Druid and/or pagan wedding ceremonies?

I found an elemental unity ceremony on off beat bride and i love the idea. You light a candle (fire) pour sand into an hourglass (earth) ring a wind chime (air) and drink water from a goblet (water)

Not sure if you'll find many on here...but I could be wrong. I attended one pagan wedding, and it was done tastefully. I don't know much about pagan or

Druids to be honest . The reception was tacky as all heck though and they had tombstone decor. We left early lol if you don't mind me asking, what would make the ceremony pagan ? I'm going to research a bit too!

Http://offbeatbride.com/pagan-weddings/

I know hand-fasting is found within Paganism.

I'm not sure I'd like to do it, but I may change my mind on that at some point.

FH wants a Catholic ceremony, which I'm fine with, but he evens agrees with me that the Pagan/Wiccan script for vows is more our style. We may right our own vows to reflect that; not sure yet.

The vows themselves are online. I'll look for the link on my phone and post it here for reference.

Thanks @future I'm checking that out!

Our venue doesn't allow open flames, so we'll probably be using a symbolic wand to call the corners. We also won't have a circular setup; basically we'll be doing a small invocation of the Goddess and a handfasting. We'll likely have a unity ceremony separate from the actual calling of the corners, and we're considering using blown glass. I love OBB's take on it! I'm mostly just looking for personal experiences and stuff. I like finding other girls who are eclectic to chat about these things with. My family is mostly Christian in varying forms so there's not much in the way of conversation to be had about it there unfortunately.

Nikol - I don't mind you asking at all! I'm more than happy to teach and talk about the old ways

I'm googling now @HisBlackbird and I might have to incorporate something into my ceremony. I'm fascinated with history and I love learning new things! The "pagan" wedding I attended was in no way a pagan wedding, and I'm just not finding this out because of google! Handfasting looks amazing!

Handfasting is a time honored rite and tradition and it is TRULY beautiful to behold. The Old Ways are all attuned to nature and the living world around us; that's what they're all about.

That sounds right up our ally. I've been trying to find something different we can do too! Sorry for hijacking your post!

Not at all sweetheart!! All things are as they're meant and you finding this and learning is part of that

You might page Elphaba on this. I think she is Wiccan or something related? She JUST got married, though, so might be otherwise occupied.

I was just going to say, put "paging Elphaba" in your subject line. She is BAM this week and might have some tips.

We do loads of handfastings that are not in a pagan context; one even included a sScottish tartan 'ribbon' and a strip of Chinese brocade.

Go to www.handfastings.org; there are plenty of sample ceremonies there.

This is mine, done with six cords; the colors can be changed or replaced with other fabrics

Handfasting (we will edit in the people’s name who will be draping the cords)

Jamie and Shawn have chosen a traditional hand fasting ceremony. In Europe, until the mid 1700’s, few unions were sanctified in a church or synagogue. Rather, they were celebrated by a simple hand fasting ceremony in which the two partners joined hands over the village anvil, in the fields or in the groves of trees. Today, we build upon this tradition, and while we don’t have the village anvil, we do have two partners and a loving community.

Please hold hands, right hand to right hand, left hand to left hand.

When you found each other, an ancient circle was closed. You have become Anam Cara for each other. Anam Cara translated from Irish means soul friend. Your Anam Cara is the person who supports and challenges you, who brings you to your full potential, who brings you joy.

Notice as you hold hands that your arms form a figure 8. Let this be a symbol of the eternal promise that is brought into the light by the presence of your Anam Cara.

Notice too, that the unity of the figure 8 holds within it two distinct circles. Let this remind us that even as you are bound together, you are two separate and unique individuals.

It is one of the mysteries of love, that in the eternal circle of belonging you can find freedom.

May your love be the wellspring that nourishes you, refreshes you and reveals to you your inner most nature. The green cord of renewal is draped by _______

May the warmth, generosity and creativity of your love touch everyone in your life. The red cord, the cord of possibility, the red cord of inevitable togetherness and boundless passion, is draped by _______

May you learn from each other and grow in ways you’ve never dreamed. The yellow cord, the cord of wisdom and creativity, is draped by ___________

May you surround yourself with history and future, and always be open to the surprises of tomorrow, even as you remember yesterday with fondness. The purple cord, the cord of magic and mystery is draped by ___________

May you always be ready for adventure, and may returning home be the best part of your journey. The white cord of peace and purity is draped by _________

May you value your relationship and realize that it is a priceless gift to be nurtured and treasured. The gold cord of intimate richness is draped by ________

This is the final cord of Handfasting. It will connect Jamie and Shawn together with bonds of love. For such bonds to be strong, they need support - not only from the couple themselves, but from you; their loving and supportive community of family and friends.

As I bind their hands together with the six cords, please let your thoughts focus on the loving strength you bring to their union. The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords but instead by your vows. May these promises shape your every day together, as long as you shall live.

Celebrant ties the cords. "And the binding has been made".

With the entwining of this knot I tie all the desires, dreams, love, and happiness to your lives for as long as love shall last. As this knot is tied, so are your lives now bound. Woven into this cord, into its very fibers, are all the hopes of your friends and family, and of yourselves, for your new life together.

I've been to a wedding with a hand fasting ceremony, officiated by a Wiccan (I believe) though the couple doesn't ascribe to a religion in particular. I thought it was lovely.

I had a priestess marry us. We did a handfasting among this as well, but I think many people who do it don't know the accurate history behind it when they choose it.

I researched and found some different readings and she helped me compile the ceremony. I can send you through wording for ours if you want to message me or give me your email.

We're doing a handfasting for sure! I'm Pagan and FH is Muslim, so we'll include both of those beliefs in the vows.