Hand Fasting?

Question

Does any one know a good hand fasting ritual?

Answer 1

I really love the handfasting ceremony. I am christian based minister, so the truly pagan or Wickin rituals are not what I would consider. However, to enclude handfasting in a marriage ceremony is beatiful.
Christian Hand fasting
Hand fasting truly is a very beautiful element in anyone's wedding.

A cord, or braided ribbon is used. The 3 part braided ribbon represents Bride's life, Groom's life, and now their have been blended into their new life together.

Hand fasting comes at the end of your ceremony and goes like this:

(Bride and Groom hold hands) Chaplain will take the cord/ribbon and tie the hands gently together. As I do, I will say, "As this knot is tied, so are your lives now bound. Woven into this cord/ribbon imbedded into its very fibers, are all the hopes of your friends and family, and of yourselves, for your new life together. With the fashioning of the knot, do I tie all the desires, dreams, love and happiness wished/prayed for here in this place for your lives, long as you both shall live.

The braided ribbon can be colors from your wedding, Remember to have a place of honor ready to keep this cord or ribbon ready to display.

Hand Fasting........Non-Pagan

Officiant: Know now that since your lives have crossed, you have formed ties between each other. The promises you make today and the ties that are bound here will cross the years and will greatly strengthen your union. With full awareness, know that you declare your intent to be handfasted before your friends and family. Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?

Bride & Groom: Yes, we seek to enter.

I bid you look into each others eyes.

[Bride's Name], will you honor him?

I will.

[Groom's Name], will you honor her?

I will.

[To Both] Will you seek never to give cause to break that honor?

Yes.

And so the binding is made. Join your hands. (First chord is draped across the bride and groom's hands.)

[Bride's Name], will you share his dreams?

I will .

[Groom's Name], will you share her dreams?

I will .

[To Both] Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?

Yes.

And so the binding is made. (Second chord is draped across the couple's hands.)

[Bride's Name], will you share his laughter?

I will .

[Groom's Name], will you share her laughter?

I will .

[To Both] Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?

Yes.

And so the binding is made. (Drape third chord across the couple's hands.)

[Bride's Name], might you ever burden him?

I might...

Is that your intent?

No.

[Groom's Name], might you ever burden her?

I might...

Is that your intent?

No.

[To Both] Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?

Yes.

And so the binding is made. (Drape fourth chord across the couple's hands.)

[Bride's Name], might you ever cause him pain?

I might...

Is that your intent?

No.

[Groom's Name], might you ever cause her pain?

I might...

Is that your intent?

No.

[To Both] Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?

Yes.

And so the binding is made. (Drape fifth chord across the couple's hands.)

[Bride's Name], might you ever cause him anger?

I might...

Is that your intent?

No.

[Groom's Name], might you ever cause her anger?

I might...

Is that your intent?

No.

[To Both] Will you together take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?

Yes.

And so the binding is made. (Drape sixth chord across the couple's hands. Tie chords together while saying:)

The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords, but rather by your vows. For as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.

Answer 2

I don't follow a pagan religion, but I typed in Hand Fasting Ritual into google and a few came up, this was just the first one on the page:

http://www.flamesfirepit.org/handfasting_ritual.htm

Oh and I just found this book that has everything you need to know about planning your hand fasting:

http://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/detail/195/

Answer 3

I was hand-fasted the day before I was legally married. If you want to email me. I can give some great ideas of simple hand-fasting practices that are fun and romantic.