Handfasting is an ancient Celtic ritual in which hands are tied together to symbolise the bonding of two lives. Increasingly popular during civil ceremonies, it has actually also become part of some religious ceremonies: perhaps not everyone remembers that even Prince William and Kate Middleton wanted to include it during their 2011 Royal Wedding in London.

WHEN HANDFASTING ORIGINATED

The true origin of handfasting is unknown, but it most likely comes from the Celtic tradition, predating Christianity. The word means the act of tying (to fast) the hands of the bride and groom, as was done in many parts of Britain.

Couples promised each other eternal love by tying their wrists together with strips of cloth torn from old clothes or with colourful braided ropes, to be held until late into the night. It was believed that if the couple overcame practical obstacles for the rest of the day, they would surely have a lasting bond.

ORGANISING A HADFASTING CEREMONY

During the civil and symbolic ceremony, which may also include other types of rituals, the officiant begins by explaining the ritual and what it means for the bride and groom.

The chosen person, who can also be a family member, then invites the couple to hold hands and reads a series of personalised vows while wrapping a ribbon or cloth around the couple’s hands. The bride and groom add their vows and then the hands are untied, to move on to the exchange of rings.

HOW TO CUSTOMISE THE RITUAL

The handfasting ritual can be customised in a way that completely respects the bride and groom. Here are some ways in which you can adapt the handfasting:

• Family members could take turns stepping up and wrapping the ribbon around the couple’s hands.
• You could use up to 13 different coloured ribbons woven together, even with special knots.
• Adding charms to the ends of the strings is a nice way to personalise the ribbons.
• Couples often bring a special box to hold the ribbons after the ritual is completed.

WHAT DO RIBBON COLOURS MEAN?

Ribbon colours can be a personal choice, depending on one’s history and taste, but over time, certain symbolic meanings have been attached to the colours. Some of these are:

As in most Neopagan rituals, Handfasting has no set rules: there are usually the ribbon ritual and the 4-element ritual.
Some elements may be introduced by the couples themselves who intend to contract a pagan marriage.

It must be said that those who approach this practice are often fans of Celtic mythology and somehow identify with the people who animate Celtic festivals.

THE TYING OF HANDS IN HANDFASTING: THE 4 ELEMENTS

It is easy to see that the ritual has nothing to do with classic Catholic handfasting, even though it is increasingly embraced by different religions. Not so much for the simple representation of the tying of hands, but for the boundless attribution made to the symbolic gesture. A phenomenon that recalls the 4 elements of nature, namely water, air, earth and fire.

The 4 natural elements constitute the spiritual part of the handfasting ritual, starting with the earth, which the Celts identified in stones, perhaps to be arranged in a circular form, and in clearings surrounded by trees. The birches symbolised new beginnings, akin to married life, the oaks, strength and endurance, and the hazel trees symbolised wisdom.

Water stands for love and change (a basin will suffice), while fire is purification (torches and candles), and finally air is equivalent to Nature and can be represented with incense.

Each of the 4 elements can be associated with a coloured ribbon so as to obtain 4 colours.

The same will be used to tie the hands. The officiant or important people in your life can perform the task of binding the bride and groom’s wrists while they hold hands. One at a time.

HANDFASTING: RIBBON RITE, THE TEXT FORMULA

The ribbon rite formula involving the bride and groom takes place by holding hands, standing in front of each other. One can choose right with right and left with left, thus forming the infinity symbol, or by crossing.

The officiant joins the bride and groom’s hands with a ribbon or rope, which will be knotted three times, not too tight to be carefully untied at the end of the ceremony. An heirloom to be kept intact in the future together with the spoken text. As for the colours of the rope, red and white are recommended, symbolising man and woman, or another colour of the celebrants’ choice.

The text of the vows reads as follows:

Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone.
I give ye my Body, that we Two might be One.
I give ye my Spirit, ‘til our Life shall be Done

The symbolism of the knot, three in number, somehow indicates a definite choice.
In the Christian formula, the text repeats ‘until death do us part’, while in handfasting it is implied for eternity as the Celts had a vision of death as a transmigration into another body.
In the formulation of pagan nuptials, the period of time is not excluded: a year and a day, as long as there is love, until death or for eternity. Symbols include flowers in the bride’s hair and the exchange of gifts.
Particularly bracelets or rings, especially the Claddagh Ring, which in itself holds many meanings to be discovered.

TIE THE KNOT!

In Anglo-Saxon countries the expression Tie the Knot is used as a synonym for getting married.
There are several very particular ways of wrapping the ribbons around the wrists and tying them, whereby, at the end of the ceremony, by pulling the ends of the cords and untying the hands, a knot has been tied with the symbol of infinity or a set of knots to represent the different promises (e.g. the love of one for the other and vice versa, the beginning of life together, etc.).