should handfasting be considered a legal marriage?

Question

handfasting is the wiccan equivalent. should it be legal?

Answer 1

Yes of course.

It's a solemn promise by two people to share their lives.
It's every bit as valid as any other such ceremon.

What an odd question.

Answer 2

There are some Pagans who are legally recognized as clergy. Also, if the marriage is not same-sex -- and would otherwise be legal -- a marriage done in one state is recognized by all others. This is a dilemma that many Pagans have to deal with. If you want to have the handfasting perfomed either before or after the other ceremony that is going to be something to be determined by the two of you. Your idea of having the legal wedding first and then the handfasting later is something that you should explore if it is something that will make both of you happy as well as limiting friction with your families....

Answer 3

All that is needed to make a marriage, or handfasting legal is the proper license and paperwork taken care of and the couples consent to marry each other( the I do's). The style of ceremony, whether it be in a church, a civil ceremony or handfasting, is just window dressing after that.

Answer 4

In the United States, a marriage consecrated through Wiccan handfasting and solemnized through civil documentation is a legal marriage.

Yet, ironically, the origin of the handfasting rite was precisely a union ceremony that took place outside the purview of the civil law. (This is the original sense of a handfasting, a union or betrothal solemnized by clasping hands, with or without a cord, and originally was practiced by both Christian and Pagan celebrants.)

My wife and I, who come from two different faith traditions (she the Roman Catholic Church, and I the Stone Circle Tradition of Wicca), elected to be united through both a Roman Catholic church wedding and a Wiccan handfasting. We elected to use the Roman Catholic ceremony as the legal wedding date for purposes of recognition by state authorities. But this was voluntary; we were within our rights to use the handfasting date as well. I decided I wanted the handfasting to remain outside the cognizance of the law, given the oppressive and unjust character of American marriage laws, which arbitrarily recognize only opposite-sex marriages as viable in defiance of history, common sense, and the spirit of love. In most states, it is not the religious celebration but rather the courthouse registration that finally makes one married.

Answer 5

Is even christian marriage a "legal" marriage? I was under the impression you still had to go through all the paperwork and such with the government to make it legal. Am I wrong? Nothing prevents you from doing exactly the same thing with handfasting.

Answer 6

I perform handfastings and if they want legal status the couple gets a license and I am legally ordained so I sign it.
There are enough other issues about legal unions without Pagans screaming for special rights too.

Answer 7

handfasting is actually considered a legal marriage.

The only thing that makes it a "legal" marriage is the marriage licence. Once the licence is on file with the government, signed by both parties, at least one witness, and the ceremony preformer (aka priest) or judge, then it is considered a legal marriage.

Answer 8

Umm, yes. Why not? It's performed just like any other religious marriage ceremony. Are you even familiar with how it works? An ordained and licensed official of Paganism conducts a ceremony similar to all marriage ceremonies. At the end, the couple has their hands tied together with symbolic ribbons of different colors while the official tells them what they mean. It signifies that they will be bound together forever in their marriage and love. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Answer 9

marriage is considered a voluntary commitment by two people. all marriages should be recognized equally. But even when the marriage is legalized it is still up to the couple to keep the marriage together. in Canada there is recognition of common law marriages when rights are to be considered. but a marriage of faith in each other should be the strength that binds for life.

Answer 10

Any bonding of two people should be legal as long as the proper marriage licences are filled out, regardless of what event or ritual is used to celebrate the union.