Adding a Celtic Handfasting Ceremony to Your Wedding
I photographed the stunning Celtic handfasting ceremony that Grace and Chris included in their wedding at Lone Hawk Farm this past October.
The ceremony is a literal way of “tying the knot” with colorful ribbons that each represent different values & virtues.
As you can imagine, I was giddy shooting this ceremony, because I’m always down for couples who find ways to implement their passions, interests, and spirituality into their wedding.
Chris is very interested in studying and exploring multiple religions and spiritualities, so including this in their day just felt right.
The ribbons are used to tie the hands of two partners together throughout the ceremony, celebrating their union of shared values– for things such as passion, prosperity, and wealth.
Grace and Chris included their parents in the ceremony, a wonderful way of symbolizing the joining of their two families on that crisp October day.
G & C did research beforehand to incorporate ribbons that symbolized things that were significant to them and their relationship.
The result was a beautiful and incredibly intentional ceremony that left friends and family in tears and resulted in some awesome photos.
Are you thinking about adding a celtic handfasting ceremony to your day?
They are an awesome way to include tradition, personalize it to your relationship, and invite your family to participate.
To get started…
Consider the celtic handfasting tradition for your wedding day
Handfasting ceremonies originated in 7000 BC in Ancient Ireland. Today, they are most commonly seen in Wiccan and Pagan traditions, but are also included in nonsecular vows. Still, it’s important to acknowledge and honor the origins of the tradition.
Traditionally, three ribbons braid or tie the partners hands’ together. Often the partners stand across from each other, holding their left hands together and their right hands together, resulting in a cross-cross formation.
The officiant will read vows to explain the ribbon’s significance as they tie them around each partner’s hands.
Think about ~your~ purpose for including a celtic handfasting ceremony
Consider why you want to incorporate a handfasting ceremony in the first place.
What about it feels significant to you and your relationship?
What values do you want to emphasize during the ceremony?
Do you want your officiant to host the ceremony? or are you including family and friends?
Thinking about the answers to these questions ensures that the ceremony feels personal to your relationship.
Choose the ribbons for your ceremony
The colors of the ribbons are an important aspect of this tradition. The couple researches the tradition beforehand and chooses colorful ribbons that symbolize their chosen values. Below is an exploration of the various colors you could choose to include and what they traditionally represent.
BLUE: Strength, patience
BLACK: Wisdom, knowledge, empowerment
GREEN: Good luck, health, fertility
YELLOW: Happiness, charm, good fortune
ORANGE: Abundance, kindness
PINK: Romance
WHITE: Purity, serenity, peace
BROWN: Stability, nature
BLACK: Wisdom, knowledge, empowerment
You can learn more about the ribbons here.
Have a conversation with your boo and make choosing the ribbons as intentional as the ceremony itself. Choose any material for your ribbons. Some couples include twigs, branches, or flowers to add a natural element.
The most important piece is that you two find the ribbons meaningful to you. It’s not important that the ribbons you choose make sense to all your guests.
Officiate the ceremony
It is entirely up to you how to incorporate the ceremony into your day. Several couples opt to include it in place of their traditional vows and include family members in the knot tying instead of relying solely on their officiant to tie each knot. The tradition is preserved via the tying of the knots and the revealing of the symbolism, regardless of when you incorporate it or who’s involved.
Incorporating a celtic handfasting ceremony into your wedding is an incredible way to add tradition into your wedding ceremony in a personable, memorable way.
After all– your wedding day is about YOU embracing what feels right to you as a couple so you can look back on your day without a single regret.
In search of a photographer who wants to celebrate your traditions alongside you?
Whether you are incorporating celtic handfasting in your wedding or another tradition, I might be the photographer for you. I’m booking weddings & elopements in Denver, Colorado for kickass couples who are ready to embrace doing things their way.
To book me as a wedding photographer, head to my contact page to fill out my inquiry form. From there, we’ll set up a time to chat.
