony we’re going to frame it with a picture taken during the ceremony and the words printed. I think it is a beautiful tradition and am so excited for it.
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