(walks back to the South): Divine Spirit in Nature, join us today, Grandmother Earth and Grandfather Sky, to witness this sacred union of Tom and Karen. Bring your gifts of divine love, power, and grace to them as they join to walk this life’s path together. Welcome Divine Spirit.

Karen and Tom, you have been nurtured in two separate families, and have now chosen to create a new family. Give thanks to those who have brought you to this place, and come and stand before me, to continue on together. (They thank their families and come to the center, facing the priestess.)
To the families: You may be seated.

Tom and Karen, we have come together today to witness your handfasting and marriage. The handfasting is a sacred joining in the Pagan tradition of old, a recognition of the soul connection you have found together. The marriage is a legal contract between you, recognized by the state, granting you certain rights that you did not have as individuals. Both of them recognize that you have chosen to love, honor, and cherish each other and live together as a couple.

 

Now, before these witnesses, I will ask you, do you, Karen, freely choose Tom to be your life partner from this day forward? (Answers Yes)

 

And do you, Tom, freely choose Karen to be your life partner from this day forward? (Answers Yes)


You have chosen to wear new rings from this day forward, to symbolize your steadfast commitment to each other. Let us bless the rings.

 

Anne-Marie, do you have the rings? (Answers Yes; Azrael holds out the bowl) Please bring them forward and place them in this blessing bowl. (She does so) (Tom and Karen pour their vials of water over the rings as Tom explains the significance of the waters, and they bless the rings.) May the Divine Spirit bless these rings and the union that they symbolize. May you have joy together always, strength during the hard times, and remain always steadfast in your love and gentle in your partnership. Blessed Be.

Karen and Tom place the rings on each others’ fingers in silence.

While these rings show the world the depth of your commitment to each other, within this circle we will show that commitment by an ancient ritual, the actual handfasting, in which I will tie your hands together with a ribbon. Take hands now, and hold them before me. This ribbon symbolizes the magical, spiritual, and psychic bond between you, the coming together of your souls to form a perfect union and partnership for life. Walk around the circle, that all those present may see by this ribbon your commitment to each other. They walk the circle, returning to stand in front of the priestess.

By your exchanging of these rings and the binding of this ribbon, I now pronounce you Karen and Tom Waters, partners in life and love. You may kiss each other, the first of many kisses as wife and husband.

And just as you thought it was all over, there are two more customs to be observed, the first of which is the jumping of the broom. Like carrying the bride over the threshold, jumping the broom symbolizes setting up the new home together, since the broom is the most domestic of tools. Amber has loaned Karen and Tom her handmade broom for this occasion. Amber, please bring it forward and hold it up for Tom and Karen to jump. They jump the broom. By the old saying, Something Old (the tradition of handfasting itself), Something New (the rings), Something Borrowed (the broom), and Something Blue (the handfasting ribbon), you are now well and truly joined together—may your journey through life be joyous, and may each new day bring you closer together in love.

The final tradition is sharing the first meal together. Please stand. We have homemade bread and a lovely wine to share. Karen and Tom, would you bless the bread and wine? They do so.

Pass the bread and wine with this blessing: May you always have enough and to share, and may your cup always be filled with the good things of life. Everyone partakes.

Will you all take hands? They do so.

Karen and Tom Waters, I wish you years of happiness and prosperity, joy and love. I would like to pass on a bit of wisdom from Amber’s and my handfasting, from the wise priest who officiated. He said, If each of you tries always to do three times as much for the other as they do for you, you will come out even and your blessings will multiply threefold. And so it has proven true through our 13 years together. May you be as happy together as Amber and I have been. Blessed Be.

We thank you, Divine Spirit, Grandmother Earth and Grandfather Sky, for providing such a beautiful day for this rite of passage. We honor you and daily receive your blessings. Thank you, and Blessed Be.

(walks to the North): Spirits of Earth, we thank you for your presence here at this handfasting, and for your gifts of health, abundance, and strength. Go now, with our thanks; Blessed Be.

(walks to the West): Spirits of Water, we thank you for your presence here at this handfasting, and for your gifts of love, compassion, and intuition. Go now, with our thanks; Blessed Be.

(walks to the South): Spirits of Fire, we thank you for your presence here at this handfasting, and for your gifts of energy, will, and passion. Go now, with our thanks; Blessed Be.

(walks to the East): Spirits of Air, we thank you for your presence here at this handfasting, and for your gifts of thoughtfulness, creative imagination, and intellect. Go now, with our thanks; Blessed Be.

This has been a sacred circle of love and support, which I now dismiss as I untie your hands, retaining the magic of this day and this circle in the ribbon. This bow will remain a symbol of this day and the promises you have made within this circle. Take it and place it upon your marriage bed as a placeholder until you return from your honeymoon.