Pagan ceremonies can be religious or non-religious, but they always have a common thread: showing respect for your ancestors and celebrating love with friends & family.
There are different elements you can add to your pagan wedding ceremony: From colored ribbons on trees for good luck, oaths/blessings, to incorporating the elements into your wedding vows.
The most popular custom for modern weddings is a handfasting ceremony:
Handfasting is a ritual where two people are bound together as one. It's an ancient Celtic wedding custom that has been adopted into modern weddings.
It can be adapted to include some of the elements you want for your wedding ceremony.
A handfasting takes place before the actual wedding vows with both parties' hands being tied together during the ceremony.
Each person in the ceremony holds a part of a wrapped cord or ribbon, and when they recite their wedding vows, one end is tied together.
Other Ceremony Ideas:
1. Jumping over a broom is an old pagan custom that was once used for good luck in marriage ceremonies. The idea behind it is to sweep away any past negativity from your life before you start fresh with your spouse.
2. Sacred Circle: Guests gather in a circle around the couple & the officiant, Usually in an outdoor ceremony.
3. Blessing The Space: The officiant, generally a priest, priestess, or revered friend, will light incense or sage and invite the gods, goddesses, and spirits to gather as a spiritual circle around the physical circle.
4. Offerings & Altars: Near the officiant, an altar may be prepared with significant items such as candles, incense, or blessed wine. The couple can use these items in a unity ritual, or they may offer them to the gods.
Who can officiate?:
Anyone can perform a pagan wedding ceremony. It could be your friend, someone you know.
The best person to officiate is someone who knows you & your partner(s) well & can perform a ceremony that you & your future partner(s) will enjoy.
Handfasting Ideas:
1. Consider a candlelight-only ceremony.
2. Choose your color schemes with magic in mind. (Perhaps you choose deep purple because you feel a psychic bond with your partner, or emerald green because your connection feels "earthy" and honest, or a deep yellow because you share an air sign.
3. Fill cauldrons with fresh wildflowers & floating candles.
4. Mark your circle with something beautiful. (Flowers, leaves, shells..etc)
5. Give out mini smudge sticks to your guests as wedding favors.
6. Make lavender-filled sachets for your send-off. (You will never forget running through a cloud of lavender!)
