Celtic Wedding Ceremony Binding Hands

The man and woman who came together for the hand fasting agreed to stay together for a specific period of time.

Celtic wedding ceremony binding hands. Historians estimate that the ancient celtic symbol dates back to 600 ad. In addition to the binding of hands vows are also typically exchanged. Considered an auspicious object the ribbon is wrapped around the couple s hands six times creating a seamless neverending binding to symbolize the endless cycles of birth and rebirth.

Today the tradition is incorporated into the wedding ceremony or is the main event itself. In ancient ireland two people who chose to be married were brought together often on a feast day such as beltane and faced each other. Hand fasting rituals are associated with pagan ceremonies but are now often seen in secular spiritual and even some christian ceremonies.

In thai ceremonies for example the couple kneels as elder married relatives pour blessed water from a conch shell onto their hands and offer words of blessing. This wiccan pagan wedding ceremony script incorporates numerous celtic traditions that guide this storied spiritual practice. Handfasting is an ancient irish wedding tradition that has come to be interpreted literally as the symbolic act of tying the knot blessing of the hands these are the hands of your best friend young.

Chief among these is the handbinding an important part of many wiccan pagan wedding nuptials. As your hands are bound you can recite words that express your commitment to one another. Handfasting in which a couple literally have their hands tied together with a cord was just one of many ancient celtic marriage forms permitted under the irish brehon law.

Traditional celtic wedding vows 03 i groom in the name of the spirit of god that resides within us all by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart take thee bride s full name to my hand my heart and my spirit to be my chosen one. History dating back to ancient celtic times hand fasting was in the simplest of terms the official wedding of the ancient celts. Knot tying the couple has chosen to honor their irish heritage with a handfasting ceremony.

Customize the script as you see fit or simply download it and print it out. Dating back far beyond 7000 b c. In the ancient celtic tradition of hand fasting the couple s hands are literally tied together to symbolize spiritual and physical unity as prayers and blessings are recited.