Handfasting
You may notice time period movies have handfastings. The movies that take place in the Early Medieval period such as Disney's The Sword and The Stone, the Special Edition of The Princess Bride has a handfasting as does Monty Python and The Holy Grail just to name a few. Robin Hood and Maid Marion were united with a handfasting.
The ancient Celtic tradition of handfasting, though most commonly associated with neopaganism, is a timeless ritual formally binding your devotion. With perfect love and perfect trust, your lives are now intertwined—where there was one, now there are two.
It can be tailored to your individual customs and beliefs. Clasped hands in the shape of infinity are tied with ribbons or cords of meaningful colors, symbolizing the intertwining of your lives.
The great thing about a hand fasting is you can do so many things with it. You can write your own script to reflect your personalities and use interesting ties to make the ceremony special for you. It can be solemnly or comically or a little of each. It can be part of your vows or something extra in your ceremony. You can tie a Colts and a Bears fan together or a yin to a yang or heart to a heart by way of the hand. You can use different ties - Binding several together with each having a significance. You could use a string of pearls (beads) to symbolize treasure. Something green to symbolize growth. Brown for grounding to the earth. Red for passion. The possibilities really are limitless.
The ancient Celtic tradition of handfasting, though most commonly associated with neopaganism, is a timeless ritual formally binding your devotion. With perfect love and perfect trust, your lives are now intertwined—where there was one, now there are two.
It can be tailored to your individual customs and beliefs. Clasped hands in the shape of infinity are tied with ribbons or cords of meaningful colors, symbolizing the intertwining of your lives.
The great thing about a hand fasting is you can do so many things with it. You can write your own script to reflect your personalities and use interesting ties to make the ceremony special for you. It can be solemnly or comically or a little of each. It can be part of your vows or something extra in your ceremony. You can tie a Colts and a Bears fan together or a yin to a yang or heart to a heart by way of the hand. You can use different ties - Binding several together with each having a significance. You could use a string of pearls (beads) to symbolize treasure. Something green to symbolize growth. Brown for grounding to the earth. Red for passion. The possibilities really are limitless.
Cambodian Cord
In Asia, the color red is a sacred color of great joy. There is an ancient Cambodian fable that states that couples who are fated to be together are joined by an invisible red cord. As time goes by, and the two get older, the invisible red cord shrinks in length until the two are standing face to face. The officiant takes a red cord and ties a knot it the middle, making a wish for the couple's married happiness out loud. The cord is passed to the left to others where they are asked to tie a knot and make a silent wish for the couple. When the last one has tied a knot, the cord is draped over the bride's neck, thus the couple has a tangible reminder of the loving wishes made for them by everyone who attended, and blessed, their wedding.
In Asia, the color red is a sacred color of great joy. There is an ancient Cambodian fable that states that couples who are fated to be together are joined by an invisible red cord. As time goes by, and the two get older, the invisible red cord shrinks in length until the two are standing face to face. The officiant takes a red cord and ties a knot it the middle, making a wish for the couple's married happiness out loud. The cord is passed to the left to others where they are asked to tie a knot and make a silent wish for the couple. When the last one has tied a knot, the cord is draped over the bride's neck, thus the couple has a tangible reminder of the loving wishes made for them by everyone who attended, and blessed, their wedding.
