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Post by lorifiya on Jul 1, 2011 18:52:21 GMT -5
Since there was a topic of someone wanting a celtic wedding I was wondering if anyone knew how many and what type of wiccan marriage ceremonies there are.
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Post by Lady Motevia on Jul 1, 2011 20:09:19 GMT -5
The Wiccan wedding is called a "handfasting" and can be personalized depending on the couple's wishes. I've seen faerie-themed handfastings, Celtic, Hindu, Christian (If one person is not Wiccan, this is definitely acceptable), etc... It really depends on the people and their interests.
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Post by lorifiya on Jul 1, 2011 20:18:17 GMT -5
That's one form but what about the other's, also a handfasting only lasts for a year and a day.
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Post by Lady Motevia on Jul 1, 2011 21:42:52 GMT -5
Actually, it only USED to last a year and a day. The handfasting began because marriages in England as of 1753 were only legal if performed by a clergyman. So, Pagans were not allowed to be legally wed. These Pagans then went to Scotland in order to elope, where it was legal to be wed without a clergyman and the people could do it themselves. It was in Scotland where the year-and-a-day tradition began as a form of engagement period in order to see if the couple could really stand being married to each other. After that year-and-a-day, they decided whether to continue being married or to go on their separate ways. Back before Wicca was recognized as a legal religion, Wiccans would do this year-and-a-day handfasting and renew it every year. Since Wicca was legalized as a reputable religion, handfastings are more commonly stated "for as long as love shall last".
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Post by lorifiya on Jul 1, 2011 21:54:39 GMT -5
Interesting, in the information that I have looked up it states that there are 4 type of marrigages. the handfasting for a year and a day, then as long as love shall last, and till death. and lastly a soul marriage which can only be given to those that are true soul mates, because it lasts through all lifetimes.
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Post by Lady Motevia on Jul 1, 2011 22:00:06 GMT -5
Those are technically true, but Wiccans still refer to them as "handfastings" because of the tradition of "tying the knot" in order to symbolize the contract of a handshake, since Wiccans were once not allowed to wed legally in Britain until Wicca was made a legal religion in the 1950's. Then here in the States in 1985. But since Wicca came from Britain (thanks to Gerald Gardner), Wiccans stick to that tradition of handfasting, even though there are different ways of doing it.
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Post by lorifiya on Jul 1, 2011 23:02:24 GMT -5
I see, I see. I always thought they were called different names but are in fact under the same name but different types. cool.
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Post by habibidancer on Jul 4, 2011 23:47:36 GMT -5
My hubby and I were married in a "as long as love shall last" handfasting. We wrote it along with my covenmates who officiated it. It was quite the full-blown affair with lots off bells and whistles (metaphorically speaking LOL). I've also officiated a few myself, either with the rest of my then-coven or on my own as the only Priestess. The ceremonies were all created with the couple having input, as much as they liked, anywhere from me writing the whole thing and them approving it, to having the couple send me the ceremony and then I tweaked it a bit for my tradition with their final approval.
In iowa, all you need is to have the officiant say something along the lines of "by the power vested in me by the state of iowa, you are man and wife (or other variation now! yay!)" and everyone signs the paperwork. Anything else is just dressing it up according to your personal traditions. Not sure about illinois but I think it's just as easy-going.
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Post by Lady Motevia on Jul 5, 2011 11:48:21 GMT -5
I was married in Iowa and it was exactly as you described, Habibidancer. I've been looking into the Illinois side and it's pretty much the same deal as long as the officiant is in good standing in the chosen religion.
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